TT Zero
 2014 Isle of Man TT Mark Miller (6) VercarMoto, TT Zero Race at Parliament Square, Ramsey, 4 June 2014 | |||||||||||||
| Race details | |||||||||||||
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| Date | 10 June 2015 | ||||||||||||
| Location | Douglas, Isle of Man | ||||||||||||
| Course |
Road Course 37.73 mi (60.72 km) | ||||||||||||
| 2015 Isle of Man TT Races | |||||||||||||
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TT Zero – an electric motorsport event new for the 2010 Isle of Man TT races – replaced the TTXGP race as a 1-lap (37.733 miles) circuit of the Snaefell Mountain Course. The TT Zero event as an officially sanctioned Isle of Man TT race is for racing motorcycles where "The technical concept is for motorcycles (two wheeled) to be powered without the use of carbon based fuels and have zero toxic/noxious emissions." [1] The Isle of Man Government offered a prize of £10,000 for the first entrant to exceed the prestigious 100 mph (22 minutes and 38.388 seconds) average speed around the Mountain Course.
The inaugural 2010 TT Zero race was won by Mark Miller riding a MotoCzysz E1pc motor-cycle in 23 minutes and 22.89 seconds at an average race speed of 96.820 mph for 1 lap (37.733 miles) of the Mountain Course and the first United States winner since Dave Roper won the 1984 Historic TT riding a 500cc Matchless. The TT Zero race replaced the TTXGP franchise with the simplification of the regulations[2] and the emphasis on electric powered motor-cycles.[3] The MotoCzysz E1pc was also the first American manufactured motor-cycle to win an Isle of Man TT Race since Oliver Godfrey won the 1911 Senior TT with an Indian V-Twin motor-cycle. The 2010 TT Zero race also produced the return of semi-dustbin fairing permissible under the TT Zero regulations and adopted by some entrants, but banned by the FIM since 1958 for racing motor-cycles.[4]
Eligibility
Entrants
- Entrants must be in possession of a valid National Entrants or FIM Sponsors Licence for Road Racing.
- All motor-cycles must comply with Appendix D of the ACU National Sporting Code Group A1 for solos.[5]
Machines
Description
- Prototype electrically propelled motor-cycles. Powered solely by stored electricity (battery/accumulator)
Weight
- Motor-cycles minimum weight is 100 kg and up to 300 kg. Weighed in race ready mode.
Accumulator (storage battery)
- The accumulator is defined as any equipment used for the intermediate storage of electrical energy supplied by the solar generator or by the charging unit. Any on-board accumulator is considered as an integral part of the vehicle’s accumulator. All on-board electrical equipment, unless consisting of items originally powered by dry batteries, small accumulator or their own solar cells, must receive its energy supply from the vehicle’s official accumulator.[6]
Voltage
- The voltage is limited to 500 volts between two points.[7]
Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems
- It is permitted to recover energy generated by the kinetic energy of the vehicle using a Regenerative brake or Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS).[8]
Aerodynamic aids and Streamlining.
- The competitor must be completely visible from either side, except for the riders hands and forearms which may be obscured by bodywork.
- Bodywork in front of the rider must not be higher than the competitor's shoulders.
Official Qualification Time
- 45 minutes an average speed of 50.31 mph for 1 lap of the Mountain Course without stopping.[9]
TT Zero Race Results
2010 TT Zero Race
10 June 2010 1 Lap (37.773 Miles) Mountain Course.[10]
| Rank | Rider | Team | Speed | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Mark Miller |
MotoCzysz E1pc / MotoCzysz | 96.820 mph | 23' 22.89 |
| 2 |  Rob Barber |
Agni Motors / Agni Racing | 89.290 mph | 25' 21.19 |
| 3 | James McBride |
Man TTX / Man TTX Racing | 88.653 mph | 25' 32.13 |
| 4 | Jenny Tinmouth |
Agni Motors / Agni Racing | 88.228 mph | 25' 39.50 |
| 5 |  George Spence |
Peter Williams / Kingston University | 64.705 mph | 34' 59.19 |
Fastest Lap and New Inaugural Lap Record:Mark Miller – 96.820 mph (23' 22.89) on lap 1.
