Perfect conditions once again greeted competitors at the Isle of Man for the fourth qualifying session of this year’s Classic TT Races, and it was Nathan Harrison who stamped his authority on proceedings. Riding the Greenall Racing Kawasaki in the Formula 1 Classic category, Harrison clocked a blistering lap of 126.611mph, the fastest of the day and one that confirmed his status as the rider to beat heading into race week.
While Harrison topped the overall leaderboard, it was Mike Browne who caught many eyes in the Historic Senior class. On the Peter Lodge Racing Norton, the Irishman produced a stunning lap at 112.984mph, less than four seconds off John McGuinness’s long-standing class lap record. His performance not only underlined his speed but also firmly established him as a pre-race favorite in the historic category.
Meanwhile, in the Lightweight class, Michael Dunlop once again demonstrated his pedigree by topping the charts. But the biggest headlines came from further down the order, as Craig Neve delivered a sensational ride. His lap of 111.673mph aboard the 400cc Callmac Scaffolding Kawasaki was the fourth fastest ever recorded by a 400cc machine around the legendary Mountain Course — a landmark achievement that puts him in elite company.
Formula 1 Classic: Harrison Leads from the Front
As in earlier sessions, Harrison was the first man down Bray Hill in the opening Formula 1 Classic outing, followed by Rob Hodson on the SMT by Key Racing Ducati and Michael Dunlop on the WizNorton Racing machine. Harrison immediately set the pace to Glen Helen, while Hodson’s run was cut short as he retired at the first checkpoint.
Behind them, the field included Ian Hutchinson, Neve, Jamie Coward, Brian McCormack, and Michael Evans, all setting competitive early laps. The 250cc contingent also joined the fray, with Rhys Hardisty the first of the smaller machines to complete another lap of the Mountain Course, joined by Browne and Adam McLean on their Yamaha twins.
Harrison’s opening flyer of 126.611mph was not only the quickest standing start lap of the week so far but also underlined his consistency across all sessions. However, history was being made just behind him. Dunlop set a lap of 123.505mph — the fastest ever recorded by a 588cc Norton rotary machine around the Mountain Course. Though unofficial, the lap represents a major milestone for the iconic Norton project.
Coward (125.879mph), Dominic Herbertson (124.943mph), and Hutchinson (124.762mph) all showed strong form, while McCormack (122.794mph) and Neve (121.561mph) remained inside the top ten. Joe Yeardsley, Paul Williams, and Joey Thompson also impressed, with laps in the high-118mph bracket.
On their second laps, Herbertson (124.735mph) and Hutchinson (124.722mph) posted almost identical times, demonstrating remarkable consistency. Further down the order, Yeardsley improved to 120.150mph, Williams to 119.125mph, and Thompson to 118.952mph, with French rider Amalric Blanc also stepping up to 118.318mph.
Lightweight Class Drama
In the Lightweight division, McLean led early on with a lap of 112.324mph, just ahead of veteran Dan Sayle (111.100mph) and the leading 400cc machine of Paul Cassidy (108.753mph). Browne’s luckless week continued as he failed to complete his first lap.
Cassidy later improved to 109.362mph, but it was Dunlop who stole the show once again. A lap of 116.309mph, narrowly shy of his best time from the previous day, saw him reassert his dominance at the top of the class. To underline his speed, Dunlop’s lap was over 41 seconds quicker than McLean’s best effort.
The 250cc machines also returned to action in the later session. Stuart Hall put in an impressive performance with a lap of 114.890mph, good enough for second place behind Dunlop. Michael Sweeney followed in third on 112.800mph, while McLean slipped to fourth after his earlier effort.
But the big talking point remained Craig Neve’s heroics. His 111.673mph lap not only placed him fifth fastest overall but also made him the first 400cc rider this week to break the 110mph barrier. Only three riders in history — Jim Moodie, Brian Reid, and John McGuinness — have ever gone faster on a 400 around the Mountain Course. Moodie’s record of 112.40mph, set back in 1993, still stands, but Neve’s pace marks him out as one to watch.
Historic Senior: Browne vs McGuinness
The Historic Senior class produced another highlight as Browne continued to raise eyebrows. His two consecutive laps over 111mph culminated in a 112.984mph effort — the fastest of the week and tantalizingly close to McGuinness’s lap record of 113.342mph.
McGuinness himself was second quickest with 112.248mph, showing he remains a major force. Behind the pair, McLean (109.767mph), Shaun Anderson (109.699mph), Ian Lougher (108.719mph), and Paul Jordan (103.742mph) completed the leading group.
Jordan also enjoyed success in the Historic Junior class, where he set the pace with a lap of 102.962mph on the Davies Motorsport Honda. That effort put him ahead of fellow Honda riders Michael Evans (101.619mph), McLean (99.364mph), Maurizio Bottalico (98.846mph), Dan Sayle (98.101mph), and Will Loder (97.862mph).
Summary
The fourth qualifying session at the Classic TT was packed with standout performances and historic milestones. Harrison confirmed his front-running credentials with a blistering F1 Classic lap, Dunlop pushed the limits of the Norton rotary, and Craig Neve etched his name into the record books with one of the fastest 400cc laps ever seen. Meanwhile, Mike Browne’s speed in the Historic Senior class puts him right in the mix for a shot at glory, setting up a mouth-watering week of racing to come.
Photos: Isle of Man TT Races
