Michael Dunlop has everything he needs to continue leading way, insists Phillip McCallen
The Ballymoney man then added a Superbike success on Saturday to complete a terrific treble, giving him eight career wins at Ireland's premier motorcycle race.
It was Dunlop's first Superbike success around the 8.9-mile course since 2016 when he triumphed on a Hawk Racing BMW.
Now riding BMW machinery for the first time since the Armoy Race of Legends national meeting in 2021, Dunlop put himself back on the top step on Saturday, much to the delight of his thousands of sun-drenched fans.
It has been an impressive start to 2025 for Dunlop, who was a double winner at the Cookstown 100 in April in the Supersport and Superbike classes as he warmed up for the major road races.
Dunlop will now be looking ahead to the Isle of Man TT where he became the most successful rider in history at the legendary event in 2024, winning four times to set a new benchmark of 29 victories.
He has changed his stable of machinery for 2025, switching from Honda to BMW for the Superbike and Superstock classes and changing from a Yamaha R6 to a Ducati Panigale V2 Supersport machine.
Dunlop is set to continue riding an Italian Paton in the Supertwin races at the TT where he won both races in the summer of 2024 plus both Supersport events to break his legendary uncle Joey's record of 26 wins around the infamous Mountain Course.
With long-time backers Stuart and Steve Hicken of Hawk Racing continuing to support Dunlop in 2025 and his close-knit MD Racing team behind him – headed by loyal sponsor and right-hand man Gary Ryan – McCallen says the road racing superstar is in his strongest position for years with the TT only weeks away.
'It's the team and the backup,' said McCallen, who is an 11-time TT winner.
'For the last few years, it's looked like he's had his bikes at the last minute or he's come here still building bikes and doing different things and he's not really ready.
'This year, he's been racing, he's done an endurance race (at Le Mans), he's done other races this year, and I know these are new bikes but the teams are really, really good.
'He's got the same teams as he's had for years and he's totally confident with those people because there is a big worry of 'who is working on my bikes and what are they doing with it'.
'So, he's happy with his teams and he knows he's got good bikes.
'That Ducati, apparently there is no higher-spec Ducati in Europe than that; his BMW Superbike, allegedly – and it looks like it – there's no higher-spec than that in the country as well.
'His production bike is definitely good and the Hawk boys, the team that he is so, so happy with, they have built him TT and North West-winning bikes, although more so at the TT.
'He's happy with them, and in my mind, if I had that Ducati, I'd be happy; if I had those BMWs with that spec, I'd be happy as well.
'I think that's all showing now, and lots of other years he hasn't had the miles he's wanted.
'He has come here (North West 200) with maybe a few race miles done, but this year, he has come mentally prepared, he's definitely physically prepared and he's mechanically prepared, so why would you not be happy?'
Carrickfergus rider Alastair Seeley was unable to achieve a milestone 30th win at the North West on his return to the event after a year's absence, however Dunlop is on the cusp of reaching that remarkable landmark at the TT.
On current form, it appears to be a matter of when, not if.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
A1(M) closed after serious crash with all traffic held and drivers facing FOUR-mile queues
Police are on scene carrying out an investigation MOTORWAY CHAOS A1(M) closed after serious crash with all traffic held and drivers facing FOUR-mile queues Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MOTORISTS have been warned to expect delays after a serious traffic collision has closed one of the UK's busiest motorways. The A1(M) in West Yorkshire has been closed southbound with police on the scene carrying out investigation work. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up National Highways warned that the road was closed because of a "serious traffic collision" and said it could remain shut into the evening. Motorists have been told to expect massive delays of up to 40 minutes. Four miles of traffic has built up with national Highways asking drivers to allow extra time for their journeys. The A1(M), between junction 45 and junction 44, is expected to remain closed all afternoon and into the evening. Road users have been advised to follow the Hollow Triangle Diversion symbol on road signs. National Highways said: "The A1M in West Yorkshire is closed southbound between J45 near Wetherby and J44 near Tadcaster following a serious collision. "West Yorkshire Police are carrying out investigation work and the road is expected to remain closed through the afternoon and into the evening. "If this closure impacts on your planned route, please allow extra journey time. "Plan ahead, you may wish to re-route or even delay your journey."
Belfast Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Former Isle of Man TT and North West 200 road racer dies tragically at age of 42
The Shrewsbury rider, who claimed the top newcomer at the Isle of Man TT in 2009 and graced a number of Northern Ireland road racing events, died after he was involved in a collision with a van while riding his motorcycle in Audlem, Cheshire last week. Describing the TT as 'the best thing in the world', Wylie had participated in the North West 200, Ulster Grand Prix and Armoy Road Races on Northern Irish shores as well as the Macau Grand Prix. He achieved three top-10 finishes at the Ulster GP and also recorded a ninth-placed best finish at the North West 200. Previously, he raced in the British Junior Superstock Championship before progressing to the British Superstock Championship and 2005 European Superstock Championship. In 2006, he began competing in the British Supersport Championship prior to that memorable first TT appearance three years later from which he became a regular on the Mountain Course. Wylie co-founded Stoke-on-Trent-based showroom and workshop Moto-Hub UK with fellow TT racer Sam West in 2021, who paid tribute on social media by saying the 'vast amount of calls and messages are a credit to Ben and what he has achieved'.
Reuters
6 hours ago
- Reuters
Car shipper says US tariff haze still affecting auto trade flows
STOCKHOLM, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Europe's car exporters are still struggling with uncertainty over U.S. tariffs despite last month's trade deal, Wallenius Wilhelmsen ( opens new tab, the operator of one of the world's largest car-carrier fleets, told Reuters on Tuesday. The U.S. and European Union struck a trade deal in late July that saw U.S. import tariffs on most goods from Europe, including cars, set at 15%. Cars had initially faced a 27.5% levy after U.S. President Donald Trump hiked tariffs this year. However, the new 15% rate has not yet been implemented for cars, meaning that Wallenius customers such as BMW ( opens new tab, Mercedes-Benz ( opens new tab and Volvo Cars ( opens new tab still face the higher rate. The absence of an executive order from Trump lowering the autos tariff has left the industry holding its breath for potential last-minute changes. "So far we actually do not know exactly what the tariff level will be. Our customers do not know either, so it is too early to say what they'll do," Wallenius CEO Lasse Kristoffersen said following the company's quarterly results. While carmakers raced earlier this year to ship cars to the U.S. ahead of the tariff hike to 27.5%, the opposite happened at the start of the second quarter, Kristoffersen said. "We saw that they held more back in the start of the second quarter but that volumes increased throughout the quarter," he said.
