1978 Formula TT season

June 2025 The 1978 Formula TT Season was the second event in the history of Formula TT and was announced by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme as the official world championship in those categories. The winner of each class's race at the 60th Isle of Man TT also became the TT World Champion in that category. Class-System The Formula TT was divided into three classes in 1977. The TT-F1 class allowed four-stroke engines with engine displacements of 600 to 1000 cc and two-stroke engines with displacements of 350 to 500 cc. The TT-F2 class allowed four-stroke engines with displacements of 400 to 600 cc and two-stroke engines with displacements of 250 to 350 cc. The TT-F3 class allowed four-stroke engines with displacements of 200 to 400 cc and two-stroke engines with displacements of 125 to 250 cc. For the last time in Formula TT history, the series consisted of only one race. Starting in 1979, the Ulster Grand Prix, along with the Isle of Man TT, also counted towards the Formula TT World Championship. Results References:FIM TT FORMULA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS http://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/17.-FTT1-2-3.pdf TT-F1-Class The TT F1 race saw the triumphant return of 13-time TT winner and nine-time world champion Mike Hailwood, who had actually already retired from racing and was competing on the Isle of Man for the first time since 1967. Although Hailwood had the majority of the spectators on his side, he started the race as the outsider on his 900 cc Ducati. He pushed to the limit from the start and was in the lead early on. His fastest lap, which was also the fastest TT lap of Hailwood's career, was set at an average speed of 109.87 mph (176.82 km/h). As the race progressed, Mike Hailwood caught up with and immediately overtook the heavily favored Honda Britain rider Phil Read, who had started ahead of him. Read eventually retired with engine problems on the fifth lap, and Hailwood celebrated the 14th and final TT victory of his career to the cheers of the crowd. (Snaefell Mountain Course; 6 laps = 364.2 km, the top-ten finishing riders) 1GBR Mike HailwoodDucati2 h 5 min 10.2 s108.51 mph2GBR John WilliamsHonda + 1 min 59.6 s106.813GBR Ian RichardsKawasaki + 2 min 57.4 s106.014GER Helmut DähneHonda + 3 min 16.6 s105.745GBR Alex GeorgeTriumph + 3 min 18.0 s105.726GBR Chas MortimerSuzuki + 5 min 40.2 s103.817GBR Malcolm LucasBSA + 6 min 50.2 s102.898GBR Kevin WrettomKawasaki + 6 min 53.0 s102.859GBR Denis CasementHonda + 8 min 16.4 s101.7810GBR Ian TomkinsonTriumph + 9 min 06.4 s101.15 TT-F2-Class The TT-F2 race was won by Honda rider Alan Jackson Sr. after the leader Bill Smith retired on the last lap. (Snaefell Mountain Course; 4 laps = 242.8 km, the top-ten finishing riders) 1GBR Alan Jackson Sr.Honda1 h 31 min 08.6 s99.35 mph2GBR Dave MasonHonda + 1 min 33.4 s97.683GBR Neil TuxworthHonda + 2 min 58.2 s96.214GBR Ron HaslamHonda + 3 min 51.2 s95.325NIR Joey DunlopBenelli + 5 min 47.4 s95.326GBR Peter DaviesLaverda + 8 min 29.8 s93.417GBR John KirkbyHonda + 10 min 15.4 s90.878GBR Thomas WilliamsonHonda + 11 min 41.4 s88.059GBR Denis CasementHonda + 14 min 25.0 s85.7810GBR Dave KerbyHonda + 15 min 52.4 s84.61 TT-F3-Class In the TT-F3 class, Bill Smith won on Honda, who had retired from the F2 race last year while leading on the last lap. (Snaefell Mountain Course; 4 laps = 242.8 km, the top-ten finishing riders) 1GBR Bill SmithHonda1 h 35 min 50.8 s94.47 mph2GBR Derek MortimerYamaha + 4 min 41.0 s90.073GBR John StephensHonda + 4 min 51.0 s89.924GBR Mick PoxonHonda + 6 min 31.2 s88.455GBR Alan CathcartHarley-Davidson + 7 min 13.4 s87.856GBR Fred LaunchburyMaico + 8 min 22.8 s86.887GBR Ken InwoodYamaha + 8 min 47.6 s86.538GBR Jeff MiddletonHonda + 9 min 33.2 s85.919GBR Dennis TrollopeYamaha + 12 min 43.0 s83.3910GBR Bill BarkerHonda + 12 min 49.2 s83.33 References Motorbooks Intl. Barry Coleman en Hazelton Publishing Motocourse 1978-79: The World's Leading Grand Prix Annual 0905138066 Bob Berry Motor Cycle News Yearbook 1978-79 Macdonald & Jane's External links 2010-07-13 Vincent Glon fr racingmemo.free.fr FIM TT Formula Cup 1978 http://racingmemo.free.fr/M%20TT%20FORMULA/TT%20FORMULA%201978.htm 2010-07-13 en www.iomtt.com Isle of Man TT 1978 http://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/Events.aspx?meet_code=TT78%20%20&era=4 Category:Isle of Man TT Category:1978 in motorcycle sport