Anstey: ‘We’ll be close to sub-17 minute lap’

Isle of Man TT lap record holder Bruce Anstey says that he can foresee the lap record he holds – of 17:06.682 (an average of 132.298mph) – falling again this year at the TT if conditions are just right.

The 45 year old took the record on the final lap of TT 2015, taking the record off John McGuinness by a full half mile an hour, despite admitting that his flying lap was in his eyes far from perfect.

“It was only a couple of months ago that I actually watched the lap back again, and it wasn’t perfect – it was quite messy actually. I was in the wrong gear in a couple of places, ran wide here and there, and then there was the Creg.

“I probably lost two seconds at the Creg ny Baa by getting it all wrong, and a few seconds here and there in other places to make up about four seconds overall. If the racing is close, and on a good day, we’re going to be close to the record.

“It was on the last lap, and conditions were perfect; no wind, nice and warm, and everything went well. It’s going to be hard to go as fast again though – the conditions are going to have to be just as perfect again.”