Honda Racing Star Sets Historic Pace Around the Mountain Course

The 2026 Isle of Man TT Races burst into life on Tuesday evening as qualifying officially began in spectacular fashion around the famous Mountain Course. Under clear skies and near-perfect conditions, riders immediately wasted no time showing their speed, with Dean Harrison delivering a stunning performance that rewrote the record books.

The Honda Racing UK rider clocked an incredible lap of 133.925mph during the Superbike qualifying session — the fastest lap ever recorded in an opening qualifying session at the Isle of Man TT.

With warm temperatures, dry roads and very little wind across the 37.73-mile circuit, conditions were ideal for fast laps, and the riders responded with some of the quickest early-week speeds ever seen at the event.

Harrison Leads from the Front

Fastest Opening Session in TT History

Following a short 20-minute delay to the evening schedule, Dean Harrison was first away from the Grandstand at 6:50pm aboard his Honda Racing UK Superbike.

Behind him on the road came a packed field of major contenders including Nathan Harrison, David Johnson, Michael Dunlop, Jamie Coward and Josh Brookes, all eager to lay down an early marker ahead of race week.

Even with the low evening sun causing visibility problems on sections of the opening run towards Ballacraine, Harrison immediately looked comfortable and aggressive on the Fireblade. Timing sectors quickly suggested he was on course for something special.

His opening official lap of 133.222mph immediately set the pace for the rest of the field and became the first timed lap of the 2026 TT fortnight.

Michael Dunlop slotted into second with a speed of 130.341mph, while Josh Brookes and Nathan Harrison also broke through the coveted 130mph barrier during the opening laps.

The pace demonstrated just how rapidly modern TT machinery and rider confidence continue to evolve around the iconic road course.

Dean Harrison Improves Again with Stunning 133.925mph Lap

Ballaugh Rider Sends Warning to TT Rivals

Not content with already topping the leaderboard, Harrison pushed even harder on his second lap and delivered the standout performance of the evening.

His 133.925mph lap officially became the quickest ever recorded during an opening qualifying session at the Isle of Man TT, underlining both his growing confidence with Honda Racing UK and the outright pace of the Fireblade package.

The lap also reinforced Harrison’s status as one of the favourites heading into the Superbike and Senior TT races later in the week.

After completing the lap, Harrison returned to pit lane to switch onto his Superstock machine before heading back out just ahead of the session ending.

Speaking afterwards, Harrison remained positive but admitted there was still work to do despite the record pace.

“The two laps on the Superbike felt good,” he explained. “133’s aren’t too bad at this stage of the week but we’ve some changes to make ahead of tomorrow.”

The calm assessment suggested the Honda rider believes there is even more speed still to come as qualifying progresses.

Dunlop Continues Strong Start Despite Setup Adjustments

TT Legend Fine-Tuning Honda Fireblade

While Harrison grabbed the headlines, Michael Dunlop quietly enjoyed another highly competitive evening.

The 33-time TT winner returned to the pits after his first lap, clearly unhappy with elements of the bike setup and gesturing to his team that front-end adjustments were needed on the Hawk Racing Honda Fireblade.

After changes were made, Dunlop returned to the course and once again demonstrated why he remains one of the most dangerous riders around the Mountain Course.

His pace in both Superbike and Supersport trim confirmed he will once again be a major contender across multiple classes at TT 2026.

Josh Brookes also impressed during the opening Superstock running. Riding for DAO Racing Honda, the Australian topped the early Superstock leaderboard before switching machinery later in the evening.

Peter Hickman likewise returned to the pits after his opening laps to swap from his Superstock BMW onto his Superbike package as teams continued evaluating setup combinations during the first serious qualifying outing.

Supersport Session Dominated by Michael Dunlop

Ducati Rider Immediately Hits Record Pace

At 7:30pm, attention turned to the Supersport and Sportbike classes.

Several leading riders entered the session later than planned following their Superbike runs, including Harrison, Hickman and Dunlop.

Dean Harrison’s evening then suffered a setback after his Honda CBR600RR-R encountered a pit limiter issue, forcing him back into pit lane shortly after leaving.

Early pace in the Supersport class came from Ian Hutchinson, Paul Jordan and Nathan Harrison, all posting strong opening laps in the 123mph range.

However, it did not take long for Dunlop to move to the top of the leaderboard.

Riding the Scars Racing Ducati, Dunlop produced a superb lap of 125.955mph before improving further on his second lap to 126.922mph.

Those speeds immediately established him as the clear benchmark in the class and reinforced expectations that he will once again be the rider to beat in Supersport competition.

Peter Hickman also looked competitive on the Swan Triumph by PHR Performance, slotting into second place behind Dunlop during the session.

Fierce Battle Develops in Sportbike Category

Jordan Ends Session on Top After Late Charge

The Sportbike category also produced an entertaining contest as riders adapted to the highly competitive lightweight machines around the demanding Mountain Course.

Mike Browne initially led the way aboard the Melbray/Laycock Racing Paton with a lap of 119.097mph.

Jamie Coward remained extremely close behind on the Milenco by Padgetts Paton, while Italian rider Andrea Majola impressed many observers with his speed and confidence around the circuit.

Coward improved to 119.199mph on his second lap, but it was Paul Jordan who ultimately ended the evening quickest overall in the class after producing a 120.208mph lap on his Aprilia.

Michael Evans secured fourth place while Majola continued to improve during the session, highlighting the increasingly international strength of the Sportbike field.

Earlier in the evening, paddock discussions also focused on Russell Racing’s decision to abandon plans to run Yamaha’s new-generation R9 machine in the Supersport class, opting instead to continue with the proven R6 package.

The move highlighted the importance of reliability and familiarity around the unique demands of the Isle of Man TT.

Sidecar Session Ends Early After Red Flag Incident

Crowes Continue Strong Form Before Brandish Crash

The Sidecar session closed the evening’s action and also provided the first major indication of how the new technical regulations and restrictor plates may affect performance in 2026.

Despite concerns about reduced speeds, Ryan and Callum Crowe immediately proved they remained the benchmark pairing around the Mountain Course.

The reigning lap record holders posted a superb opening lap of 118.224mph from a standing start, comfortably ahead of Peter Founds and Jevan Walmsley, as well as Ben Birchall and Mark Wilkes.

The advantage held by the Crowe brothers after only one lap was enormous, with nearly 50 seconds separating them from second place on corrected time.

However, the session was ultimately brought to a premature end after a red flag incident involving Maria Costello MBE and passenger Shaun Parker at Brandish during their second lap.

Officials confirmed that Costello was conscious and talking following the accident but sustained reported head injuries. She was transferred to Noble’s Hospital by Airmed for further assessment.

Passenger Shaun Parker was also reported conscious and talking after suffering reported arm and leg injuries before being transported to hospital by ambulance.

TT 2026 Already Delivering High Speeds and Major Storylines

The opening qualifying evening of TT 2026 delivered exactly what fans had hoped for — record-breaking speed, fierce competition and major early storylines across every class.

Dean Harrison’s historic lap immediately established Honda Racing UK as a serious force for race week, while Michael Dunlop once again demonstrated his unmatched versatility across multiple categories.

With weather conditions expected to remain favourable and teams still refining setups, the pace around the Mountain Course could increase even further as qualifying continues.

After only one full evening of timed action, TT 2026 is already shaping up to be one of the fastest and most competitive editions in the event’s history.

Photos: Isle of Man TT Races, Maria Costello MBE