Top 12 Greatest Isle of Man TT Riders in History

I believe that ranking the best Isle of Man TT riders would be akin to choosing my favorite finger. So, I settled for a list of the best isle of man racers instead. 

Considered one of the most dangerous sports events of all time, more than 150 deaths have been registered during official practices and races on the Snaefell Mountain Course. This number grows much higher if you factor in the lives lost during the Manx Grand Prix and Clubman TT events.

But despite the tragedy surrounding this event, it’s still one of the most exciting contests known to man. What has made it so special, and continues to do so, is the bravery and skill of the best Isle of Man racers willing to put it all on the line.

It probably doesn’t hurt that you can bet on who will win at online betting sites, either.

Of course, before you bet on anything, knowing the history is pretty important. In this breakdown, I’m going to introduce you to the greatest Isle of Man TT riders of all time in no particular order.

Born in Portadown, Armagh, McCallen is the first name up on this list.

Widely considered one of the top Isle of Man racers of all time, few were prepared for him to carve out such a legacy when he won his first TT race back in 1992. But racing was in the young McCallen’s blood from day zero. 

The Armagh man entered the world just yards away from the Tandragee road racing circuit. The town, which translates to ‘backside to the wind’ from Irish to English, also holds a particularly amusing ode to the fact that this man was born to ride.

Sitting at fifth in the all-time winners’ list, I hope you will agree that he is also one of the best Isle of Man TT drivers of all time.

Born less than two hours down the east coast of Ireland in Dublin, Woods’ career started a long time before that of McCallen.

Those looking for where to bet on the Isle of Man TT will not find odds for Wood. He started his career in 1921, the same year that the island of Ireland was partitioned by the British.

This would have effectively meant that, had they both competed simultaneously, Woods and McCallen could have hypothetically raced under both the same and separate flags within a year.

The Dubliner is widely regarded as one of the greatest all-time Isle of Man TT riders. He started off on a Harley Davidson, making his debut at what was the new Snaefell Mountain Course at the time. An illustrious career followed for “The Irish Dasher,” who was voted the greatest Isle of Mann racer of all time in 1968. 

Woods had a set of postage stamps created in his honor by An Post, the Irish postal service, in 1996. He died at the grand age of 90 in County Down, Ireland, in 1993. 

A truly special man.

Although Irish and British riders dominate this prestigious event, Italy’s Agostini is one of its favorite sons. 

The Brescia-native is widely regarded as one of the best Isle of Man TT drivers in history. But you could also label him the greatest Grand Prix rider of all time. The man from Lombardy could seemingly do it all, and it’s not by happenstance that he appears on this list. 

Agostini competed under the Isle of Man TT banner from 1965 to 1972. Ask anyone who knows their stuff about this guy, and be prepared for a glowing assessment of his greatness. 

Simply one of the best to ever do it. 

Known as “Mike the Bike,” Hailwood is up there with the best Isle of Man drivers of all time. Depending on who you ask, they might even tell you the Englishman was the best of them all.

And while I wouldn’t quite agree with that, there is an argument to be made in his favor. After all, I can understand why a rider with 14 TT wins and 19 podiums should deserve such an accolade.

An ever-popular name among TT die-hards, Hailwood deservedly makes this list of the top Isle of Man TT racers. I would imagine that the Oxford-native would also rank highly on most fans’ list of the most famous Isle of Mann TT riders, should such a thing exist. 

As previously stated, tragedy is deeply associated with this race. Hailwood lost his life in a road traffic accident at 40, just three years after winning the 1978 Isle of Man TT.

We have had Irish, British, and even an Italian on this list of the top Isle of Man TT drivers of all time. Now we have a native Manx rider.

Molyneux is, by some distance, the greatest sidecar racer in the history of the event. With 17 TT victories and 30 podiums, his record speaks for itself. As exciting as they come, the Douglas-born rider known as “Moly” is understandably a popular face in the world of racing.

A right-hand bend on the Snaefell Mountain Course’s Cronk-y-Voddy Straight was named after the glorious son of the Island in 2013.

Son of fellow TT winner Tony Jeffries and nephew of Nick Jeffries, racing was in the blood of the esteemed Yorkshireman. 

David Jeffries was an excellent rider who had both his legacy and, more importantly, his life cut short by the cruel mistress of this event. Although he never got to fulfill his true potential, I believe he deserves a spot on this list of the best Isle of Man TT riders. I’m sure most, if not all, will agree.

Despite losing his life in a crash during practice for the 2003 races at just 30, the talented rider still managed to put together quite the resume. A total of nine TT wins followed from his debut in 1996, and there would have certainly been more to come. 

