TT 2023: Senior winner Peter Hickman says it is 'unbelievable' to be one win behind TT great Mike Hailwood

The 36-year-old set a blistering pace to shatter the lap and race records, retaining the iconic trophy after beating Dean Harrison by 19.9s, with Superbike winner Michael Dunlop completing the top three.

Hickman set a new Senior lap record of 135.507mph (16m 42.366s) on his second lap as he slowed for the first pit-stop, although his searing 136.358mph speed in the second Superstock race on Friday is the fastest ever recorded around the 37.73-mile Mountain Course.

His opening lap on Saturday of 135.349mph on the Monster Energy by FHO Racing BMWwas the fastest ever from a standing start.

The Louth man also established a new Senior race record in the quickest six-lap race in history at the TT, completing the 226.38-mile distance in a time of 1h 42m 29.488s, and set new sector records on the run from Glen Helen to Ballaugh (lap one) and the Grandstand to Ballaugh (lap two).

“It’s just amazing and I said it already, but the team has been working so hard to try and get this bike right,” said Hickman.

“It really hasn’t been right until this morning when we did the warm-up lap – finally I could actually ride the thing rather than it taking me for a ride.

“I knew it was going to be a fast pace, Michael (Dunlop) has been on it all week, also Dean certainly got out of the right side of bed today didn’t he? It’s just awesome to see.

“I had a bit more if I really, really needed it but I didn’t want to if I didn’t have to,” he added.

“To be one (win) behind Mike Hailwood – oh my God, what a statement that is. It’s just unbelievable to be quite honest.”

Hickman also won both Superstock races and the second Supertwin race for a second successive TT four-timer.