2011 TT Zero Race
9 June 2011 1 Lap (37.73 Miles) Mountain Course.
| Rank | Rider | Team | Speed | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Rutter |
MotoCzysz | 99.604 mph | 22' 43.68 |
| 2 | Mark Miller |
MotoCzysz | 98.288 mph | 23' 01.93 |
| 3 | George Spence |
Kingston University | 88.435 mph | 25' 35.90 |
| 4 |  Allan Brew |
MIT | 79.163 mph | 28' 35.81 |
| 5 |  Yoshinari Matsushita |
Team Prozza | 69.877 mph | 32' 23.81 |
Fastest Lap and New Race Record: Michael Rutter – 99.604 mph (22' 43.68) on lap 1.
2012 TT Zero Race
6 June 2012 1 Lap (37.73 Miles) Mountain Course.
| Rank | Rider | Team | Speed | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Rutter |
MotoCzysz | 104.056 mph | 21' 45.33 |
| 2 | John McGuinness |
Mugen Shinden | 102.215 mph | 22' 08.85 |
| 3 | Mark Miller |
MotoCzysz | 101.065 mph | 22' 23.97 |
| 4 | Rob Barber |
TGM IOT | 78.221 mph | 28' 56.45 |
- (9 Starters)
Fastest Lap and New Race Record: Michael Rutter – 104.056 mph (22' 23.97) on lap 1.
2013 TT Zero Race
5 June 2013 1 Lap (37.73 Miles) Mountain Course.
| Rank | Rider | Team | Speed | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Rutter |
MotoCzysz | 109.675 mph | 20' 38.461 |
| 2 | John McGuinness |
Mugen Shinden | 109.527 mph | 20' 40.133 |
| 3 | Rob Barber |
RW-2 / Ohio State University | 90.403 mph | 25' 02.467 |
| 4 | George Spence |
Kingston University | 88.096 mph | 25' 41.822 |
| 5 | Chris McGahan |
Yamaha R6E | 83.857 mph | 26' 59.755 |
| 6 |  Ian Lougher |
Komatti-Mirai Racing | 81.515 mph | 27' 46.300 |
| 7 | David Madsen-Mygdal |
Imperial | 71.983 mph | 31' 26.933 |
| 8 | Paul Owen |
Brunel BX/Brunel University | 71.738 mph | 31' 33.388 |
- (10 Starters)
Fastest Lap and New Race Record: Michael Rutter – 109.675 mph (20' 38.461) on lap 1.
2014 TT Zero Race
4 June 2014 1 Lap (37.73 Miles) Mountain Course.
| Rank | Rider | Team | Speed | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John McGuinness |
Shinden San / Team Mugen | 117.366 mph | 19' 17.300 |
| 2 |  Bruce Anstey |
Shinden San / Team Mugen | 115.048 mph | 19' 40.625 |
| 3 | Rob Barber |
RW-2x / Ohio State University | 93.531 mph | 24' 12.230 |
| 4 | Robert Wilson |
Team Sarolea Racing | 93.507 mph | 24' 12.600 |
| 5 | Mark Miller |
Vercar Moto | 85.828 mph | 26' 22.828 |
| 6 |  Timothee Monot |
TT Zero | 81.515 mph | 29' 02.378 |
- (9 Starters)
Fastest Lap and New Race Record: John McGuinness – 117.366 mph (19' 17.300) on lap 1.
2015 TT Zero Race
10 June 2015 1 Lap (37.73 Miles) Mountain Course.
| Rank | Rider | Team | Speed | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John McGuinness |
Shinden San / Team Mugen | 119.279 mph | 18' 58.743 |
| 2 | Bruce Anstey |
Shinden San / Team Mugen | 118.857 mph | 19' 02.785 |
| 3 |  Lee Johnston |
Victory Racing | 111.620 mph | 20' 16.881 |
| 4 | Guy Martin |
Victory Racing | 109.717 mph | 20' 37.987 |
| 5 | Robert Wislon |
Team Sarolea Racing | 106.510 mph | 21' 15.256 |
| 6 |  Michael Sweeney |
University Of Nottingham | 73.156 mph | 30' 56.695 |
- (9 Starters)
Fastest Lap and New Race Record: John McGuinness – 119.279 mph (18' 58.743) on lap 1.