A tragic loss and one that fans around the world will never forget.

Again, I can stress that drivers from Ireland and Britain have traditionally dominated these races. 

But alongside those are a few special riders that have come from overseas. One of them, New Zealand’s Anstey, has shown the world that those from outside of the two islands sitting on either side of the Isle of Man can do it. Quite often, even better than some of their Irish or British peers.

Anstey made his debut in 1996, which led to a successful cache of 13 TT victories. The Kiwi also broke the lap record at Snaefell in 2014 by registering a time of 17 minutes 6.682 seconds before another man subsequently beat it on this list. 

One of the best Isle of Man TT racers of all time? I think so.

The first Welshman to appear on this list of the top Isle of Man TT drivers of all time is Cardiff’s own Ian Lougher.

With 139 TTs contested in a career that started in 1984, the South Walian has put in an incredible number of miles over the past five decades. With ten TT wins to his name, Lougher is up there with the most successful Isle of Man TT riders ever. 

Here’s his win list.

An excellent competitor, Lougher makes my list of the top drivers in the Isle of Man TT without hesitation. A hero in his own country, he’s also popular with fans from other nations. That’s always a good sign that you’re doing something right. 

Another majorly influential Englishman on this list of the best Isle of Man riders of all time, Hutchison, is an icon to race fans.

Since winning his first TT race in 2007, he has gone on to achieve another 15 and make 29 total podiums. As he is still active at the time of writing, these numbers could grow even greater as time goes on.

Hutchinson hit his career peak in 2010, setting a record for most races in a single Isle of Man TT festival won with five solo victories. That is an incredible achievement and goes a long way toward his legacy.

His unexpected career resurgence in 2015, which culminated in three wins and several podiums, also helps his claim to be among the true greats.

He is, quite simply, one of the best drivers in Isle of Man TT history. 

Who is the best Isle of Man TT rider in history? That’s a question that gets asked quite a lot. And one of the most common answers will usually be “Dunlop.”

Not Michael, of course. Although already one of the best TT drivers in history, despite being younger than anyone else on this list, it’s another famous “Dunlop Dynasty” that many consider the greatest of all time. 

Still, Michael has time on his side. We could be discussing him as the best ever to do it in the future, and few would completely write that off. After all, he already has 19 victories under his belt and a style that is so fan-friendly.

As fiery as they come, Michael Dunlop is a man who lives, eats, and breathes racing. As the brother of William, son of Robert, and the nephew of someone very special to fans — one that I will cover a little later — that comes as no surprise.

An excellent rider, Michael deserves to be credited as one of the best Isle of Man TT racers of all time. Again, he’s not done yet.

England’s John McGuinness is more than just one of the top Isle of Man drivers of all time. Some believe he is the best of them all.

As this list is almost complete, it’s hard to say that he isn’t one of a select few you could bump above most of the others. I purposefully wanted to avoid ranking the best Isle of Mann riders in history for that specific purpose, but I will say that this man was one of the first to come to mind.

While categorizing greatness might be subjective, achievements speak for themselves. In the case of McGuinness, a plethora of wins, podiums, and spectacular races mean he will forever be mentioned above most others. 

A superbly gifted racer.

Although this list of the best Isle of Man TT riders was set in no particular order, I wanted to save this guy for last. 

If I had indeed decided to put together a list ranking the greatest Isle of Man TT racers in history, Dunlop would have topped it. There is absolutely no doubt that he was the best of the best, and his achievements only tell half the tale of his reverence.

Dunlop won his first TT in 1977, kickstarting a career that would bring multiple victories, accolades, and excellence. Highly revered, the incredible rider would amass a legion of fans on the track for his stylish and brave style.

Off the track, he was a dedicated humanitarian who was respected by both nationalist and unionist fans in the north of Ireland. 

Despite cheating death in a shipwreck in 1985, Dunlop’s fate would be tragic. Following years of greatness in TT events, he lost his life in a low-key race in Estonia. He was 48 years old. 

More than 50,000 mourners paid their respect to Dunlop at his funeral, traveling from around the world to County Antrim. They were there to honor the greatest Isle of Man TT driver and one of the best racers of all time. But also a man who gave much of his life to helping others.

There are some exceptional drivers on this list. But Dunlop is the G.O.A.T.

That concludes my list of the best Isle of Man TT racers in history. If I missed anyone out, be sure to let me know in the comments section below.

I hope you enjoyed this read. Be sure to check out our sports blog for more. 

Alternatively, if you intend to place bets on the Isle of Man TT, our betting guide recommends the best motorsports betting sites and for your next destination.