Charlie Williams celebrates 50th anniversary of his first TT victories at Isle of Man TT 2023

24. May 2023

2 min read

At the Isle of Man TT 2023, Charlie Williams, who has won nine TT races, will celebrate the 50th anniversary of his first TT victories with a unique lap of honor.

Charlie Williams’ defining victories

In 1973, Williams celebrated his first TT victory in the Production 250cc race. Just a few days later, he followed it up with a triumph in the Lightweight 250cc race. These victories quickly made him a fan favorite.

Special event to celebrate the victories

To commemorate those glory days, Williams, who now hosts TT Mercury Club guests, will ride a demonstration lap on a 2-stroke 350cc Maxton Yamaha on Saturday, June 3. This bike is a replica of the machine on which he finished third in the legendary 1979 Classic Race.

Williams’ defining record

The 1979 Classic Race went down in history when Alex George beat Mike Hailwood by a slim 3.4 seconds in Hailwood’s final TT race. Williams not only finished third, but also set the fastest lap record ever run by a 350cc machine with a speed of 180.652 km/h (112.348 mph), which stood for eight years.

Influential Williams career

In the 1970s and early 1980s, Williams was one of the most successful TT riders. He raced mainly 250cc and 350cc machines, but also achieved strong results on larger machines. In 1982, for example, he set a new lap record in the Senior Race with a speed of 185.180 km/h (115.08 mph).

In total, Williams took part in 52 TT races and recorded nine victories and 20 podium finishes – a record now matched by TT stars Peter Hickman and Dean Harrison.