9-time race winner, Charlie Williams, will mark the 50th anniversary of his first TT victories with a special demonstration lap at the 2023 Isle of Man TT Races.
The fan favourite had his maiden TT success in the 1973 Production 250cc Race and, just a few days later, added a second with top honours in the Lightweight 250cc Race.
To celebrate those victories, Williams – who now hosts hospitality guests of the TT Mercury Club – will lead a demonstration lap on Saturday 3rd June riding a 2-stoke 350cc Maxton Yamaha.
The bike will be a replica of the machine Williams used when he finished third in the epic 1979 Classic Race, which saw Alex George beat Mike Hailwood by just 3.4 seconds in the Hailwood’s final TT race. The race was also significant for Williams as he set the quickest ever lap by a 350cc machine with a speed of 112.348mph – a record which stood for eight years.
Williams was one of the most successful riders at the TT in the 1970s and early 1980s. Although more regularly associated with 250cc and 350cc machines, he also enjoyed strong results on the larger capacity machines which included setting a new lap record in the 1982 Senior Race at a speed of 115.08mph.
In total Williams competed in 52 TT races, taking 9 victories and standing on the podium 20 times – a tally matched now by TT frontmen Peter Hickman and Dean Harrison.