TT 2023: Michael Dunlop equals John McGuinness with 23rd win in RST Superbike race

Dunlop is now the joint second most successful rider in the history of the event with John McGuinness, three wins behind his legendary uncle Joey’s all-time tally of 26.

The 34-year-old broke the Superbike TT lap record from a standing start with a speed of 134.519mph on the Hawk Racing Honda, before Dunlop lifted the benchmark further on lap two, clocking 135.046mph as he slowed for his first pit-stop.

Peter Hickman later had the consolation of a new Superbike lap record as he did 135.445mph on the sixth and final lap, overhauling Dean Harrison to snatch second place at the end.

It was Dunlop’s first Superbike success at the TT since he won the corresponding race in 2018, and his eighth in the blue riband class overall.

The Ballymoney man’s commanding win also comes 10 years after he last rode a Honda Fireblade in the Superbike class at the TT, when he claimed the Superbike spoils for his maiden big bike triumph on the Honda Legends machine in 2013.

Dunlop also won the first Supersport race on Saturday on his MD Racing Yamaha, his 10th victory in the middleweight class.

He led from the off in the gruelling six-lap, 226.38-mile race and was ahead of DAO Racing Kawasaki’s Harrison by 3.1s at Ballaugh, with Davey Todd on the Milenco by Padgett’s Honda 1.3s further behind in third.

Hickman, who won the Superbike and Senior races in 2022, was fourth on the Monster Energy by FHO Racing BMW, eight tenths down on Todd.

Dunlop blazed through the Sulby speed trap at 200.083mph and had opened a lead of 6.28s by the end of lap one over Harrison, while Hickman moved into third past Todd, 4.9s further adrift.

Dunlop’s standing start lap of 134.519mph was a new Superbike TT lap record. Harrison did 133.68mph with Hickman lapping at 133.046mph.

Already up to second on the road behind Harrison after setting off from number six, Dunlop began to stretch his advantage on lap two, raising the lap record to 135.046mph to lead Harrison by 14.6s as he came in for his first pit-stop.

Hickman was six seconds down on Harrison in third and 19 seconds ahead of Todd, who had 7.5s in hand over OMG Yamaha’s James Hillier.

Dunlop’s lead was 17.7s at the Bungalow on the third lap, which he increased to 18.85s when he arrived on Glencrutchery Road.

Harrison had a slender gap of five seconds over Hickman, although Todd was now losing ground rapidly. The Saltburn man then retired in the pits, with Hillier moving up to fourth ahead of Jamie Coward on the KTS Racing/Steadplan Honda.

On the fourth lap, Dunlop continued to work hard and built up a 22s cushion ahead of the final round of pit-stops with a lap of 134.192mph, with Harrison still holding second from Hickman.

As they began the penultimate lap, Hickman had slashed the deficit to Harrison to three seconds after gaining time in the pits.

The Louth man was quicker than anyone on lap five, recording a speed of 127.389mph to cut Harrison’s advantage to only 2.4s

Hickman then put his head down on the sixth and last lap and was on outright lap record pace on the BMW M1000RR, moving into second at Ballaugh by 0.83s.

He shattered the Superbike TT lap record with a speed of 135.445mph to deny Harrison the runner-up spot, crossing the line 9.8s ahead of his Kawasaki rival.

Hickman’s final lap was only fractions of a second outside his 2018 outright lap record of 135.452mph. He also broke the timing beam on Sulby straight at 200.62mph.

Dunlop’s winning margin was 8.23s as he rolled off on the final lap to bring his Honda home, nonetheless establishing a new race record in 1h 43m 01.854s.

Hillier was two minutes down on Harrison as he finished fourth, 10.44s ahead of Coward, while Honda Racing UK’s John McGuinness completed the top six, a further 32.92s back.

Aussie Josh Brookes (Monster Energy by FHO Racing BMW) was seventh while Dominic Herbertson finished eighth on his BMW.

Banbridge man Shaun Anderson was 10th on the Team Classic Suzuki, 20s behind Michael Rutter (Bathams Honda RCV).

Waterford’s Brian McCormack was 14th on the Roadhouse Macau by FHO Racing BMW ahead of fellow southern Irishman Mike Browne, who pulled into the pits after the first lap to make adjustments to the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing BMW, losing a lot of time.

Paul Jordan from Magherafelt completed the race in 16th on the PreZ Racing Yamaha R1.

Monday is a rest day on the island before racing commences again on Tuesday with the first Superstock and Supertwin races.