Michael Dunlop's record-breaking Isle of Man TT success honoured at special reception at Parliament Buildings
Record-breaking Isle of Man TT rider Michael Dunlop says he remains more driven that ever to ensure his family name remains at the pinnacle of the sport after his achievements were marked at a special reception at Stormont, hosted by Communities Minister Gordon Lyons.
The Ballymoney man claimed four wins at the TT in June to surpass his legendary uncle Joey’s record of 26 victories, which had stood since 2000.
Dunlop has now won 29 times at the TT around the infamous Mountain Course and has claimed all the biggest prizes in road racing, but his appetite to secure more silverware remains undiminished.
“In this job it’s hard to be recognised and it’s fantastic to be here,” Dunlop said.
“It’s because of the TT – that’s the long and short of it – and the TT is just a fantastic event.
“When you look at it, Joey was 48 when he got his last three wins and that’s another 13 years of winning races.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever get to that point, but to get the record was the be-all and end-all because Joey was the biggest name ever in road racing to a degree and the greatest road racer of all time.
“To be in the same boat as Joey and break that record left me that I was the best TT rider of all time, and that was always the goal that I wanted to achieve.
“My goal is to keep winning races now and I’m fortunate that I’ve been very successful at the TT.
“So I want to keep going and keep winning TTs and the job isn’t getting any easier, but I’m trying to push it to the next level.
“There’s always different goals and if there wasn’t something that you were aiming for then you wouldn’t be doing anything,” he added.
“We’ll try and add to those TT wins and keep the Dunlop name up there in the highest esteem possible, not only for my benefit, but for my dad, my brother and my uncle.”
Dunlop’s uncle Joey lost his life following a crash during a race at Tallinn in Estonia, weeks after he won his final three races at the TT in 2000.
Eight years later, his father Robert died from injuries he sustained in an accident during qualifying at the North West 200, while his older brother William was killed in a crash at the Skerries 100 near Dublin in 2018.
The 35-year-old’s quadruple at this year’s TT included double victories in the Supersport and Supertwin races, with a milestone 27th success coming in the opening Supertwin race on his Paton machine.
He also set a new 135mph lap record in the Superbike race, when Dunlop was denied an almost certain win on the Hawk Racing Honda after he was forced to stop and adjust the visor on his helmet, which hadn’t been secured properly during his pit-stop.
Paying tribute, Minister Lyons said the Dunlop name was synonymous with motorcycling success in Northern Ireland.
“I am delighted to mark Michael’s incredible success at the 2024 Isle of Man TT,” he said.
“The skill and courage of the racers as they reach speeds of over 220mph are remarkable and this year Michael also set a new lap record of 135mph during the Superbike race.
“I have no doubt that as Michael moves forward in his career, more success will follow.
“His passion and commitment make him a great ambassador for the sport and an inspiration to new generations of road racers.”