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Northern Irish Legend Extends Supersport Winning Streak as Harrison and Hickman Complete the Podium

Michael Dunlop further cemented his status as the most successful rider in modern Isle of Man TT history by claiming a commanding victory in Tuesday’s Monster Energy Supersport TT Race 1.

The Scars Racing Ducati rider delivered another masterclass around the Mountain Course, overturning an early deficit to race leader Dean Harrison before steadily pulling away to secure victory by an impressive 24.47 seconds.

The win marked Dunlop’s 34th TT triumph and his ninth consecutive Supersport victory, while also adding a remarkable 53rd TT podium finish to his already legendary career.

Dean Harrison secured second place for Honda Racing after leading the opening stages, while Peter Hickman fought back from pit-stop issues to claim the final podium position aboard the Swan Triumph by PHR Performance machine.

Delayed Start After Weather Disruption

Organisers Forced to Shorten Race Following Overnight Rain

Tuesday’s race schedule faced significant disruption after heavy rain and poor weather conditions affected the Isle of Man on Monday and continued overnight.

Race organisers delayed the start by four hours to allow road surfaces around the 37.73-mile Mountain Course to dry sufficiently.

As a result, the originally scheduled four-lap contest was reduced to three laps, with racing finally getting underway at 3:00pm.

Although conditions had improved considerably by race time, riders still had to contend with damp patches at several traditional trouble spots around the course, including Glen Helen, Glentramman, Ramsey Hairpin and the Waterworks section.

The changing conditions added another layer of complexity to a race already expected to produce a fierce battle between the leading Supersport contenders.

Harrison Takes Early Control

Honda Rider Leads Through Opening Sectors

When the race got underway, Mike Browne made the fastest launch from the line aboard his Boyce Precision Engineering by Russell Racing Yamaha and initially led the field away.

However, it quickly became apparent that Dean Harrison and Michael Dunlop would once again be the riders to beat.

By the time the field reached Glen Helen on the opening lap, Harrison had moved into the lead and established a 1.6-second advantage over Dunlop.

Browne remained in third position but was already more than four seconds behind the leading duo.

Paul Jordan slotted into fourth place and was keeping Browne firmly in his sights, while Peter Hickman and Dominic Herbertson completed the early top six.

One notable surprise was Josh Brookes, who had shown impressive pace throughout qualifying but found himself outside the top ten during the opening stages.

Dunlop Begins the Fightback

Ducati Star Gradually Closes the Gap

Harrison continued to set a strong pace through Ballaugh and appeared comfortable at the front, increasing his advantage to just over two seconds.

Yet Dunlop remained calm and methodical.

As the riders approached Ramsey for the first time, the Ducati rider began making significant inroads into Harrison’s lead.

The gap was cut to just over one second, demonstrating Dunlop’s confidence through the latter half of the Mountain Course.

Behind the leading pair, Paul Jordan moved into third position after overtaking Browne, helped in part by benefiting from Harrison’s slipstream through some of the faster sections.

The race was beginning to settle into its rhythm, but the battle for victory remained finely balanced.

Pit Stop Drama Changes the Race

Dunlop Edges Ahead After First Lap

The mandatory pit stop at the end of the opening lap proved pivotal.

Although Harrison had led for most of the lap, Dunlop’s superior pace over the final sectors allowed him to arrive at pit lane almost level with his rival.

A first-lap speed of 126.602mph was enough to put Dunlop ahead by a tiny margin of just 0.127 seconds.

It was the first time all race that the Ducati rider had officially led.

Jordan remained comfortably in third place, while Hickman sat fourth after a solid opening lap.

Further back, the race was already being impacted by penalties.

Mike Browne received a costly 30-second penalty for exceeding the pit lane speed limit, dramatically affecting his podium hopes.

Local favourite Conor Cummins was also penalised for the same offence.

Dunlop Takes Command

Race Leader Builds Advantage Through Every Sector

Once in front, Dunlop wasted little time asserting control.

At Glen Helen on Lap Two, his advantage had grown to more than two seconds.

By Ballaugh, the lead had almost doubled, and through Ramsey the Ducati rider was extending his advantage with every timing sector.

The gap grew to over seven seconds by the time the riders began their second ascent of Snaefell Mountain.

While Harrison remained firmly in second place, he was unable to match Dunlop’s relentless pace.

Meanwhile, Peter Hickman encountered frustration during his pit stop when a problem with his fuel filler cap cost valuable seconds.

Despite the setback, the experienced TT star launched an impressive recovery ride and quickly began reducing the gap to third-placed Paul Jordan.

Hickman Charges Onto the Podium

Triumph Rider Recovers From Pit Stop Problems

The battle for the final podium position became one of the race’s major talking points.

Jordan had ridden strongly throughout and looked on course for another impressive TT podium finish.

However, Hickman’s pace over the closing stages was exceptional.

The Triumph rider steadily chipped away at the gap before finally moving ahead during the final lap.

By the final timing sectors, Hickman had firmly established himself in third place and ensured another podium finish for Triumph.

Jordan nevertheless produced one of his finest TT performances to finish fourth, matching the result he achieved in the second Supersport race twelve months earlier.

Fastest Lap Seals Another Dunlop Masterclass

Victory Margin Exceeds 24 Seconds

As the final lap unfolded, Dunlop looked completely at ease.

His confidence around the Mountain Course was evident as he pushed even harder despite already holding a comfortable lead.

The reward was the fastest lap of the race at 127.672mph, underlining the dominance of his performance.

Crossing the finish line with a margin of 24.47 seconds, Dunlop once again demonstrated why he remains the benchmark in Supersport competition at the Isle of Man TT.

Harrison secured second place after a strong ride that simply lacked the final pace required to challenge the eventual winner.

Hickman’s recovery completed the podium.

Strong Performances Throughout the Field

Brookes, Coward and Hutchinson Impress

Behind the podium finishers, Josh Brookes recovered from a difficult start to claim fifth place.

The Australian showed impressive race pace throughout the latter stages and eventually overhauled Dominic Herbertson, who finished sixth.

Jamie Coward delivered another consistent performance in seventh, continuing his reputation as one of the Mountain Course’s most reliable performers.

Shaun Anderson, Ian Hutchinson and Mike Browne completed the top ten, with Browne left wondering what might have been without his pit-lane penalty.

Further down the order, several riders recorded notable results.

David Johnson finished 11th, while Conor Cummins recovered from his own penalty to secure 12th.

Mitch Rees, Joe Yeardsley, Michael Russell and Jamie Cringle all enjoyed productive outings, while French rider Pierre-Yves Bian continued his impressive development around the Mountain Course by recording a personal best lap of 121.927mph on his way to 20th position.

Dunlop’s Supersport Dominance Continues

TT Legend Moves Ever Further Into Record Books

With nine consecutive Supersport victories and 34 overall TT wins, Michael Dunlop continues to rewrite the Isle of Man TT record books.

His latest triumph not only strengthens his reputation as one of the greatest road racers of all time but also places him firmly on course for further success during the remainder of TT 2026.

For Harrison and Hickman, there were positives to take from strong podium finishes, but on Tuesday afternoon there was simply no answer to Dunlop’s speed, consistency and experience.

As the TT festival continues, the rest of the field faces the same challenge they have encountered so many times before — finding a way to stop Michael Dunlop.