TT 2024: Michael Dunlop going for history in opening Supersport race

The Ballymoney man topped the practice leaderboard on his MD Racing Yamaha after switching from the Triumph 765 that he rode in the opening qualifying on Monday.

Dunlop has won the last four Supersport TT races and last year made history with the first 130mph lap on a 600cc machine, establishing a new lap record for the class at 130.403mph.

The 35-year-old raised the bar on Friday with a speed of 127.649mph which put him 3.675s ahead of Yorkshire’s Jamie Coward, who went close to his personal best Supersport lap with a speed of 127.21mph on the KTS Racing/Stanley Stewart Triumph.

Dunlop is refusing to look too far ahead as the anticipation around his potential to make history at the 2024 TT continues to build.

“We’re getting there and we’ll keep on going the way we are and see what happens,” Dunlop said.

“We’ll just keep plugging away. People talk about how good it was at TT 2023 with the weather but you have to realise you don’t get that every year.

“I feel like I should have done more riding before I got here but that’s my own fault.”

Dunlop’s chief opposition includes Peter Hickman, who also lapped at over 130mph last year as he finished as the runner-up behind the Northern Ireland rider.

Davey Todd will also be targeting the podium on the Powertoolmate Ducati after lapping at 127mph last night, while Honda’s Dean Harrison and Coward are also top contenders.

Hickman – the 136mph lap record holder – put down a marker with the fastest lap of qualifying week so far at 134.638mph on the Monster Energy by FHO Racing BMW Superstock machine.

Saltburn man Todd threw his hat into the ring ahead of Sunday’s RST Superbike race as he set his fastest ever TT lap at 133.942mph from a standing start during the afternoon session.

Hickman was only seven tenths slower with a lap of 133.851mph, also from a standing start, with Dunlop clocking 132.728mph for the third fastest time.

The 25-time winner, who claimed the spoils in the Superbike race last June, rode both the 2023 and 2024-spec Hawk Honda Superbike machines, setting his best lap on the ’24 model in the afternoon.