Satisfaction for the tyre brand thanks to a hat-trick of Ian Hutchinson winning both Supersport and Superstock plus the success of Ivan Lintin in the Bennetts Lightweight TT, as well as the podiums obtained by Guy Martin, James Hillier and Gary Johnson
Douglas (Isle of Man), 12 June 2015 – The undisputed star of the 2015 Isle of Man TT was undoubtedly Ian Hutchinson, who this year, for his great revival to the top of the road racing world, chose to run, and win, with METZELER RACETEC™ RR tyres.
‘Hutchy’ known famously for his five wins at the 2010 Tourist Trophy, when he established the record for the highest number of victories in a single TT year. Then, in the same season, a bad crash at Silverstone during the British Supersport Championship seemed to have forever marked the destiny of the talented British rider. Five years later, having undergone 30 surgeries to his injured left leg, Ian Hutchinson came back stronger than ever and at the 2015 edition brought METZELER three times to the top step of the podium winning both Monster Energy Supersport TT races as well as the RL360° Superstock TT.
A great result achieved thanks to his courage and determination but also with the contribution given by the tyres he used, the METZELER RACETEC™ RR, the same also used by all the METZELER riders participating in Supersport and Superstock races, as well as Ivan Lintin who gained a fourth success for METZELER, winning the Bennetts Lightweight TT today.
RACETEC™ RR was developed directly from the experience of METZELER in Road Racing competition, in which the brand of the elephant logo has been participating with good results for several years. These races do not take place on track, but on roads that are open to the public throughout the year, where you can find all the situations that riders encounter in everyday riding. For this reason these events were chosen by METZELER as a test and development ground.
RACETEC™ RR is dedicated to racers of all levels plus trackday riders who use the circuit for their hobby, plus owners of supersport and naked bikes who enjoy a sporty riding style wanting ultimate grip even on the road, looking for excitement and a high performance level. That's why in 2015, thanks to its excellent performance, has been chosen by the most authorative European magazines as the tyre of choice for the supersport comparative tests and elected by the British magazine MCN as the ‘best hypersport tyre on the market’.
This follows in the successful tyretracks of the more road focused METZELER SPORTEC™ M7 RR which was also developed during the brand’s road racing campaign in 2013, going on to win road tests and plaudits around the world ever since.
At this year’s races METZELER brings home a rich booty consisting of four wins and eleven podiums. Already in the RST Superbike TT race last Saturday, METZELER started well thanks to the performance of Ian Hutchinson (Kawasaki / Paul Bird Motorsport) who arrived second and James Hillier (Kawasaki / Quattro Plant Muc-Off Kawasaki) who got the last step of the podium
The victories for the tyre brand then followed in no time: on Monday, June 8th, Ian Hutchinson won the Monster Energy Supersport TT 1 on the Yamaha of the Traction Control Team and then the RL360° Superstock TT on the Kawasaki of Paul Bird Motorsport - both shod with METZELER RACETEC™ RR tyres. In Supersport the METZELER podium was completed by the third place of Gary Johnson.
Wednesday, June 10th, saw the Monster Energy Supersport TT 2 consecrate Ian Hutchinson as the most successful rider of the 2015 Tourist Trophy. The Yorkshire rider went on to win his third race, joined on the podium in third position was Guy Martin on the Triumph of the Smiths Racing team.
The final day opened with a double for METZELER as Ivan Lintin with the Kawasaki of the RC Express Racing team gained its first overall victory in the Tourist Trophy by winning the Bennetts Lightweight TT, followed on the podium in second position by another METZELER rider, James Hillier (Kawasaki / Quattro Plant Kawasaki Muc-Off).
To close the day and the 2015 edition of the Tourist Trophy was as always the PokerStars Senior TT Superbike race. Due to an incident involving some riders, the competition was interrupted by a red flag in the second lap before being rescheduled with four laps instead of the six originally planned. At the restart the performance of METZELER riders were excellent: James Hillier was second on the finish line, Ian Hutchinson was third despite a power draining engine problem and in fourth position under the checkered flag is Guy Martin
These are the results of the 2015 Isle of Man TT solo races (in bold are the METZELER riders):
RST Superbike TT (Saturday, June 6th)
1. Bruce Anstey (Honda / Valvoline Racing by Padgetts)
2. Ian Hutchinson (Kawasaki / Paul Bird Motorsport)
3. James Hillier (Kawasaki / Quattro Plant Muc-Off Kawasaki)
Monster Energy Supersport TT 1 (Monday, June 8th)
1. Ian Hutchinson (Yamaha / Team Traction Control)
2. Bruce Anstey (Honda / Valvoline Racing by Padgetts)
3. Gary Johnson (Yamaha/ Mar-Train)
RL360° Superstock TT (Monday, June 8th)
1. Ian Hutchinson (Kawasaki / Paul Bird Motorsport)
2. Michael Dunlop (BMW / MD Racing)
3. Lee Johnston (BMW / East Coast Construction / Burdens)
Monster Energy Supersport TT 2 (Wednesday, June 10th)
1. Ian Hutchinson (Yamaha / Team Traction Control)
2. Bruce Anstey (Honda / Valvoline Racing by Padgetts)
3. Guy Martin (Triumph / Smiths Racing)
Bennetts Lightweight TT (Friday, June 12th)
1.Ivan Lintin (Kawasaki / RC Express Racing)
2. James Hillier (Kawasaki / Quattro Plant Muc-Off Kawasaki)
3. Michael Rutter (Paton / Paton/Team ILR)
PokerStars Senior TT (Friday, June 12th)
1. John McGuinness (Honda / Honda Racing)
2. James Hillier (Kawasaki / Quattro Plant Muc-Off Kawasaki)
3. Ian Hutchinson (Kawasaki / Paul Bird Motorsport
Having successfully campaigned the North West 200 and the Isle of Man TT, the commitment of METZELER activities in road racing does not end but continue for the upcoming events in the calendar. Guy Martin, William Dunlop, Dean Harrison and Ivan Lintin participate in the Southern 100 scheduled 6-9 of July. Also in Northern Ireland from 3 to 8 August will take place the METZELER Ulster Grand Prix, a competition in which the tyre brand is the title sponsor for the third consecutive year and which will be attended by Guy Martin, William Dunlop, Ian Hutchinson, Gary Johnson, Dean Harrison and Ivan Lintin. Finally the Far Eastern event of the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix, which will start on November 19
