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Belfast Telegraph
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Dean Harrison clinches maiden Superstock victory with scorching 135mph lap: ‘I'm over the moon'
Harrison was willed on by thousands of fans desperate to see him return to the top step of the podium after a series of near-misses. The Bradford rider, who lives on the island, finished third in Monday's Superbike race and second in the opening Supersport race after leading on the first two laps, but Harrison finally emerged on top. He produced a red-hot final lap of 135.692mph in the shortened two-lap race to take over from Davey Todd (8TEN Racing BMW) and never relinquished his advantage. The 36-year-old was ahead at Glen Helen on lap two by 2.3s and Harrison continued to stretch his lead further to five seconds at Ramsey. He won by 11.656s from Todd, with Michael Dunlop taking third on his MD Racing BMW, 20 seconds further down. 'I've been trying and trying, and everyone will tell you how hard it is to win a TT – to get on the podium is hard enough, never mind win one,' said Harrison. 'It's been a tough week and I've been a bit up and down but I've had a three, two and now one. 'Everyone was waving their arms over the fence and spurring me on and I was digging deeper and deeper as they were waving at me more. 'I just rode as hard as I could, read my boards and I'm over the moon with that. 'I got stuck behind Davo [David Johnson] a little bit on lap one going through Glen Helen, so I was held up a little bit there, but to be fair we've worked so hard all week with Honda and to give Honda a TT win – I'm over the moon,' he added. 'I keep saying that the Fireblade is so fast and we're making the bike better and better every time, and 135mph on a 'stocker is good going.' Dunlop said a problem with the electronics on his BMW didn't help his cause as he sought a first Superstock win since 2014. 'My electronic sensor jammed and I don't know if we've got a gremlin in the bike, but the blipper was working and then sometimes not working,' he said. 'With places so fast here you can't afford not to know if it's working or not.' James Hillier (Muc-Off Honda) was fourth, with Ian Hutchinson (MLav Racing BMW) and Conor Cummins (Burrows/RK Racing BMW) the first six. Former Honda Racing rider Nathan Harrison maintained his fine form with a solid ride to seventh on the H&H Motorcycles Honda ahead Dominic Herbertson (HRRC Adam Hewitt Ltd Honda). Paul Jordan was 12th on the Jackson Racing Honda.
Belfast Telegraph
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Michael Dunlop tops final qualifying session with 132mph Superbike lap as focus turns to races
Dunlop will have two chances to achieve the milestone, with the first Supersport race also scheduled to take place on Monday afternoon after the organisers confirmed a three-race programme, with the opening Sidecar event sandwiched between the Superbike and Supersport races. The Superbike race (10:45am) has been cut from six laps to four, with the Sidecar race over three laps pencilled in for 1:15pm, followed by the first Supersport race at 3pm (3 laps). All three races were originally scheduled to run over the weekend, but adverse weather on the Isle of Man resulted in a series of delays and cancellations last week, with the organisers running more qualifying sessions on Saturday and Sunday to make up for lost time. Dunlop set a record of 29 TT wins during a memorable week in 2024, surpassing his uncle Joey's 24-year-old lap record of 26 victories. The Ballymoney man has been gradually getting up to speed on his new ROKiT BMW Superbike at the TT and recorded the fastest lap of Sunday's qualifying session – and his fastest overall so far this year – at 132.03mph. Dunlop was leading the Superbike race last year by around 25 seconds until his lead was blown when he stopped to adjust an incorrectly fastened visor after his final pit stop. He will be out to make amends, but Davey Todd (8TEN Racing BMW) and Dean Harrison (Honda Racing UK) provide formidable opposition. Harrison set the fastest lap of TT qualifying overall at 133mph on his Superbike machine last Wednesday, while Todd also managed a 133mph lap, albeit on his Superstock machine. Todd will be carrying the hopes of 8TEN Racing on his shoulders today after team-mate Peter Hickman was ruled out of the TT following his crash in qualifying on Friday. Hickman came off at Kerrowmoar and sustained chest, back, shoulder and facial injuries. The 14-time TT winner was yesterday discharged from hospital and posted an update on social media claiming he planned to return to the event in 2026. 'Well this isn't quite how I'd planned my TT to go!' Hickman said. 