Dunlop Wins First Race

Michael Dunlop has won the first race of TT23, as he dominated the first Supersport Race.

It takes Dunlop’s total number of wins around the Mountain Course to 22, just one behind John McGuiness and four behind his uncle Joey.

The Northern Irishman was second at Glen Helen on the first lap, but led by the time he hit Ballaugh and never looked back from there, leading the first lap by 5.488 seconds.

On the second lap, Dunlop was 2.4 seconds inside his own record at Ramsey Hairpin, as he opened up a 5.732 second lead over Dean Harrison. As the racers headed for a pit stop, MD was holding a commanding lead at the halfway point, but fell just outside the record time.

Coming out for the third lap, any fears fans of the Ballymoney man may have had about Harrison closing the gap was brushed aside, as he led by 16.028 seconds at Bungalow.

On the final lap, Dunlop slowed slightly to end any hopes of setting a new lap record, but still led Harrison by 16.440 seconds back at Ballaugh.

Behind him the story was Peter Hickman chasing down Harrison in the battle for second, with Hicky closing the gap on his rival down to 1.122 second at Ramsey Hairpin on the last lap and 0.189 at Bungalow.

Hickman crossed the line to pip Harrison to second place by just 0.3 second, making for tense finish to the first race of the week.

Jamie Coward come in fourth, Davey Todd fifth and James Hillier wrapped up the top six.