TT 2025: Dean Harrison says record first-night 133mph Superbike qualifying time 'good, but the bike's very lively'
Honda Racing’s Dean Harrison fired in the fastest-ever opening night qualifying lap at the Isle of Man TT despite handling issues with his 1000cc Fireblade.
The 36-year-old set out his stall with a standing start lap of 130.897mph before recording a blistering 133.069mph on his flying lap – a record lap on the first night of qualifying.
Harrison was second fastest on his Superstock machine with a speed of 131.098mph from a standing start, only one second down on Davey Todd (8TEN Racing BMW), who clocked 131.231mph.
In the Supersport session, the British Supersport regular lapped at 126.436mph to go second fastest behind Northern Ireland’s Michael Dunlop (Ducati Panigale V2), who headed the times at 127.181mph.
“It’s been a good day today, a good start,” said three-time TT winner Harrison.
“It’s always good to be the fastest, it lifts the team and tells you that you’re going in the right direction.
“The Superbike time was good but the bike’s very lively, we need to settle the handling down and make it easier to ride, so that it doesn’t take so much out of me over race distance.
“The Superstock’s doing well; I only got one lap on it, so I want to get some more laps under my belt, but it’s good to go out on that because it’s very similar to the Superbike so we can try a few things with it.
“The Supersport is running fine. On the quickest lap that I got in with that, I got held up by loads of people,” he added.
“We just caught loads of people but we made some changes to the handling after yesterday and they went in the right direction.
“We’re working through everything, I think that between the Superstock and Superbike we’ll end up in a good place and there’s just a couple of little tweaks to try on the Supersport. It’s going well.”
Wet weather has affected the practice week schedule, with Monday’s session called off after the newcomers set off on their Speed Controlled lap.
On Tuesday, practice was untimed with riders warned of damp patches around the Mountain Course after earlier rain showers.
More rain is forecast on Thursday ahead of the second qualifying session, although the wet weather could die out by the evening, according to the Ronaldsway Met Office on the island.