Gallery: McGuinness swaps seats with BTCC star Shedden

TT legend John McGuinness swapped seats with British Touring Car hero Gordon Shedden at Knockhill earlier this week, with both racers posting surprisingly competitive times in their respective switch to four and two wheels.

McGuinness spent the day ragging Shedden’s Civic Type R touring car around the 1.3 mile Scottish circuit, while Shedden was let loose on the Fireblade McGuinness took to third place in this year’s Senior TT. 

Each were given just 30 laps to familiarise themselves with their new steed before seeing if they could get down to a competitive pace. 

Despite the short time on track, McGuinness got his pace down to a 54 second lap, which was just 2.1 seconds off the time Shedden had set in the same car during last Saturday’s qualifying session and just 2.5 seconds off Jason Plato’s pole position. Considering it was his first ever spin in a British Touring Car, we don’t think that’s too shabby!

Shedden, who is known for being a big bike fan, lapped at a respectable 54.1 seconds and while this is somewhat off British Superbike pace at Knockhill, McGuinness’ blade was left untouched after the Senior TT, meaning Shedden took on the twisty Scottish track with gearing and suspension set-up for the vastly different 37.73-mile mountain course. 

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“It was brilliant; I didn’t want to get out of the car to be honest,” said McGuinness. “The first session all happened really fast but then I settled down into a groove. The whole mind-set changes when you swap from what you know to something new, and I was a bit nervous, but we’re all racers and just want to go fast.

“It’s hard to see the apex, you’re strapped in tight, and it’s quite warm in there. You’re breathing in engine fumes and there are lots of rattles and bangs, it’s such a different world but I was shocked by how nice and precise it was. Dunlop put on some soft, sticky, amazing grippy tyres on the Honda Civic Type R and they gave me so much confidence to go fast.

Shedden added: “It was absolutely out of this world, you maybe build a picture of what you think it’s like in your head, but nothing compares to it when you’re out there. It’s phenomenally fast but once you get used to it you learn to relax and get more confident. It was an absolute privilege to have a go.

“It was the first time I’ve ever ridden on a slick tyre and I cannot believe the grip that the contact patch the size of a credit card can actually give you, it’s just absolutely mind blowing. The speed obviously is as you’d expect, the world passes by at a million miles an hour. I can only imagine what it’s like going round the TT course, and John is welcome to stay on that!

“Each stint I started to relax more and get more confidence in the grip that was available. The brakes on the race car are fantastic with four big slick tyres to hold the thing on, so you wouldn’t believe the bike would have the stopping capability that it does.”

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