John McGuinness admitted he wasn’t sure he’d ever return to the winner’s circle at the Isle of Man after winning today’s Senior Classic TT race with the Morecambe Missile making a triumphant return to racing after almost 18 months out of action.

Riding Roger Winfield’s Paton, McGuinness was the undoubted favourite for the four-lap race and he was never headed, an opening lap of 110.510mph giving him a 38.3s lead from which he never looked back.

With two more 110mph+ laps, that advantage was more than doubled at the chequered flag and the 23-times TT winner was a happy, and relieved, man afterwards.

“It feels amazing to be back and I never thought I’d be back in the winner’s circle when I was lying upside down with a broken back, busted ribs and my leg snapped in two last May,” McGuinness said afterwards.

“I’ve worked hard and kept the faith and it’s an unbelievable feeling. I really enjoyed the four laps and the bike never missed a beat. I had probably the best bike on the grid but it’s Classic racing and I didn’t finish the race for the first three years so you can never count your chickens.

“I kept my eye on all my pit boards, hit all my apexes and just concentrated as hard as I could and whilst I wanted to wave back at all of the fans, I didn’t want to tempt fate but it was the perfect race. I’ve had a rough time but my friends, family and sponsors have all stuck by me and it feels pretty special to win again.”