TT 2026: 'The career has been good around here' - Michael Dunlop reflects on latest success after extending record tally to 36 victories
Isle of Man TT hall of famer Michael Dunlop added another three victories to his remarkable haul of wins around the iconic Mountain Course at the weather-beaten 2026 festival.
Now a 36-time winner, Dunlop, who made his TT debut in 2007 and won his maiden race in the Supersport class two years later, maintained his staggering unbeaten run in the Supersport class, winning both races for a double on the Scars/MD Racing Ducati to make it 10 consecutive triumphs in the middleweight class.
The Ballymoney rider’s winning streak stretches back to 2022 and the 37-year-old has now secured five successive doubles on Supersport machinery at the TT.
A hot favourite in the Sportbike (formerly Supertwin) class, Dunlop sealed his fifth win in a row on the Italian Paton, dominating the two-lap race and setting a new lap record at 124.530mph – 13 seconds inside his previous benchmark for the class.
He was denied the chance of Sportbike double and fourth successive TT four-timer when the second race on Saturday was cancelled because of poor conditions around the 37.73-mile course.
Dunlop’s 2026 results included third in the opening Superbike race, but he was far from happy after battling handling issues with the MD/Hawk Racing Honda throughout qualifying and race week.
He wasn’t optimistic of resolving the problems with the Honda before the Senior TT and Dunlop appeared to be struggling again in the blue riband race, lying fifth after the first lap.
A result was declared in the Senior based on positions at the end of lap one, following a red flag stoppage on the second lap when Erno Kostamo crashed at the 11th Milestone.
In the Superstock class, Dunlop was riding a BMW but both races were cancelled because of adverse weather and limited opportunities within the remaining schedule after a week of disruption.
Nonetheless, it was another excellent TT for Dunlop, who has vowed he “won’t be caught like this again” when it comes to the Superbike class in 2027.
He was originally due to ride a Ducati V4R Superbike but shelved those plans, revealing that more testing and development was needed.
Speaking on Friday, when Dunlop won the Supersport and Sportbike races for a double on the day, he said: “It’s been good, the career’s been good around here anyway and it’s been fantastic.
“I can’t say more to the boys, the bike [Ducati V2 Supersport] was phenomenal today again.
“I just settled off again and I knew Dean [Harrison] would come out of the blocks, but the wee bike’s been mint and thanks to everybody who keeps the whole team going.
“It’s good and I feel good. When the bike’s good I know I can win, and when we’re sitting right and I’m right, I know what I’m capable of.”
Dunlop was equally dominant on the Paton and was quick to praise the Italian factory for their longstanding support.
“They build me a great motorbike every time and I get to ride it,” he said.
“I just bed into it and saw the gap building and building, and the main thing was to get the bike home for the Paton boys.
“The bike’s been good to me and so have the lads, the mechanics, so I’m real excited about that.
“I felt like I could have rode a lot harder and I felt like there was a lot more in me, but I calmed the jets on the last lap and obviously the bike’s singing along nicely.”