Isle of Man TT: John McGuinness and Glenn Irwin to team up at Honda Racing for 2022
- Published
John McGuinness has won 23 TT races - three fewer than the record held by the late Joey Dunlop
John McGuinness will team up with Glenn Irwin at Honda Racing for the Superbike and Superstock classes at the 2022 Isle of Man TT and North West 200 events.
McGuinness is set to celebrate his 100th TT race at next year's event, having previously won 23 times at the event around the Mountain Course.
He will be joined by Northern Ireland's Irwin who will make his debut over the unforgiving 37.73-mile TT road circuit.
The pandemic scuppered Irwin's plans to make his first TT appearance in 2020.
The Carrickfergus racer recently agreed to extend his deal with Honda in British Superbikes, which will see him ride for the Louth-based outfit for a third straight year.
Having claimed four Superbike wins at the North West 200 Irwin will hope to translate his success to the TT, where racing is set to begin on 4 June.
'Going to be a special year' - McGuinness
McGuinness, who will be 50 next year, was the outright lap record holder around the 37.73-mile TT Mountain Course from 2004-2013, regaining the accolade in 2015 when he lapped at a personal best speed of 132.701mph.
The Morecambe racer holds the record for most podiums at the event, with only the late Joey Dunlop ahead of him in race wins.
McGuinness's long history with the Japanese manufacturer involves having won 12 of the 20 TT wins the CBR1000RR Fireblade has amassed at the event.
"I've enjoyed a lot of success on the roads with the Honda so I'm looking forward to getting back into the set-up and getting going," said McGuinness.
'I had a little go on the Fireblade earlier this year and was impressed with it on-track, so looking forward to getting on the roads and seeing how it goes.
"It's going to be a special year with everything going on and also just getting back to the North West 200 and the TT and everyone racing there again - I can't wait to get stuck in."
Irwin 'going to TT to learn and enjoy'
His team-mate Irwin added: "Finally, I'll be making my long-awaited TT debut with Honda. We're now more familiar with the new Fireblade and the team is more familiar. I like to have home comforts as such and continuing with the bike and the same team I think puts us in a better position with frame of mind.
"We still have no targets set and no expectations for the Isle of Man TT, we're going there to learn and enjoy. It's incredible to have someone like John as my team-mate on the roads, he's someone I have looked up to.
"To have that opportunity to be able to learn off him, and able to be part of the team is something I am really excited about.
"On the flip side, we go to the North West 200 where we can work together and I think we can realistically set targets there - I would love to achieve Honda's first international road race win on the new Fireblade at the NW200 and add to my Superbike wins there."