Michael Dunlop Makes Major Machinery Switch for 2025 Isle of Man TT
It’s a season of significant change for Michael Dunlop as he prepares to tackle the 2025 Isle of Man TT Races. The 29-time TT winner is set to race both BMW and Ducati machinery in a bold shake-up of his race programme.
Return to BMW Power for Superbike and Senior TT Races
Dunlop will reunite with Hawk Racing for this year’s RST Superbike and Milwaukee Senior TT races, piloting the latest Superbike-spec BMW M1000RR. It marks a return to BMW power for the Ballymoney rider, who has experienced some of his most memorable TT successes aboard the German marque.
Though he last rode a BMW at the TT in 2019 — the Tyco BMW — it was in 2018 that he claimed his most recent Superbike TT victory on the same machine. His history with BMW stretches back even further, notably to 2014 when he won both the Superbike and Senior TT races riding for Hawk Racing with full factory support. That historic double also delivered BMW’s first Senior TT win since 1939, when George Meier triumphed on a 500cc supercharged machine at close to 140mph.
Further glory followed in 2016 when Dunlop and Hawk Racing once again swept both big-bike races. In the process, he became the first rider to break the 17-minute barrier around the Mountain Course and pushed the outright lap record to an astonishing 133.962mph in the Senior TT.
Hawk Racing Reunited With BMW Machinery
After recent success using Honda engines, the Hawk Racing team and Dunlop are now making a strategic switch back to BMW. It brings them in line with key rivals such as Peter Hickman and Davey Todd, who are also riding the latest M1000RR in 2025.
They’re not alone in making the move. Other leading names including Jamie Coward, Conor Cummins, Mike Browne, and Ian Hutchinson are also confirmed to be racing BMW machinery this year, making it the most popular Superbike brand on the grid.
For the Superstock races, Dunlop will field his own MD Racing BMW, continuing a long-standing tradition of running a self-supported effort in the production-based class.
Ducati for Supersport as Dunlop Abandons the R6
While he’s sticking with BMW for the big-bike categories, Dunlop is making a surprising move in Supersport. After years of dominance on the Yamaha YZF-R6, he’s made the decision to switch to one of the new-generation MILWAUKEE® Ducati V2 Panigales.
The Panigale V2, which has shown strong potential in early testing and competition, is part of a growing trend in the Supersport class. With larger-capacity machines like the Triumph 765, Suzuki 750, and Ducati 955 now eligible, Dunlop’s move is as much about competitiveness as it is curiosity.
The Ducati has already proven itself in high-profile races, most notably at the Daytona 200 in March, where Dunlop placed ninth after extensive testing overseas. That performance has only strengthened his confidence in the bike’s potential around the TT’s 37.73-mile Mountain Course.
Dunlop Reunites With Milwaukee for New Challenge
On his partnership with Milwaukee, Dunlop was upbeat and enthusiastic:
“I’m delighted to be involved with MILWAUKEE® again. It’s been a long time, but something I am very excited about and looking forward to a strong season on board the MILWAUKEE® Ducati V2. They have given me a great opportunity to have a strong season and it’s a new challenge I’m eagerly awaiting.”
The collaboration puts Dunlop on the same machinery that Davey Todd raced to two Supersport podiums at last year’s TT. Todd’s fastest lap of 128.785mph remains the quickest ever by a Ducati around the course — a benchmark Dunlop will no doubt aim to surpass if he hopes to claim another win in a class where he already holds the record for most victories at 13.
With big changes in both his machinery and team structure, Michael Dunlop’s 2025 TT campaign is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing of his career. Whether he can add to his already remarkable win tally remains to be seen, but few would bet against him. The Mountain Course is where he thrives, and with BMW and Ducati behind him, all eyes will be on #6 come race week.
Official TT Press Release