'Had a bit of a get off on Friday night… Nothing quite like a 140mph slap against the Manx countryside. Battered and bruised, but we'll be back.' He added: 'A massive thanks to the amazing IOM TT marshals, the TT medical team, and staff at Noble's Hospital.' Dunlop will be going for a seventh successive Supersport victory this afternoon as he bids to win on a Ducati for the first time. He has made the switch from Yamaha machinery and won on the Italian Panigale V2 bike at the North West 200 last month. In qualifying, he was second fastest with a 127.739mph lap on Friday behind British Supersport contender Harrison, whose 128.093mph lap was a qualifying record. Todd is another leading contender on the Milenco by Padgett's Honda, while top-six challengers include the likes of Josh Brookes, James Hillier, James Hind, Paul Jordan and Ian Hutchinson. On Sunday, the Sidecar session was stopped after a red flag crash involving leading competitors Peter Founds and Jevan Walmsley at Rhencullen. Both competitors were airlifted to hospital and a statement from the organisers said: 'Peter Founds and Jevan Walmsley, sidecar outfit number 2, came off at Rhencullen during lap two of the fifth qualifying session of TT 2025. 'Peter is reported as conscious and talking, with arm injuries. Passenger, Jevan, is reported as conscious and talking, with no reported injuries. 'Both Peter and Jevan have been taken to Noble's Hospital by Airmed for further assessment. 'Further condition updates will be provided in due course.' Manx crew Ryan and Callum Crowe are the Sidecar favourites after winning both races in 2024 and recording the fastest lap in qualifying at 119.37mph. The weather is forecast to be dry and bright today, however a yellow warning for gales on the island comes into place tonight from 9pm, with heavy rain also expected overnight.
Belfast Telegraph
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Leading Isle of Man TT rider ‘conscious and stable' after being airlifted to hospital following qualifying crash
The 14-time TT winner was involved in an incident at Kerrowmoar shortly after the combined Superbike, Superstock and Supersport qualifying run began at 6.30pm. Hickman was riding his 8TEN Racing BMW Superstock machine when he crashed, with a red flag situation declared at 6.40pm. Around half an hour afterwards, the organisers confirmed that no further action would take place following reports of rain coming in from the west of the island. An official update was provided on the red flag incident, with 38-year-old Hickman described as 'currently conscious and stable'. It read: 'Peter Hickman, bike No.10, came off at Kerrowmoar during lap one of the third qualifying session of TT 2025. 'He is currently reported as conscious and stable and has been taken to Noble's Hospital by Airmed for further assessment. 'Further condition updates will be provided in due course.' Earlier in the day, Hickman said that he wasn't happy with his Superstock machine. 'Interestingly enough, normally I'm pretty happy with the Superstock bike and the Superbike is the one that's hard work, but it seems to be the other way around this time,' he told Manx Radio TT. 'The Superbike is working mint and the 'Stocker I'm not feeling happy with just yet, but we've a bit of time yet.' No laps were completed in the evening qualifying session, which was a contingency slot to give competitors more time on the course after inclement weather disrupted practice week. In a revised schedule on Saturday, additional qualifying sessions are set to go ahead in place of the first Supersport and Sidecar races of TT 2025, which have been moved to Monday — originally a rest day on the event schedule. The Superbike TT over six laps is still scheduled to run on Sunday at 1.30pm, but with more wet weather forecast on Saturday and showers expected on Sunday, the organisers could announce further changes. Bolton-born Dean Harrison, fastest in Wednesday's qualifying session with a 133mph lap on his Honda Racing Superbike, recorded the fastest lap again in Friday afternoon's session, this time on his Superstock machine. The 36-year-old lapped at 132.853mph to lead the Superstock times by 4.3 secs from Hickman, who went round at 132.29mph. Hickman's 8TEN Racing BMW team-mate Davey Todd was third fastest at 132.195mph ahead of Michael Dunlop (MD Racing BMW), who recorded a lap of 130.225mph from a standing start. 'We've got a good idea on which direction we're going now, so it's good,' said Harrison. 'There's so much going on and practice is a bit up and down, but everyone's in the same boat. 'I'm feeling good with the bikes, I feel that I can go quite a bit quicker in a lot of places, so it's good, I can't complain.' Todd was fastest in the Superbike session at 132.673mph after a single lap on his BMW, with Hickman (131.326mph) and Manx rider Conor Cummins (131.027mph) making up the top three. Dunlop has work to do with his new BMW Superbike after he ended the session in fifth, lapping at 129.965mph. The Ballymoney man was fastest in the Supertwin class on his Paton at 122.159mph, while Harrison set a new Supersport qualifying record at 128.093mph to edge out Dunlop (MD Racing Ducati), who did 127.739mph from a standing start. Roads around the TT Course are due to close on Saturday morning at 10.00am for further qualifying.
