Isle of Man TT star Michael Dunlop announces Ducati V4 Superbike for 2026 - 'Huge thanks to everyone at Ducati Corse'
Michael Dunlop has unveiled a Ducati V4 Superbike with only a few weeks to go until the first major road race of the year at the North West 200.
Dunlop had been linked with a switch to Ducati machinery for the Superbike class in 2026 after a successful association with the Italian manufacturer last year, when he rode a Ducati Panigale V2 Supersport bike, claiming a win at the North West and a double at the Isle of Man TT – Ducati’s first at the event in 30 years.
In a social media post on Saturday evening, record 33-time TT winner Dunlop said: “Our little V2 was getting lonely… so we went and got her a best mate the V4 RS!!! “Huge thanks to everyone at Ducati Corse, Ducati UK, and all our sponsors for helping make this project happen (even if it’s come together a bit late!).
“Now it’s back to the workshop, then off with the Hawk team next week for testing to see how we get on.”
Dunlop will again ride a Ducati V2 in the Supersport class, partnering with British championship outfit Scars Racing for the new season.
The 37-year-old is the Supersport lap record holder at the TT with a speed of 130.403mph set in 2023, when he also became the first rider to break the 130mph bracket in the middleweight class.
He lapped at over 130mph last year on the Ducati V2 on his way to victory over Honda’s Dean Harrison in the first race and is unbeaten in the Supersport class at the TT since 2022, winning eight times in a row.
Dunlop finished second in the Superbike TT last June, when he rode a BMW supplied by Shaun Muir’s World Superbike squad.
He was previously due to ride a Ducati V4R for Paul Bird in 2020 and tested the machine in Spain.
However, the Ballymoney man was denied the opportunity after the major road races were wiped out by the Covid pandemic.
The deal was rekindled for the 2022 season, but Dunlop parted company from Paul Bird Motorsport in April of that year, only a few weeks before the North West 200. He rode a Suzuki for Hawk Racing in a last-minute deal.
Dunlop’s plans for the Superstock class have yet to be officially confirmed after he rode a BMW last year, twice finishing on the podium at the TT and winning a race at the NW200.
The Ulsterman won both Supertwin races at the 2025 TT on the MD Racing Paton SR-1, setting a new lap record for the class at 123.056mph in the second race as he secured a third consecutive four-timer around the 37.73-mile Mountain Course.