Michael Dunlop equals Mike Hailwood’s record of 14 wins with victory in opening Supersport TT on Yamaha YZF-R6
James Hiller second on Kawasaki ZX-6R while Peter Hickman rounded out the podium on Triumph 675
Josh Brookes 11th on Jackson Racing Honda CBR600RR
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IOMTT 2017 Supersport Race One Video Press Conference
Michael Dunlop took his 14th Isle of Man TT victory this afternoon (Monday) to equal Mike Hailwood’s 14 wins when he won the 4-lap Monster Energy Supersport race by 13.2 seconds from James Hillier.
The Northern Ireland rider overhauled Hillier half way round the first lap but it was only on the final lap that he pulled clear as he took his first 600cc win since 2014. Peter Hickman took third for his second TT podium in as many days and set the fastest lap of the race on the final lap at 126.848mph.
Overnight conditions led to a delay of just over two hours 15 minutes but the race finally got underway shortly after 1pm with riders warned of damp patches at Ramsey Hairpin, the Nook and Governor’s Dip. And, as in Sunday’s RST Superbike race, Hillier on the JG Speedfit Kawasaki was again quickest on the first nine mile run to Glen Helen.
His advantage over William Dunlop (Caffrey International Yamaha) was only 0.4s with Michael Dunlop (MD Racing Yamaha) just 0.01s behind his brother. Gary Johnson, Dean Harrison and Peter Hickman completed the top six with Sunday’s Superbike TT (Link) winner Ian Hutchinson back in seventh.
By Ramsey Hairpin, Dunlop had taken over the lead but it was still extremely tight – his advantage over Hillier just 0.09s. William Dunlop was a further 1.5s back in third as Johnson, Harrison and Hickman held onto their top six positions.
Hillier had re-taken the lead by the time the riders swept through the Bungalow and an opening lap of 124.743mph gave him a slender 0.397s lead over Michael Dunlop as Harrison moved up to third. William Dunlop dropped back to fourth with Johnson in fifth and Hutchinson moving up to sixth as 9.6s covered the top six.
However, by Glen Helen on lap two, Dunlop was 1.8s clear of Hillier with William Dunlop now up to third after Harrison retired at Ballacraine with a broken gear lever. That promoted Johnson up to fourth, Hutchinson fifth and Hickman sixth.
Through Ramsey second time around and Dunlop had eked out his advantage to 3.2s with brother William still in third but now 10s behind Hillier. Hickman (Trooper Beer Triumph) had overhauled Hutchinson for fourth while Johnson was only 0.1s behind the McAMS Yamaha rider in sixth.
At half race distance, and coming into the pits for fuel, Dunlop’s lead was down to 2.4s with a second lap speed of 126.015mph and it now looked a two-horse race between him and Hillier with William Dunlop now a further 15.8s adrift in third.
Hickman had closed to within 4.5s as Hutchinson remained in fifth. Dan Kneen was sixth coming into the pits but a 60s penalty, for going down pit lane in excess of 90kmh, dropped him way down the order.
Jamie Coward’s good run came to an end when he retired while eighth but at Glen Helen on the third lap, Hillier had reduced Dunlop’s lead to 1.8s while William Dunlop had pulled back an extra second over Hickman.
Dunlop had an excellent run from Glen Helen to Ballaugh, doubling his lead and by Ramsey, had increased it further still to 5.9s. As his lead was extending, the fight for the final podium position was intensifying and Hickman had nosed ahead of William Dunlop as they started their final lap.
The final 37.73 miles around the Mountain Course saw Dunlop finally pull clear and he eventually took the chequered flag by 13.2s. Hillier took his tenth TT podium in second with Hickman having another excellent ride and retaining third.
William Dunlop had to settle for fourth with Ian Hutchinson an unusually distant fifth after dominating the class in both 2015 and 2016 – his run of 11 successive podium finishes ending. Johnson completed the top six ahead of Bruce Anstey. Kneen fought his way back up to eighth as Conor Cummins and James Cowton rounded out the top ten.