Belfast Telegraph
28-05-2025
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Davey Todd content at Isle of Man TT as Dean Harrison sets a blistering pace
The Honda Racing UK rider came flying out of the blocks with a speed of 130.897mph from a standing start before upping the ante on his second lap to 133.069mph (17 mins 00.733 secs). Harrison, who now lives in Laxey on the island, was 15 seconds up on Peter Hickman (8TEN Racing BMW), who managed 131.076mph after completing three laps on his Superbike machine. Hickman's team-mate Davey Todd slotted into third on the leaderboard on Wednesday night (130.402mph). The 29-year-old did one lap on his Superbike and was more than satisfied after missing the Superbike and Superstock session on Tuesday. 'That's alright,' said Todd, who was stranded at Ginger Hall on Tuesday evening after an issue with the Padgett's Honda Supersport machine. 'Not bad for the first spin on the big bike, and I was gutted to miss the session last night. 'We've some work to do, some improvements to make, but it's a good start. 'There are areas to improve, a bit of stability, but that's not bad to start with.' Ballymoney's Michael Dunlop did a standing start lap on his ROKiT BMW Superbike at 129.975mph to go fourth ahead of Manxman Nathan Harrison (H&H Motorcycles Honda), who clocked 128.825mph after two laps. Northern Ireland's Shaun Anderson was next on the Team Classic Suzuki (128.14mph). Todd did two laps on his Superstock machine and led the times at 131.231mph, with Harrison (131.098mph) and Dunlop (130.387mph) second and third respectively after their standing start laps. Paul Jordan from Magherafelt was an impressive fifth on the Jackson Racing Honda by Prosper2 machine at 128.055mph behind Dominic Herbertson (129.257mph), with Conor Cummins sixth on the Burrows/RK Racing BMW (128.041mph). Skerries man Michael Sweeney, who was 17th in the Superstock standings on his MJR BMW, said conditions were much improved compared to Tuesday evening. 'It's very windy out there from the start to Ballacraine and up on the mountain,' said Sweeney. 'But conditions are a lot better than last night and we can deal with the wind compared to the damp. 'We've a few issues, but we're going in the right direction and we're on the right way.' Dunlop, the all-time TT record holder with 29 victories, topped the Supersport times at 127.181mph on his Ducati Panigale V2. The 36-year-old was 6.3 seconds ahead of Harrison (126.436mph), with James Hillier (Bournemouth Kawasaki) and Todd (Padgett's Honda) third and fourth respectively. Hickman was fifth fastest on his Triumph 765 machine with a lap of 124.085mph from a standing start. Wigan's Rob Hodson (SMT Racing Paton) was quickest in Supertwin qualifying, setting the best speed at 119.521mph after doing two laps on the Italian machine. Hodson was 4.3 seconds up on Dunlop (MD Racing Paton), who lapped at 119.068mph from a standing start. Manxman Michael Evans was next in the standings on his Dafabet Racing Kawasaki (118.646mph). In the Sidecars, Ryan and Callum Crowe, who won both races in 2024, took the top spot on their Opul/Kelproperties LCR Honda) with a lap of 118.797mph from Peter Founds and Jevan Walmsley (AWB Engineering Honda), who recorded a speed of 115.37mph. The Sidecar session was restricted to one lap as the weather began to close in on Wednesday night. Rain was expected overnight on the Isle of Man with more wet weather in today's forecast, which could have an impact on Thursday evening's planned second qualifying session, which is scheduled to begin at 6.30pm.
