Isle of Man TT star Michael Dunlop back on BMW in British Superbike test at Oulton Park

Dunlop tested the machine at Kirkistown in Co Down at the end of March and rode a BMW M1000RR for Team LRP Poland at the legendary Le Mans 24-Hours race last weekend, which was the opening round of the FIM Endurance World Championship.

The 36-year-old has also completed some laps on a Ducati at Oulton and is entered on the Italian Panigale V2 machine for the Supersport races at the TT in June.

Dunlop has ridden a Honda Fireblade CBR10000RR-R prepared by Hawk Racing over the past two seasons.

He won the Superbike TT in 2023 on the Honda and was on course to repeat the feat last year until his commanding lead was wiped out on the penultimate lap, when Dunlop was forced to stop at the top of Bray Hill to adjust an incorrectly fastened visor on his helmet.

He smashed the lap record when he rejoined the race, setting his quickest ever speed around the Mountain Course and the fastest lap of last year’s TT at 135.970mph to claw his way back to fourth place.

The two-day BSB test at Oulton concludes on Thursday and is the final test before the first round of the 2025 series at the same venue over the May Bank Holiday weekend (3-5).

Former champion Bradley Ray was fastest on Wednesday on the Raceways Yamaha from Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Ducati) and Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati).

Alastair Seeley, who will return to the North West 200 from May 7-10 after missing the event last year, is also testing at Oulton on the SMS/Nicholl Oils BMW and CD Racing/MSS Kawasaki he will ride at the north coast road races in a few weeks’ time.

Also in action on BMW M1000RR machines are new MLav Racing riders Ian Hutchinson and Mike Browne, plus David Johnson (Platinum Club Kawasaki) and Jamie Coward (KTS Racing BMW).