Australian Josh Brookes was making his return to the TT for the first time since 2014, which was also the last time he rode a Supersport machine. Taking over the Honda earmarked for 23-times TT winner John McGuinness, the 33-year old got quicker as practice week wore on although the damp conditions on the opening lap hindered his progress slightly.
Brookes was fifteenth at the end of the first lap, a lap of 121.838mph on lap two moved him up to 13th and with another good pit stop by the team, he was up to 12th with one lap to go. And with a final lap of 123.099mph, he was able to overhaul Ivan Lintin and take a good 11th at the chequered flag.
The results mean that Hutchinson and Hickman are now tied at the top of the Joey Dunlop TT Championship on 36 points with Hillier only three points behind in third.
The battle for the TT Privateer’s Championship saw the honours today go to Craig Neve in 14th overall, one place ahead of local rider Andrew Dudgeon followed by Daley Mathison (16th) and Horst Saiger (17th) while newcomer Adam McLean had a great ride into 18th.
Tom Weeden was reported to have had an accident at Brandywell and was taken by airmed to Nobles Hospital where he received treatment for chest and back injuries.
Peter Hickman – P3
“The weather wasn’t great overnight and I was more cautious than normal on the first lap, but as soon as I felt comfortable with the track, I had a real good go and everything went well. I’m not a Supersport rider and only started riding one in 2015, whilst I’ve also been trying to ride it like a 1000, which doesn’t work. I was paying note to the marshals’ flags in terms of the damp patches and once I was happy with where they were I got stuck in. The Triumph was working mega and I set my fastest ever Supersport lap on the last lap so getting a podium is a habit I want to keep. I figured if I could finish in the top six I’d be happy so third is brilliant.”
Monster Energy Supersport TT Race One Results – IOMTT 2017
- Michael Dunlop Yamaha / MD Racing 01:12:48.601 124.368
- James Hillier Kawasaki / JG Speedfit Kawasaki 01:13:01.845 123.992
- Peter Hickman Triumph / Trooper Beer 01:13:14.613 123.631
- William Dunlop Yamaha / IC Racing / Caffrey International 01:13:24.040 123.367
- Ian Hutchinson Yamaha / Mcams Yamaha fuelled by Monst 01:13:50.168 122.639
- Gary Johnson Triumph / ReactiveParts/Triumph 01:14:01.201 122.334
- Bruce Anstey Honda / padgettsmotorcycles.com 01:14:27.969 121.602
- Dan Kneen Honda / JACKSON RACING HONDA 01:14:36.632 121.366
- Conor Cummins Honda / padgettsmotorcycles.com 01:14:51.743 120.958
- James Cowton Kawasaki / McAdoo Racing Kawasaki 01:15:02.076 120.680
- Joshua Brookes Honda / Jackson Racing 01:15:11.945 120.416
- Martin Jessopp Triumph / Riders Motorcycles 01:15:12.085 120.413
- Ivan Lintin Kawasaki / Dafabet Devitt RC Express Raci 01:15:13.491 120.375
- Craig Neve Kawasaki / Callmac Flexi Hydraulic Racing 01:15:39.456 119.687
- Andrew Dudgeon Suzuki / Team Slick Performance Racing 01:15:39.799 119.678
- Daley Mathison Suzuki / Hol-Taj Suzuki 01:15:52.591 119.341
- Horst Saiger Kawasaki / Metzeler 01:16:00.302 119.139
- Adam Mclean* Kawasaki / MSS Colechester Kawasaki 01:16:15.344 118.748
- Daniel Cooper Honda / Ruby Site Services Honda 01:16:17.986 118.679
- Daniel Hegarty Honda / Top Gun Racing / Christian Watson 01:16:18.208 118.674
- Dominic Herbertson Kawasaki / Herbertson Racing 01:16:32.843 118.295
- Michael Sweeney Yamaha / JWM Yamaha 01:16:36.618 118.198
- Sam West Kawasaki / PRL / Worthington 01:17:22.554 117.029
- Michal Dokoupil Yamaha / K2 Moto Racing 01:17:29.651 116.850
- Kamil Holan Yamaha / Dafit Motoracing 01:17:52.414 116.281
- Jim Hodson Yamaha / JGH Racing / Al Gibbon 01:17:55.943 116.193
- Mark Parrett Yamaha / Mark Parrett Electrical / Vixen Ra 01:17:57.065 116.165
- Julian Trummer Honda / TC Racing / DP Coldplaning 01:17:57.656 116.150
- Robert Wilson Yamaha / Stoddart Racing Oban 01:17:59.506 116.105
- Adrian Harrison Triumph / Silicone Engineering Racing 01:18:06.014 115.943
Sidecar TT Race One
Ben and Tom Birchall took a record breaking Sure Formula Two Sidecar race win on Monday afternoon at the 2017 Isle of Man TT Races with the Mansfield brothers taking their fifth TT victory and setting a new outright lap record of 117.119mph.
