Latest news with #DucatiV2
BBC News
27-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
TT riders get track time in free practice session
Competitors in this year's Isle of Man TT availed themselves of some valuable track time in Tuesday's untimed free practice session for the session went ahead after inclement weather earlier in the day cleared sufficiently, although riders reported that they were exercising caution due to damp patches on areas of the circuit which made conditions sidecars were first off the line at 18:35 BST in bright sunshine, followed by the Supersports and Supertwins and finally the larger capacity Superbikes and session was afforded 35 minutes, with the solo sessions held in more overcast opening day of the 2025 TT meeting on Monday had seen all laps except the newcomers' speed-controlled lap had initially been planned that Tuesday's session would be a timed qualifying one but ultimately rain showers during the day led to the practice being declared as those out on the Mountain Course for the first time this year were the most successful rider in the history of the races, Michael Dunlop, who took his wins tally to 29 last year courtesy of the fourth four-timer of his career at the took out all four of his machines, including his World Superbike-spec Rokit BMW and World Supersport-spec Ducati V2 Supersport Northern Ireland rider has changed manufacturer for both classes, having campaigned Hondas in the big bike classes and a Yamaha in the middleweight category in his prolific winning record of recent years, the 36-year-old has not tasted success in the blue riband Senior race since 2017, an eight-year gap the Ballymoney man will be keen to bridge this leading contenders for this year's races include 14-time winner Peter Hickman, Honda Racing's Dean Harrison and Davey Todd, who earned his first two TT wins 12 months mounts this year include a Padgett's Paton for the Supertwins class, a first foray into that category for the renowned Yorkshire-based those getting acclimatised to new machinery were Mike Browne from the Republic of Ireland, who has replaced the injured Jamie Coward in the KTS Racing team for the 1000cc Hillier had first outing of the season on a closed public roads circuit after missing the recent North West 200 in Northern sessions are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday evenings, followed by an afternoon session on Friday, before the scheduled start of racing on Saturday.
Belfast Telegraph
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Nothing was going to deny me Supersport success, roars Richard Cooper after last lap drama
Cooper was left frustrated after his defeat against Michael Dunlop in Thursday's race and was determined to come out on top in the restarted race. The Nottingham rider was leading along the Coast Road on the last lap but came under pressure from Honda Racing's Dean Harrison, who was hard on the brakes on Cooper's inside into the all-action Juniper chicane. Cooper went deep on the brakes but picked his BPE by Russell Racing Yamaha up and ran across the grass. Harrison, too, ran over the grass after he was unable to make his apex. Dunlop had a grandstand seat behind the battling leaders but could not capitalise on their mistakes, closing out the race in third on his factory Ducati V2. Cooper roared over Quarry Hill to take his second victory of the day by just over a tenth of a second from Harrison, who yet again had to settle for the runner-up spot. Dunlop was 0.294s behind in the last rostrum place, with Davey Todd over ten seconds further adrift on Clive Padgett's Honda. Cooper, who has increased his tally of NW200 wins to seven, said: 'Lap one I was like 'I'm having this'. 'Michael beat me fair and square in race one, he had that one, this one there was no way. 'Whoever got through that chicane in one piece, in my eyes the win was for taking. 'I just held on, there was no other option and I had to run straight. I managed to get out the other side and controlled myself, and it takes a brave man to pass someone at the last corner. 'It's special to win in front of those fans.' Harrison was left to rue what might have been after putting himself in the picture for his first win around the 8.9-mile course. 'I knew from the start of the race it was going to be difficult to be honest,' he said. 'As soon as anyone passed me, I was straight back past them and I was constantly in the slipstream. 'The middle of the corner I felt I had (Cooper), to be fair. 'It's good for everyone to see.' Dunlop said the outcome was always destined to be decided at Juniper. 'The two boys knew they weren't making the turn. The two of them ran on but I made the chicane – they made a clear advantage,' said the Ballymoney man. 'I ran on earlier (in the Superbike race) but didn't get an advantage from it. I'm not going to cry about it, what do you say about it. Unless the organisers look at it, I don't know. 'It was great racing. It's always going to go down to that last chicane.' The race was held over four laps instead of six after a red flag following two separate crashes at Mill Road roundabout and Church corner. Jeremy McWilliams went down at Mill Road roundabout but the 61-year-old later lined up for the second Supertwin race, although he pulled out after the first lap. Peter Hickman finished fifth on the Trooper/PHR Triumph while 13-time Supersport winner Alastair Seeley was sixth on the MSS/CD Racing Kawasaki.
BBC News
25-04-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Dunlop a late entry for Cookstown 100 after Le Mans crash
Michael Dunlop says he is "keen to get back on the bike and get riding" after being confirmed as a late entry for this weekend's Cookstown 100 event. The 29-time Isle of Man TT winner has recovered from a crash at last weekend's Le Mans 24 Hours and will feature in the first event of the Irish road racing season."I'm not too bad, just a few bumps and and blue one side and black and blue the other side," Dunlop told BBC Sport NI. "Whatever way I landed, I got a bit of a doing but my suit and helmet did a great job. I'm black and blue from the impact but no broken bones."Dunlop, 35, is testing Ducati V2 and Superstock machines ahead of the North West 200, which begins on 7 May. In 2024, the Ballymoney rider surpassed his uncle Joey's record of Isle of Man TT wins and he admits that "took a lot of weight off my shoulders" ahead of this year. "Last year, he TT was obviously the main objective," he said."I was just a bit disappointed with the North West, obviously picking up an injury here last year hindered me. "I'm looking forward to getting to the North West and having a real good go at it. The bikes are looking well, we've a bit of work to do with the Superbike, we were left high and dry a little bit and we're working hard to get it done. "Hopefully we get out on it very shortly and at the North West put a show on and then leads us on to the TT."
