Caption:

If there is one race forever etched in motorcycle folk

law then it is Mike Hailwood’s Isle of Man TT return in 1978. Having spent 11 years away from the Island and motorcycle racing, except for the odd race down under, the idea of a TT comeback was considered crazy at best and downright dangerous at worst by some. But they needn’t have worried. If Mike had put in an appearance and just ridden for a finish he would have received a standing ovation. But that wasn’t the Hailwood style. In practice he hustled the Sports Motorcycles Ducati round at 111mph, over 7mph faster than the Formula 1 lap record, and won the race with ease.