Michael Dunlop fired in a 118mph lap from a standing start on the Milenco by Padgett’s Honda RS250 in final qualifying to put down a marker ahead of Sunday’s Classic TT Lightweight race.

Dunlop lapped at 118.081mph to up the ante with the fastest lap overall during qualifying week.

The Ballymoney man won the race for the first time in 2025 on his own Honda but has teamed up with Clive Padgett this year in his quest for a repeat victory.

New Zealand’s Bruce Anstey set the lap record on Padgett’s Honda at 120.475mph on his way to victory in 2017, which was the first 120mph lap around the Mountain Course by a 250cc machine.

placeholder image — Michael Dunlop on the Milenco by Padgett's Honda RS250 in qualifying at the Classic TT. (Photo credit: Isle of Man TT)

The Lightweight race on Sunday is scheduled to start at 15:30 BST over three laps.

Dunlop’s chief opposition includes Mike Browne on the Laycock Racing TZ250 Yamaha, who lapped at 116.639mph earlier in the week.

Northern Ireland’s Paul Jordan is also competing on a Yamaha for Eddie Laycock’s team.

Record 36-time Isle of Man TT winner Dunlop’s late father Robert rode for the Padgett’s team in 1994, when he won the 125cc race at the North West 200.

He was due to ride 125cc and 250cc machinery at the Isle of Man TT for the Batley-based team, but was ruled out after sustaining serious injuries in a crash in the Formula One race, when the rear wheel of his Medd Honda RC45 collapsed on the exit of Ballaugh village, catapulting him into a wall.

Dunlop was limited to the smaller 125cc machines for the rest of his career and was tragically killed in a crash in qualifying at the 2008 North West 200, when he was making a return to the 250cc class.