Bruce Anstey
Bruce Anstey is a professional motorcycle road racer. He is a former lap record holder on the Snaefell Mountain Course with a time of 17 minutes 6.682 seconds, at an average speed of set during the 2014 Superbike TT Race. Anstey was signed to race for the Padgett's Honda Racing Team having previously ridden for TAS Suzuki Racing, Valmoto Triumph and DTR Yamaha. For thirteen consecutive seasons, from 2002 - 2015, Bruce Anstey secured a top three finish at the North West 200,the Isle of Man TT and the Ulster Grand Prix.
On 10 April 2018, Anstey stated that due to illness he would not compete during the 2018 racing season. He did however ride a parade lap on board a Honda RC213V-S during the 2018 Isle of Man Festival of Motorcycling in late August. Anstey announced a return to competitive racing in July 2019 stating he would compete at the Classic TT, and secured a victory in the 250 cc event.
In a BBC Sport interview in September 2021, Anstey stated his intention to resume racing at the 2022 Classic TT.
Racing career
Anstey was inspired to take up a career as a motorcycle racer after watching Mike Hailwood's comeback victory at the 1978 Isle of Man TT Races. He made his competitive debut on Boxing Day, 1990, at the Cemetery Circuit, Whanganui in his native New Zealand, competing on a Suzuki RGV250.Isle of Man TT
Yamaha (1996-2002)
1996
Anstey made his Isle of Man TT debut at the 1996 event. Riding a Yamaha he finished in 29th place in the Lightweight TT before retiring in the Senior TT.1996 TT results
1998
Due to illness Anstey did not participate at the 1997 TT, with his next appearance being at the 1998 races. Again featuring in the Lightweight and Senior races, Anstey took his Yamaha TZ250 to a 26th-place finish in the Lightweight and followed this by taking 20th in the Senior TT, being the third 250cc mounted rider to finish behind Gavin Lee and his fellow New Zealander, Shaun Harris.1998 TT results
1999
Campaigning in the same classes as the previous year and riding the same Yamaha TZ250, Anstey's form continued to improve in 1999, with him securing his first top 10 finish by claiming 7th in the Lightweight and following this up with 24th in the Senior.1999 TT results
2000
The 2000 Isle of Man TT saw Anstey gain his first podium place at the event, finishing second behind Joey Dunlop in the Lightweight TT. The second race of his week saw him again riding the DTR Yamaha TZ250 in the Senior where he took the Denis Trollope machine to the highest place of any 250cc machine in the race, 14th.2000 TT results
2002
The 2001 Isle of Man TT was cancelled as a precaution against the Foot and Mouth Outbreak reaching the Island. Racing resumed in 2002, with Anstey being entered in five races.He retired in the week's curtain raiser, the Formula 1 TT, however his fortunes improved as race week progressed. In the Ultra-Lightweight TT Anstey took his DTR 125cc Yamaha to 10th place and then followed this with 3rd place in the Production 1000cc class. He then secured his maiden victory at the TT taking the honours in the Lightweight TT on a DTR 250cc Yamaha. Anstey then recorded a 2nd-place finish in his final race of the week, the Production 600cc.
