History was made at the Isle of Man TT Races as Michael Dunlop won the Metzeler Supertwin TT Race 1 for a record-breaking 27th victory to become the most successful rider in TT history, breaking the 24-year old record of 26 TT wins held by his uncle Joey.
Dunlop led from start to finish to win by 20.4 seconds from Peter Hickman (Swan Racing Yamaha), in a race-record time of 56 minutes 15.993 seconds, with Dominic Herbertson (Burrows Engineering/RK Racing Paton) claiming a maiden TT podium in third.
Getting underway at 11.45am, Dunlop was quickest to Glen Helen on the opening lap, his advantage over Herbertson already 3.2 seconds with Rob Hodson (SMT Racing Paton) only two tenths of a second further back in third. They were followed by Jamie Coward (KTS Racing powered by Steadplan Kawasaki). Hickman and Mike Browne (Scott Racing Aprilia).
Dunlop doubled his lead on the run to Ballaugh and, having started sixth, was already third on the road, and by Ramsey, the Northern Irishman had extended the gap to Herbertson to nine seconds he rounded Ramsey Hairpin for the first time. Hickman had moved up to third, only half a second behind Herbertson, with Coward, Hodson and Browne still very much in touch with the podium positions.
An opening lap of 121.044mph gave Dunlop a 10.2 second advantage over new second placed rider Hickman (119.950mph), as they came in for their mandatory put stop. Herbertson (119.420mph) had fallen five seconds behind the 14-time winner with Coward (119.419mph), Browne (119.104mph) and Hodson (118.949mph) rounding out the top six. Paul Jordan, a podium finisher in 2022, retired at the pits though with team-mate Josh Brookes losing time when his Rev2Race Yamaha refused to fire.
Further back, Davey Todd (Dafabet Racing Kawasaki) was running in seventh ahead of Barry Furber (DC Autos Newtown Yamaha) and Michael Rutter (Bathams Ales Yamaha), who were separated by just a tenth of a second, and last year’s Senior Manx Grand Prix winner Joe Yeardsley (Team ILR/Frog Vehicle Developments Paton).
Dunlop added half a second to his lead round as he reached Glen Helen on the second lap but showed his prowess on the high-speed run to Ballaugh with the lead shooting up to 13 seconds and round Ramsey Hairpin for the second time, he was looking secure in the lead as he extended his lead over Hickman to 14 seconds. Hickman had now overhauled Herbertson on the road with the latter still holding onto the final podium position. Browne was only 2.5 seconds adrift though in fourth.
Heading into the third and final lap, Hickman had taken two seconds back on Dunlop, the gap between the two rivals now 12 seconds as they started the final 37.73 miles. Herbertson, in turn, was a further 14 seconds back in third and his advantage over Browne was only 5 seconds. Coward was still in the hunt for third as he was only 1.2 seconds back on Browne.
Having seen his lead reduced, Dunlop responded and by Glen Helen, he’d stretched the lead to a more commanding 17.3 seconds but whilst Herbertson was looking more secure in third, Browne was seemingly having trouble though, later confirming an oil leak, and had slipped back to fifth with Coward overhauling him. Hodson’s strong ride ended with retirement at the Bottom of Bray Hill.
Dunlop was now running on the road with Coward in his slipstream – the latter claiming the quickest ever sector time from Ballaugh to Ramsey – with Hickman and Herbertson doing likewise but the gap between first and second was continuing to increase and as Dunlop took the chequered flag, his lap of 122.434mph gave him a history-making victory over Hickman by 20.4 seconds.
The race for third saw Herbertson come out on top for his first ever TT podium, 5.4 seconds ahead of Coward as both riders lapped at more than 121mph on their final lap, Browne held on for fifth ahead of Todd, Rutter, Yeardsley, AJ Venter (TH Racing Kawasaki) Pierre-Yves Bian (VAS Engine Paton).
WORDS: Phil Wain