Winning major road races 'getting harder' says record-breaking Isle of Man TT star Michael Dunlop who has 'always been the underdog'

The Ulsterman made history last year at the Isle of Man TT, overtaking his uncle Joey’s 24-year-old record of 26 wins to move onto 29 victories following a second successive four-timer.

Dunlop finished ninth on his second appearance in the Daytona 200 in the United States on Saturday on the Milwaukee/MD Racing Ducati Panigale V2 as part of his preparations for the new road racing season.

He will also compete in the Le Mans 24 Hours Endurance World Championship race in April on a BMW M1000RR for Team LPR Poland.

The perennial TT winner set his fastest ever lap around the Mountain Course in 2024 at 135.970mph on the Hawk Racing Honda and remains at the peak of his powers, but Dunlop admits he has been forced to up his game in recent years.

“I don’t know, the job is getting harder obviously because a lot of people riding short circuits are riding the roads now,” he said.

“It’s a lot harder for somebody like me because when you’re riding a bike day in, day out, it’s easy, but when you’re somebody who only rides maybe North West, TT and the odd bit here and there, you’re relying on a lot of raw talent to be quick straightaway.

“Those boys are quick because they’re doing domestic championships and fast at that, so yeah I knuckled down.

“A couple of years ago people said I didn't have Superbike race wins in me anymore so I knuckled down again,” added Dunlop, speaking at the recent MCN London Motorcycle Show.

“I’ve always been the underdog, always have been, but I’ve known in my ability there’s a fine line of being cocky and confident and it’s nice having a little bit of both because you become a cocky confident person, and that’s something that I’ve always knew, that I’ve the ability to ride motorbikes.”

Dunlop looks poised to begin the season on the Ducati Panigale V2 on the roads.

He has been a regular at the Cookstown 100 in Co Tyrone recent seasons but missed race day last year following a crash in the opening Supersport race on his MD Racing Triumph 765.

The 35-year-old earlier won the first Superbike race at the national road race, which takes place this year from April 25-26.

Should he skip the event, then his first road race of the year will be the North West 200 from May 7-10.

Dunlop’s stable of machinery has not been officially confirmed but he has been linked with a return to BMW power after riding the Honda Fireblade in the 1000cc classes for the past two years.

After riding the Triumph at Cookstown and the NW200 last year, where he finished on the podium in third place in both races on the north coast, Dunlop continued with the British machine in practice at the TT but reverted to his tried and trusted Yamaha R6, winning both races to extend his winning streak to six in the Supersport category on the island.