Giacomo Agostini with bike at side of road, at the quarry below Windy Corner, 1967 Senior TT (Tourist Trophy) Race

Date(s): 1967

Scope & Content: In this race his epic battle with Hailwood was ended by a broken chain. The man standing behind Agostini, wearing glasses, is marshal Ernie Redpath (information supplied by Mike Stewart and Annette Slater, July 2023).
Mike Wrigley is standing behind Ernie (Information supplied by Mike Wrigley, July 2023).

The 1967 Senior Tourist Trophy (TT) race was an epic battle between Mike Hailwood, on the four-cylinder Honda RC181, and Giacomo Agostini riding a MV Agusta 500 Three.

Agostini broke Hailwood's lap record on the first lap at a speed of 108.38mph. Hailwood responded with a second lap at 108.77mph, but Agostini still led by 8.6 seconds. At the pit stop, Hailwood had cut Agostini's lead to a couple of seconds, but he then lost time adjusting his twist grip back into place. The lead went back up to 11.6 seconds in Agostini's favour. By lap five the two were almost neck and neck until Agostini's chain broke at Windy Corner, effectively putting him out of the running. He was able to coast back down to the pits, but missed Governor's Dip and was disqualified. Eye witnesses reported Agostini crying as he passed them on his way to the finish line.

In the heat of the moment Agostini threw his helmet to the ground. Hailwood went on to win the race at a record 105.62mph. This lap record was to stand until 1975, only to be broken by Mick Grant.

Language: eng

Item name: photograph

Collection: Photographic Archive

Level: ITEM

ID number: PG/6063/1

Subject tags : #TT&MOTORSPORT

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