Michael Dunlop cemented his status as the undisputed king of the Supersport class at the Isle of Man TT on Wednesday afternoon, storming to his eighth consecutive win in the category and adding yet another milestone to his already legendary career.
Riding the Milwaukee/MD Racing Ducati, Dunlop delivered a masterclass in pace and control, finishing a commanding 26.181 seconds ahead of Dean Harrison on the Honda Racing machine. The result marks Dunlop’s 32nd TT win overall and his 49th time on the TT podium, stretching his all-time lead in both categories. Davey Todd, competing under the myCOOLMAN by Padgett’s Motorcycles Honda banner, rounded out the podium in third.
Blustery Conditions, Fierce Competition
Under clear skies but with gusty winds swirling across the Mountain Course, the race began promptly at 1 p.m., flagged off by none other than cycling legend Sir Mark Cavendish. Dunlop wasted no time asserting himself, clocking the fastest time to Glen Helen, though just by the slimmest of margins — 0.2 seconds ahead of Harrison. Todd was right in the mix too, just a tenth of a second behind in third, while James Hillier (Bournemouth Kawasaki) was nipping at their heels, a mere 0.048 seconds further back in fourth.
James Hind (North Lincs Components Suzuki) and Michael Evans (Smith Racing Triumph), both of whom impressed in the first Supersport race, held steady in fifth and sixth respectively, positioning themselves well early on.
Dunlop Begins to Pull Away
By the time the riders hit Ballaugh, Dunlop had edged out a 1.9-second lead, while Todd slipped past Harrison into second. But the battle for podium spots was razor-thin — only half a second separated second through fourth. Hind and Evans remained consistent in fifth and sixth.
Approaching Ramsey Hairpin, Dunlop stretched his advantage further to 2.8 seconds. Harrison, however, regained second place, a mere 0.01 seconds ahead of Todd, who had overtaken Josh Brookes (Jackson Racing Honda powered by Prosper2) on the road. Hillier was still in contention, only three-tenths of a second behind the pair. Brookes had also made notable gains, climbing from tenth at Glen Helen to sixth by this point.
Harrison continued to push forward, overtaking his teammate Paul Jordan at Hillberry to become the leading rider on the road. At the end of lap one, Harrison recorded a strong 127.560mph, only 1.9 seconds shy of Dunlop’s 127.790mph. Hillier reclaimed third with a 127.038mph lap, ahead of Todd by just 0.27 seconds. Hind (125.352mph) and Brookes (125.291mph) stayed close in fifth and sixth.
Rounding out the top ten after lap one were Jordan, Dominic Herbertson (HRRC/Gilbert Brown & Son Ltd Ducati), Mike Browne (Boyce Precision Yamaha), and Evans.
Mid-Race Developments Shake the Order
At Glen Helen on lap two, Dunlop had more than doubled his advantage, now leading Harrison by 4.8 seconds. Hillier trailed in third, 6.1 seconds off the leader, still locked in a tense back-and-forth with Todd. Hind stayed consistent in fifth, while Brookes and Jordan jostled for sixth.
Drama struck soon after when Hillier retired at Sarah’s Cottage, promoting Todd to third and Jordan into fourth. Dunlop, unfazed, continued to push hard and extended his lead to 10.3 seconds at Ramsey Hairpin.
Then came a blistering second lap from the Ballymoney rider — a 129.297mph average, the fastest of the race — giving him a commanding 15.9-second cushion over Harrison as the field entered the pits for their single mandatory stop. Todd, meanwhile, clocked a 127.222mph to stay in third, 7.7 seconds behind Harrison. Jordan (126.358), Hind (125.797), and Brookes (125.719) followed closely, with Herbertson, Browne, Evans, and Ian Hutchinson(moobob/UGP/MLav Racing Yamaha) rounding out the top ten.
Closing Laps: Dunlop Unstoppable
Dunlop’s relentless pace showed no signs of easing. On lap three, he steadily increased his lead sector by sector. As the riders began the fourth and final lap, he led Harrison by 21.5 seconds, and with clear sight of his rival ahead, the result seemed all but sealed. Todd remained comfortable in third, some 13 seconds back from Harrison, while Jordan was holding fourth, 3.3 seconds ahead of Hind.
Barring any technical issues, Dunlop was well on his way to another commanding victory — and none materialized. A final lap of 127.771mph locked in win number 32 for the Northern Irishman. Harrison closed out his race with a 127.221mph effort to secure second — his fourth podium in four races so far at TT 2025 — while Todd joined them on the rostrum again after posting 126.953mph.
Final Standings and Takeaways
Battles continued to unfold behind the podium places. Jordan secured an impressive fourth — his best-ever finish in a Supersport TT — with Hind just three seconds adrift in fifth. Brookes claimed sixth, followed by Herbertson, Browne, Hutchinson, and Evans to complete the top ten.
For Dunlop, this latest triumph not only underlines his dominance in the Supersport class but also keeps the momentum rolling in what’s already a historic TT week. With more races still to come, few would bet against him extending that record even further.
Photos: Isle of Man TT Races
