6 days 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.
