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Belfast Telegraph
16 hours ago
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Michael Dunlop: I've put Ducati ‘back on top' after securing 32nd Isle of Man TT win
It was the Northern Ireland rider's 32nd victory around the Mountain Course and his third this week, with Dunlop also winning the first Supertwin race on Tuesday evening on his Paton. The 36-year-old has been unbeatable in the Supersport class since 2022, winning eight races in a row. He took something of a gamble this year after making the switch to an Italian Ducati Panigale V2 machine following six consecutive wins on his trusty MD Racing Yamaha. However, the move paid off and Dunlop won both races in style to make it 15 Supersport victories in total at the TT. He took control of the four-lap race from the off and led at every sector on each lap, extending his advantage throughout to win by 26.181s from Dean Harrison (Honda Racing UK), with Davey Todd taking third on the Milenco by Padgett's Honda, almost 16 seconds back. 'It wasn't so bad,' said Dunlop, whose Ducati wins were the manufacturer's first at the TT since Rob Holden's Singles victory in 1995. 'It was going to be difficult, I knew Dean was going to come out the blocks, but I sort of got my act together at the start of the race. 'I was right at the front at the start so I gave myself a little bit less work to do. 'We had a bit of a nervy pit stop, she wouldn't fire again. But the bike was mint – thanks to all the team, they worked late last night to get it going and fair play to them. It was great. 'I'd just like to thank the team and the sponsors – it's not possible without them,' added Dunlop, who recorded the fastest lap of the race on the Milwaukee Ducati on the second lap at 129.297mph. 'Obviously for Ducati as well, it's nice to be back on top and doing the double again.' Dunlop said he had a small issue with the front of the machine but it wasn't enough to jeopardise his march to a record-extending 32nd TT win. 'We had a wee bit of a front end issue,' he said. 'But I knew what we were going to try, which was going to sort of work, and it was windy out there so I didn't know if it was a wind thing. 'But we just kept going, and happy to do the double for the Ducati team, for my own team, and for everybody else.' Runner-up Harrison didn't make his customary fast start but felt Dunlop was always going to be difficult to beat on the Ducati. 'I didn't get the best of starts to be fair, not my normal fast start,' he said. 'I was a bit steady from the start, and so I read my pit boards and I knew that Michael was going to be the man to beat today. 'I just wasn't sure who the battle was going to be with for second. So I got stuck in a bit, just watching my pit boards through the whole race, really.' Paul Jordan from Magherafelt enjoyed a strong run to fourth on the Jackson Racing Honda, with James Hind (North Lincs Components Suzuki) and Jordan's team-mate Josh Brookes finalising the first six. Jordan, who set his best Supersport lap at 126.358mph, said: 'I'm over the moon with the fourth-place finish today as well as the 126mph laps as it was tough conditions out there. 'The wind was pretty strong, which meant it was easy to catch you out, but I simply rode as hard as I could right from the drop of the flag. 'I just kept pushing as hard as I could, so to finish fourth is great, and with Josh in sixth it's been a good day for the team.' James Hillier was holding third on the second lap when he was forced out with an issue with his Bournemouth Kawasaki. Thursday's Sidecar race was postponed because of wet weather and is now due to be run on Friday, when the second Superstock and Supertwin races are also scheduled. There is no racing on Thursday at the TT, which is a rest day for competitors and teams.
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
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
Dean Harrison on what Honda must do to stop BMW from setting the pace at Isle of Man TT
Dean Harrison could be the man to spoil the BMW party at the Isle of Man TT. Bolton-born Harrison, now based on Laxey on the island, spearheads the Honda Racing UK team alongside 23-time TT winner John McGuinness.
Belfast Telegraph
06-05-2025
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Dean Harrison out to get over the winning line at last in NW200 with a full fleet of bikes at his disposal
Dean Harrison is coming to the North West 200 in 2025 with a full complement of Honda Racing UK machinery after facing an uphill struggle 12 months previously when he only had a Superstock machine at his disposal. Both Harrison and team-mate John McGuinness had to make do without Superbike machinery, which Honda put down to 'the demands of the 2024 calendar and schedule, combined with challenges in the supply chain regarding parts and materials'.
