Isle of Man TT record-breaker Michael Dunlop final piece of jigsaw as 2025 rider and team line-ups confirmed

One crucial piece of the jigsaw revolves around record 29-time winner Michael Dunlop, who has not yet made an official announcement on his stable of machinery.

However, Dunlop looks poised to start the new season with the Milwaukee/MD Racing Ducati Panigale V2 in the Supersport class after testing the Italian machine in Spain and riding the bike in the Daytona 200 in the USA, where he finished ninth.

Dunlop set his fastest ever TT lap last year at 135.970mph on the Hawk Racing Honda for a new Superbike TT lap record but could be set for a change in the premier class, with the Ballymoney man linked with a return to BMW on an M1000RR.

Should he opt to renew his successful ties with the German manufacturer, Dunlop would be joining key rivals Peter Hickman and Davey Todd on the formidable M-designated machines.

Last year’s Senior TT winner Todd and outright lap record holder Hickman are running their own team after setting up 8TEN Racing after separating from Faye Ho’s FHO Racing outfit.

Hickman, who won the Superbike TT last year to join Mike Hailwood on 14 victories, and Todd will still receive BMW Motorrad support as they take on a new challenge this year.

Hickman will also ride a Triumph 765 under his PHR Performance banner while Todd will ride a Honda CBR600RR-R Supersport machine for Clive Padgett.

Hickman will continue in the Supertwin races on the Swan Yamaha with Todd riding a Paton for the Padgett’s team as he bids to challenge Dunlop’s dominance in the class, with the Ulsterman sealing a double last year on his MD Racing Paton.

Bradford’s Dean Harrison, now living in Laxey on the Isle of Man, is likely to prove the chief threat to the top BMW riders as he enters his second season with the official Honda Racing UK squad.

Harrison was left on the back foot last year due to a shortage of parts and had no Superbike or Supersport machinery at the North West.

The hard-riding Englishman still underscored his reputation as one of the TT’s elite with two third-place results in the Superbike and Senior races and a runner-up finish and third-place result in the Supersport class.

Harrison will be better prepared this year to stake his claim for more TT success in June.

He will have 23-time winner and TT legend John McGuinness as his team-mate once again, with the Morecambe man – who will be 53 in April – still a solid top-six contender in the Superbike and Senior races.

Manxman Conor Cummins says he has a point to prove after joining Northern Ireland’s Burrows Engineering/RK Racing team to ride BMW M1000RR and Ducati Panigale V2 machines.

Cummins parted company from Clive Padgett’s Honda squad at the TT last year after eight seasons and is hungrier than ever to achieve a dream maiden victory at his home event.

Sixteen-time winner Hutchinson has also left Padgett’s team and along with Irishman Browne will ride BMW machines for Laverty’s team in an intriguing venture at the North West 200 and TT.

Jamie Coward has made the jump to BMW from Honda for 2025 in the Superbike and Superstock classes and benefits from factory Triumph support in the KTS Racing Team with the Macadam Factory Triumph Racing coming on board this year.

Ulsterman Alastair Seeley returns to the NW200 this year after missing the event in 2024.

Seeley is the most successful rider ever around the 8.9-mile course and returns on a BMW M1000RR for the Superbike and Superstock races. The Carrickfergus man is seeking a milestone 30th win after clinching a Superstock double on his last appearance in 2023.

Fellow Northern Ireland rider Paul Jordan continues with the Jackson Racing Honda team and is joined by two-time British Superbike champion Josh Brookes for the NW200 and TT.

Adam McLean will lead the charge for leading International Road Racing Championship (IRRC) outfit Performance Racing Achterhoek.

McLean will ride a Yamaha R6 and Kawasaki ZX-10RR at the North West and will concentrate on the Supersport races for the Dutch team at the TT.

Banbridge man Shaun Anderson has yet to reveal his plans after a memorable 2024, when he won the Senior Classic Manx Grand Prix.

England’s Dominic Herbertson, who rode for John Burrows last year, teams up with James Hillier in the WTF Racing outfit, while Australian David Johnson remains with Lee Hardy Racing as the official Kawasaki roads representative.

Manxman Nathan Harrison isn’t part of the official Honda line-up next year but has confirmed he will be on the grid.

Nottingham’s Richard Cooper will be gunning for more NW200 glory as he continues with Alistair Russell’s BPE by Russell Racing Team on a Yamaha in the Supersport class and a Kawasaki Supertwin prepared by Ryan Farquhar.

Michael Rutter, a 14-time winner at the NW200, and Craig Neve will ride for Bathams AJN Racing.

The North West 200 takes place from May 7-10 with the TT running from May 26 to June 7.