Belfast Telegraph
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
I wouldn't come to Isle of Man TT if I didn't think I could win more races: Michael Dunlop
Practice is scheduled to start on Monday morning, but rain in the forecast later in the afternoon and evening could have a detrimental impact on the first day of the 2025 festival. Dunlop won four races around the 37.73-mile Mountain Course in 2024 to take over from his idolised uncle Joey as the most successful racer in the event's history. The 36-year-old extended his tally of victories to 29, three more than Joey's previous record of 26, which he set with a final treble in 2000. Dunlop began the road racing season on a winning note with victories at the Cookstown 100 before impressing at the North West 200 where the Ballymoney legend returned to winning ways on the north coast for the first time since 2016. Dunlop powered to Superbike success on his new BMW machine and won on his new BMW Superstock and Ducati Supersport bikes for a hat-trick. His performances turned heads at Ulster's top motorcycle race and he goes into the TT on a high. 'The preparations are going quite good, we had a good North West and we were on the money,' said Dunlop, who now has a section of the TT course named in his honour on the approach to the 27th milestone, with a previously unnamed left-hand bend known as MD's. 'We won three races and broke down in a couple, and I'm feeling really good. 'I wouldn't be coming here if I didn't think I could win more races, and I feel like I'm as fast as I ever was. 'We just need a bit of practice, hopefully, to dial them (new bikes) in, but the team's working hard and we're going to push on for them.' Dunlop may be the slight favourite before race week is scheduled to begin on Saturday with the first of two Supersport races, but he faces a formidable challenge from 8TEN Racing BMW riders Peter Hickman and Davey Todd and official Honda Racing UK contender Dean Harrison. Hickman remains the outright lap record holder at the TT after recording a blistering 136.358mph in 2023 on his BMW Superstock machine. The English rider won the Superbike race last June for his 14th victory after Dunlop's dominant lead was eradicated when he had to stop after his second pit stop to fix his visor, which hadn't been correctly fastened in the pitlane. Todd made a huge breakthrough when he won his first TT races in 2024, taking Superstock and Senior victories. The Saltburn man is hungry for more but hasn't enjoyed the best preparation for the TT, with Todd and Hickman – who co-own 8TEN Racing – pulling their team together in just a few months. The 29-year-old is yet to completely gel with his BMW Superbike, and Todd hasn't ruled out riding a Superstock machine at the TT. Roads around the Mountain Course on Monday are due to close at 10.00am with a Newcomers Speed Controlled lap from 10.40am. With adverse weather forecast, all classes will be given two laps of untimed practice and all roads are due to be reopened by 2.45pm. Meanwhile, Marco Bezzecchi won the British MotoGP on Sunday at Silverstone for the factory Aprilia team. Italian Bezzecchi delivered Aprilia's first victory of the 2025 season as the manufacturer returned to the top step in the premier class for the first time since the Grand Prix of the Americas in 2024. Johann Zarco (LCR Honda) finished second, while Championship leader Marc Marquez (Lenovo Ducati) pipped Franco Morbidelli for third. The race was restarted because of an oil spill, with Marquez and his brother Alex (Gresini Ducati) both crashing while leading. Frenchman Fabio Quartararo retired with a bike problem. The Second Round of the British Talent Cup series was held on the MotoGP undercard and there was jubilation for Northern Ireland teenager Peter Willis, who won his first race in the class.
