Tourist Trophy – Michael Dunlop wins the first Supersport and Superbike races of the Tourist Trophy 2018 –

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Michael Dunlop wins first Supersport and Superbike races at Tourist Trophy 2018

Tourist Trophy - Michael Dunlop wins the first Supersport and Superbike races of the Tourist Trophy 2018 -

Michael Dunlop signs his 16th and 17th TT victories by winning the Superbike race at the opening of the Tourist Trophy 2018 and then the first Supersport race. Peter Hickman gets his first success, in Superstock. Review of three races and five records !

TT 2018: first Superbike race (6 laps)

Dean Harrison could have won the first race of this 99th edition of the Tourist Trophy. He deserved it because he had the best pace. Unfortunately for him – luckily for his opponents! – he didn’t have the best bike last Saturday. Not the most enduring in any case…

Tourist Trophy - Michael Dunlop wins the first Supersport and Superbike races of the Tourist Trophy 2018 -

During his very first lap, the n ° 5 Kawasaki rider of the Silicone Racing team sets the new absolute lap record on the famous and perilous "Snaefell Moutain Course", its 60.73 km and 219 turns: 16 ‘50.384! Harrison’s feat is remarkable for two reasons.

On the one hand, he beats the record of Michael Dunlop (first man under 17 minutes) when he is just starting his race, therefore a standing start rather than launched. On the other hand, it officially opens the "134 mph club" by maintaining an average speed of 134.432 mph, or 216.3 km / h !

Tourist Trophy - Michael Dunlop wins the first Supersport and Superbike races of the Tourist Trophy 2018 -

At the controls of his BMW n ° 6 (which started 10 seconds later), Michael Dunlop was ahead of the stopwatch by 11.3 seconds. Local Connor Cummins (Honda n ° 1) takes advantage of a technical problem by Peter Hickman (BMW n ° 10) to settle in third position ahead of James Hillier, David Johnson and Gary Johnston…

At the end of the 2nd round, the "Ninja Dean" advance over "MD" increases by five seconds. But a lap later, Dunlop retaliated, reducing the gap to 11.5 seconds … Victim of a clutch problem, Harrison again lost ground on Dunlop and ended up giving up, in the 4th lap at Sulby’s level. Crossroads, betrayed by his ZX-10RR.

Tourist Trophy - Michael Dunlop wins the first Supersport and Superbike races of the Tourist Trophy 2018 -

The gaps between the leading drivers being too large for the positions to change in the last two laps, Michael Dunlop rushes without too much pressure towards his 16th TT victory: as much as his best enemy Ian Hutchinson (Honda n ° 4) who has he also abandoned in the 4th lap, physically impaired and dissatisfied with his suspension settings.

Beaten by Harrison on one lap, Dunlop nonetheless made a mark in the minds and annals of the TT by completing the six laps of this first 2018 race at an average of 130.324 mph. Connor Cummins who equaled the best result of his career, and James Hillier who climbed to his 11th podium in the TT slash the champagne with Michael.

Tourist Trophy - Michael Dunlop wins the first Supersport and Superbike races of the Tourist Trophy 2018 -

Let us underline in passing the magnificent performance of Julien Toniutti: "that’s it, first Superbike race finished with the S1000RR Helice 69 BMW Motorrad with an excellent time of 18 ’20 and as a bonus the record of the fastest Frenchman in the Tourist Trophy with a lap at over 198km / h average. A childhood dream which has just come true! ", exulted our compatriot on Saturday evening..

Michael Dunlop, winner:
"I wanted to do something in memory of Dan (Dan Kneen, editor’s note) and this victory is for his family. It is difficult to celebrate this victory: the week was difficult. I struggled at the start of this Superbike race and it took me a while to find my bearings. I had a little problem with the rear axle but my pace improved and the BMW team at Tyco did a good job ".

Top 10 Superbike 1

  1. # 6 Michael Dunlop – BMW / Tyco BMW – 01: 44: 13.398 (130.324 mph)
  2. # 1 Conor Cummins – Honda / padgettsmotorcycles.com – 01: 45: 04.259 (129.273 mph)
  3. # 2 James Hillier – Kawasaki / Quattro Plant JG Speedfit – 01: 45: 25.919 (128.830 mph)
  4. # 9 David Johnson – BMW / Gulf BMW – 01: 45: 58.637 (128.167 mph)
  5. # 3 Michael Rutter – BMW / Bathams BMW – 01: 47: 27.374 (126.403 mph)
  6. # 13 Lee Johnston – Honda / Honda Racing – 01: 47: 42.014 (126.117 mph)
  7. # 12 Martin Jessopp – BMW / Riders Motorcycles BMW – 01: 48: 04.898 (125.672 mph)
  8. # 23 Ivan Lintin – Kawasaki / Dafabet Devitt Racing – 01: 48: 07.017 (125.631 mph)
  9. # 18 Philip Crowe – BMW / HandTrans-John Chapman Racing – 01: 48: 12.101 (125.532 mph)
  10. # 11 Joshua Brookes – Norton / Norton Motorcycles – 01: 48: 14.276 (125.490 mph)

TT 2018: first Supersport race (4 laps)

At the controls of his own CBR600RR – prepared in collaboration with the World Supersport PTR team – Michael Dunlop clearly dominated the first Supersport race which was held two days later (Monday morning) on ​​the Isle of Man…

Thanks to a solid first lap (128.265 mph), the n ° 6 took the lead but his lead over the second was limited to 1.7 seconds. Dean Harrison – still him, always on Kawasaki! – got off to a good start too … Hickman, frustrated by his retirement in SBK, whips his Triumph and occupies 3rd place ahead of Hillier, Johnston, Cummins, etc..