2016 TT Zero Race
7 June 2016 1 Lap (37.73 Miles) Mountain Course.
| Rank | Rider | Team | Speed | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bruce Anstey |
Shinden Go / Team Mugen | 118.416 mph | 19' 07.043 |
| 2 | William Dunlop |
Victory Racing | 115.844 mph | 19' 32.504 |
| 3 | Daley Mathison |
University of Nottingham | 99.884 mph | 22' 39.864 |
| 4 | John McGuinness |
Shinden Go / Team Mugen | 94.949 mph | 23' 50.538 |
| 5 |  Allann Venter |
Brunel | 94.628 mph | 23' 55.383 |
- (7 Starters)
Fastest race lap by year
(practice & qualifying session laps not included)
| Year | Rider(s) | Machine | Lap time | Average speed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mph | km/h | ||||
| 2010 | Mark Miller | MotoCzysz E1pc / MotoCzysz | 23:22:89 | 96.820 | 155.817 |
| 2011 | Michael Rutter | MotoCzysz | 22:43:68 | 99.604 | 160.297 |
| 2012 | Michael Rutter | MotoCzysz | 21:45:33 | 104.056 | 167.462 |
| 2013 | Michael Rutter | MotoCzysz | 20:38:461 | 109.675 | 176.505 |
| 2014 | John McGuinness | Shinden San / Team Mugen | 19:17:300 | 117.366 | 188.882 |
| 2015 | John McGuinness | Shinden Yon / Team Mugen | 18:58:743 | 119.279 | 191.961 |
| 2016 | Bruce Anstey | Shinden Go / Team Mugen | 19:07:043* | 118.416 | 190.572 |
(*)note special conditions
The 2016 winning time failed to improve on the 2015 time not because of any lack of technical improvements, but due to Anstey backing off to secure a safe win, having passed his main rival McGuinness who paused mid-race due to accidentally engaging the 'kill switch'. On finishing the race, Anstey said; "the bike still has lots of battery left" (riders would normally try to utilize all the battery capacity during the race). The Victory team's 2016 lap speed improved by 4 mph over their 2015 speed. In general the TT Zero lap speeds have been improving at an average rate of around 4 mph each year since the series began (119.279 mph as of 2015), and thus could achieve 130 mph by around 2020, and catch up with the gasoline bikes in subsequent years. The Superbike TT lap records typically improve by 0.5-1 mph each year, with 2016 record of 133.393 mph.
Gallery
2012 Isle of Man TT TT Zero - Michael Rutter on MotoCzysz during practice for the 2012 TT Zero race.
2012 Isle of Man TT TT Zero - (2) Mark Miller Motoczysz Elpc followed by (3) John McGuinness MUGEN Shinden in a race won by Michael Rutter Motoczysz Elpc 6 June 2012 .
2013 Isle of Man TT TT Zero Practice Session
Mark Miller (2) MotoCzysz E1pc at Parliament Square, Ramsey 3 June 2013.
2014 Isle of Man TT TT Zero Practice Session
Bruce Anstey (5) Shinden San / Team Mugen at Parliament Square, Ramsey 1 June 2013.
See also
References
- ↑ REGULATIONS TT ZERO – 2010 International Tourist Trophy – Isle of Man 29 May – 11 June p27 ACU Events Ltd (2010)
- ↑ Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Races – Official Programme May 29–11 June 2010 page 14 Isle of Man Department of Community, Culture & Leisure – ACU Events Ltd (2010) Mannin Media Group Ltd
- ↑ REGULATIONS TT ZERO – 2010 International Tourist Trophy – Isle of Man 29 May – 11 June Appendix C page 25–27 ACU Events Ltd (2010)
- ↑ 50 Years of Moto Grand Prix page 47 editor Dennis Noyes Motorcourse (1999) Hazleton Publishing Ltd Presented by Dorna; Jarrod Book Printing ISBN 978-1-874557-83-8
- ↑ REGULATIONS TT ZERO – 2010 International Tourist Trophy – Isle of Man 29 May – 11 June page 2 ACU Events Ltd (2010)
- ↑ REGULATIONS TT ZERO – 2010 International Tourist Trophy – Isle of Man 29 May – 11 June Appendix C page 25 ACU Events Ltd (2010)
- ↑ REGULATIONS TT ZERO – 2010 International Tourist Trophy – Isle of Man 29 May – 11 June Appendix C page 25 ACU Events Ltd (2010)
- ↑ REGULATIONS TT ZERO – 2010 International Tourist Trophy – Isle of Man 29 May – 11 June Appendix C page 25 ACU Events Ltd (2010)
- ↑ REGULATIONS TT ZERO – 2013 International Tourist Trophy – Isle of Man 25 May – 7th June page 21 ACU Events (Isle of Man) Ltd (2013)
- ↑ TT News Race Edition Two page 11 10 June 2010 Isle of Man Newspapers ISSN 1471-7905