So that’s it then, after months of speculation about will he race at the TT or not, Guy Martin has confirmed that he WON’T be at the 2016 TT. And he’s gone on to hint that he might have finished with racing motorcycles altogether.
He’s made the announcement officially today on his Facebook page, a month or so after we revealed that he wouldn’t be taking to The Island to contest the TT in June.
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Guy is riding the Tour Divide pushbike race instead of racing at the TT, there’s a date clash between the two.
And, as we also told you first, Guy is filming a wall of Death TV program – that’s confirmed today too. But if anything is the biggest eyebrow raiser in what he’s just said it’s this; Guy says that ‘IF’ he does the roads again, it’ll be with the TAS team.
That if is the big deal here. Don’t expect him to make a decision soon. But as far as the motorcycle world goes, Guy Martin is virtually done with it for the foreseeable future.
Here’s what he said today:
I fancy a change of scenery. I’ve been racing the TT for 11 years. All I’ve really done since I was 18, except the trucks, is race motorbikes and my brain needs something else. Every year’s the same: testing, racing, then start again. It brought it home to me when I was lying in hospital after the Ulster Grand Prix crash. I’ve been on about the Tour Divide, the toughest pushbike race in the world, for three years and I thought I’ll blink and next thing I’ll be 45, so I’m going to do it this year. I like breaking myself mentally and the Tour Divide will be tough, but it’s same time at TT, so that’s forced me to make a choice.
I’m not done with motorbikes. I’m attempting the Wall of Death record in the spring and having a go at the land speed record in the summer and if I do race on the roads it will be with TAS.
After the Tour Divide I might never want to see a pushbike again – or never want to go road racing again, I don’t know. But I do know Bruce Anstey and John McGuinness are still racing the TT, and they’ve got a few years on me, so maybe I’ll come back next year. Or maybe I’ll find something else interesting to do. I’ve got more interests than just motorbikes and I just think let’s bloody have ‘em.
Thanks very much as ever for the support.
Guy.
SCOOP: Guy Martin just officially announced he’s not doing the 2016 TT and might have done with bikes altogether