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Their eventual winning margin over John Holden/Lee Cain was 25.6s with Dave Molyneux/Dan Sayle holding onto third as the weather closed in on the final lap. It was the Manxman’s 30th podium in his 50th TT start.
The Birchalls made their intentions clear from the outset and opened up a 3.4s lead over Holden/Cain through Glen Helen on the opening lap with Molyneux/Sayle a further second behind in third. The Founds brothers, Alan and Pete, with Jake Lowther and Jevan Walmsley in the respective chairs, were occupying fourth and fifth as Tim Reeves/Mark Wilkes held sixth.
Throughout the lap, the Birchalls extended their advantage and an opening lap of 115.965mph gave them a 12s lead over Holden/Cain with Molyneux/Sayle holding station in third. Founds/Lowther were only 1.6s behind in fourth but Reeves/Wilkes had relegated Founds/Walmsley to sixth.
On lap two, it was clear the Birchalls were really piling on the pressure as their lead increased at each and every timing points and, sure enough, they flashed across the line at the end of the second lap with a new lap record of 117.119mph, the first ever 117mph+ lap by a sidecar.
Holden/Cain were almost 25s in arrears but over nine seconds clear of Molyneux/Sayle with the Manx pairing 7.6s ahead of Founds/Lowther.
With just one lap of the Mountain Course to go, the Birchalls were able to ride to their signals and with some drizzle falling on the Mountain, they brought the IEG Racing machine home for yet another TT victory.
Their eventual winning margin over Holden/Cain was 25.6s and although Molyneux/Sayle came under extreme pressure from Founds/Lowther, largely due to Sayle suffering damage to his ribs during the course of the race, they held on for yet another TT podium.
Reeves/Wilkes took fifth from Founds/Walmsley with Conrad Harrison/Andy Winkle, Tony Baker/Fiona Baker-Holden, Karl Bennett/Maxime Vasseur and Wayne Lockey/Mark Sayers completing the top ten.
Sidecar TT Race One Results – IOMTT 2017
- Ben Birchall / Tom Birchall LCR / 58:31.967 116.027
- John Holden / Lee Cain Honda / 58:57.636 115.185
- Dave Molyneux / Daniel Sayle Yamaha / 59:16.353 114.579
- Alan Founds / Jake Lowther Yamaha / 59:22.006 114.397
- Tim Reeves / Mark Wilkes* Honda / 59:36.012 113.949
- Peter Founds / Jevan Walmsley Suzuki / 01:00:01.277 113.150
- Conrad Harrison / Andrew Winkle Honda / 01:01:49.757 109.841
- Tony Baker / Fiona Baker-Holden Suzuki / 01:02:31.981 108.605
- Karl Bennett / Maxime Vasseur Suzuki / 01:02:52.131 108.025
- Wayne Lockey / Mark Sayers Ireson Honda / 01:03:03.172 107.710
- Estelle Leblond / Melanie Farnier SGR / 01:03:06.641 107.611
- Mick Alton / Chrissie Clancy LCR Suzuki / 01:03:30.650 106.933
- Robert Handcock / Ken Edwards Baker / 01:03:32.775 106.873
- Gregory Lambert / Julie Canipa Honda /01:03:35.854 106.787
- Allan Schofield / Steve Thomas Suzuki / 01:03:48.936 106.422
