Michael Dunlop masters delayed Supersport TT to extend Isle of Man record chase
A delayed start and shortened race did little to disrupt Michael Dunlop’s command of the Mountain Course as the Ducati rider added another Isle of Man TT success to a career that continues to redefine the event’s record books
Doug Mathews
June 2, 2026 Mountain Circuit, Isle of Man
With a record 36 wins and 55 podiums at the Isle of Man TT, Michael Dunlop, 37, knows every nook, cranny and kerb of the TT Mountain Circuit – as he proves here during a typically blistering run in the Supersport TT Race 1. Dunlop was out front riding a Ducati Panigale V2, finishing in 53min 45.857sec (126.318mph), beating Honda Racing’s Dean Harrison – the early leader – on a CBR600RR by 24.47sec. Due to poor weather the race’s start was delayed by four hours. Riders eventually began tackling the first 37.73-mile lap at 3pm, with the race length reduced from four laps to three. By the start of the third lap Dunlop led Harrison by 12.5sec and would soon take his fastest lap at 127.672mph. Peter Hickman on a Triumph Street Triple 765 RS completed the podium. Dunlop’s first TT win came in 2009 in the Supersport TT Race 2. This was the Bull of the Mountain’s 34th win, with his 35th and 36th victories also arriving in the 2026 edition. “The sport’s been good round here,” Dunlop commented. “It’s fantastic.”