2002 TT results
Triumph (2003)
2003
At the 2003 meeting, Anstey competed in four categories. Opening his account with the runner up position in the Production 1000cc race, he followed this up with a victory in the Junior TT aboard the Valmoto Triumph Daytona, giving Triumph its first TT win in 27 years. In the Production 600cc class, Anstey managed an 8th-place finish for Triumph and completed the racing programme with 7th place in the Senior aboard a 1000cc Suzuki.2003 TT results
Suzuki (2004-2010)
2004
Signed by TAS Suzuki in 2004, Anstey finish on the podium in all the races he entered at the TT. A 3rd place in the opening Formula 1 was followed by victory in the 1000cc Production race. A trio of 2nd-place finishes then followed as Anstey took the runner up spot in the Junior 600cc, the Production 600cc and the Senior TT respectively.2004 TT results
2005
Again Anstey was entered in five races at the 2005 Isle of Man TT, producing mixed results. Problems with his TAS Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike saw him retire in both races in which the machine featured. On the plus side Anstey took victory in the Superstock TT. Following this he took 4th place in the opening Supersport race but retired in the following one. Anstey's week ended with his retirement in Friday's Senior.2005 TT results
2006
In the 2006 TT practices, Anstey achieved the unofficial current top speed record for the Mountain Course of at the end of Sulby straight on a Suzuki 1000cc machine. This speed value was registered by the on-board datalogging equipment and so is not an official record.2006 TT results
2007
At the Centenary TT of 2007, Anstey failed to finish in the opening Superbike Race, but claimed victory in the Superstock event winning by 40 seconds over John McGuinness. Anstey missed out on a podium place in the Supersport race finishing 4th, which was followed by another retirement in the highlight Senior TT.2007 TT results
2008
In 2008, Anstey opened his account by claiming the runner up spot in the Superbike race. This was followed by an initial victory in the opening Supersport only for Anstey to be subsequently stripped of the 1st place. Having defied a heavy cold to win the race, he was disqualified following an inspection of his machine, which found the exhaust cam did not meet regulations. However just two days later on Wednesday 4 June Anstey won the second Supersport Junior race in which he was involved in a dice on corrected time with Ian Hutchinson. Following over 150 miles of racing, Anstey came home in a time of 1'13:35.71 at an average speed of 123.041 mph. On his second lap he also broke the lap record for the race with an average speed of 125.359 mph.The Senior TT again proved a disappointment for Anstey, with him posting a retirement.
To celebrate his Supersport Junior TT win, Suzuki released a GSXR-600 K8 replica of Anstey's Relentless by TAS Suzuki race bike.
2008 TT results
2009
In Anstey's campaign at the 2009 Isle of Man TT he was 2nd in the second Supersport, but retired in the other four races.2009 TT results
2010
In the 2010 meeting Anstey finished just outside the top 10 in the opening Superbike race. He failed to finish in either the opening Supersport or the Superstock races. An 8th place followed in the second Supersport race and, comparatively, the meeting ended on a positive note with Anstey securing the final place on the rostrum after a hard-fought Senior.2010 TT results
Honda (2011-present)
2011
Anstey switched teams for the 2011 season. Although he failed to finish in the Superbike TT, he enjoyed a win in the opening Supersport race, followed by a further retirement in the Superstock. A 5th place in the second Supersport was followed by Anstey again taking 3rd in the finale race, the Senior TT.2011 TT results
2012
At the 2012 Isle of Man TT Anstey took 3rd place in the Superbike race followed by victory in the opening Supersport race. A brace of 4th places followed in the Superstock and second Supersport races.2012 TT results
2013
At the 2013 Races Anstey secured an 8th place in the opening Superbike race, followed by taking second place on the podium in the first Supersport. A 5th place in the Superstock was followed by another 2nd in the second Supersport race. Anstey rounded off the week's racing with 3rd place in the Senior.2013 TT results
2014
Anstey posted a 4th place in the Superbike race, followed by 2nd in the Supersport and 3rd in the Superstock. The 2014 TT also saw Anstey's debut in the TT Zero Class in which he finished in 2nd place to John McGuinness on an identical Mugen Shinden San. Another 2nd place followed in the second of the Supersport events and the week was rounded off with 4th in the Senior.In the Superbike TT, Anstey set a new outright lap record for the Mountain Course. In addition to his six silver replicas, Anstey was also awarded the John Williams Trophy for the fastest lap in the Superbike TT Race and the Jimmy Simpson Trophy, which is presented to the rider who has achieved the fastest lap of the meeting.
2014 TT results
2015
Superbike TT
On Sunday 7 June 2015 Anstey achieved the highlight of his career, winning the Superbike TT.Lying in second place behind race leader Ian Hutchinson Anstey took the race lead following the pit stops at the end of lap four. Astride a Padgett's Honda Anstey began to extend his lead, claiming victory by 10.97 seconds on corrected time following of racing. Added to the victory, Anstey also set a new race record and the fastest lap of the race on his sixth lap at an average speed of 131.977 mph.
- Following his success in the Superbike race Anstey also claimed the John Williams Trophy for the second year in succession.
Supersport (Race 1)