Tourist Trophy - Michael Dunlop wins the first Supersport and Superbike races of the Tourist Trophy 2018 -

Michael Dunlop attacked more vigorously in the second lap, which he clocked at an average of 129.197mph (new SSP record!), Taking his lead over Harrison to 6.4 seconds. On the track road therefore, the Honda rider finds himself in the wake of the Kawasaki n ° 5…

Dropped more than twenty seconds behind Dean (against the clock), James Hillier and Peter Hickman engage in a fierce duel for the third step of the podium. In doing so, the two pilots remove their pursuers from the fight for third place: Johnston, Johnson, Brookes then fight to integrate the "Top Five".

Tourist Trophy - Michael Dunlop wins the first Supersport and Superbike races of the Tourist Trophy 2018 -

Getting back into Harrison’s wheel during the 3rd lap, Dunlop completed this first Supersport round of the 2018 TT at a much slower pace than at the start of the race (18 minutes all round). So much so that Hickman, who attacked to the end, finished third just a quarter of a second from second place. !

Michael Dunlop, winner:
“The bike rode perfectly, the pit stop was perfect, but we can definitely improve for the race on Wednesday. I hadn’t ridden much on the bike, but my guys did a fantastic job and, in many ways. good conditions, I think a 130 mph lap would be possible. It’s fantastic: I felt good and I’m starting to ride a little harder now ".

Top 10 Supersport 1

  1. # 6 Michael Dunlop – Honda / MD Racing – 01: 11: 51.072 (126.027 mph)
  2. # 5 Dean Harrison – Kawasaki / Silicone Engineering – 01: 12: 01.350 (125.727 mph)
  3. # 10 Peter Hickman – Triumph / Trooper by Smiths Racing – 01: 12: 01.608 (125.720 mph)
  4. # 2 James Hillier – Kawasaki / Quattro Plant JG Speedfit – 01: 12: 03.414 (125.667 mph)
  5. # 1 Conor Cummins – Honda / padgettsmotorcycles.com – 01: 12: 44.356 (124.488 mph)
  6. # 11 Joshua Brookes – Yamaha / McAMS fueled by Monster – 01: 12: 57.357 (124.119 mph)
  7. # 7 Gary Johnson – Triumph / RAF Regular Reserves / GML – 01: 13: 06.152 (123.870 mph)
  8. # 3 Lee Johnston – Honda / padgettsmotorcycles.com – 01: 13: 12.190 (123.700 mph)
  9. # 19 James Cowton – Kawasaki / McAdoo Kawasaki Racing – 01: 13: 45.145 (122.778 mph)
  10. # 18 Ivan Lintin – Kawasaki / Dafabet Devitt Racing – 01: 13: 54.952 (122.507 mph)

TT 2018: first Superstock race (4 laps)

Dunlop, Harrison, and Hickman have each other again – and at length this time! – contested for victory on Monday afternoon in the only Superstock race, riding 1000 cc machines. These are therefore the same motorcycle models as in the Superbike category, but they are a little less prepared and therefore supposedly slower….

Tourist Trophy - Michael Dunlop wins the first Supersport and Superbike races of the Tourist Trophy 2018 -

The three strong men of this 2018 edition of the Tourist Trophy complete their 1st lap at a near-record average: 133.073 for Dean who is ahead of his best enemies Michael (at 4.3 sec) and Peter (at 7.7 sec despite a straight ahead !). The old The experienced Michael Rutter (BMW n ° 3) is already more than 10 seconds from the podium, ahead of Cummins, Johnson, Hillier, etc..

Despite a record second lap at 134.077 mph (welcome to the "club"!), Hickman has less than two seconds ahead of his two intractable opponents when he enters the pits for refueling. During the third lap, Harrison lets go: the fastest man in the "TiTi" lets slip five seconds…

Tourist Trophy - Michael Dunlop wins the first Supersport and Superbike races of the Tourist Trophy 2018 -

In the lead, on the contrary, the gap is narrowing: the two S1000RR pilots fight each other with tenths of a second at the start of the fourth and final loop to win this third race! Another battle rages in the background between Johnson and Hillier for fourth place.

Finally, "Hicky" manages to gain the upper hand at the end of the course and sets a new record in the STK category: 134.403 mph, one breath away from the record set the day before by Harrison at the controls of his Kawasaki in Superbike configuration. ! The race record is also broken: 131.553 mph on average over the four laps.

Tourist Trophy - Michael Dunlop wins the first Supersport and Superbike races of the Tourist Trophy 2018 -

Hickman wins with panache his very first success in the Tourist Trophy. He celebrates his victory surrounded by Dunlop who will not be able to perform the Grand Slam this year, and Harrison who will continue to race after his second TT victory – after the Lightweight in 2014 – in the second Supersport and Superbike rounds..

In the "Joey Dunlop Championship", the nephew of the legendary and record holder of victory in the Tourist Trophy (26) therefore totals 70 points out of 75. Hickman and Hillier are fighting for second place in the standings: their counters show 41 and 40 points.

Tourist Trophy - Michael Dunlop wins the first Supersport and Superbike races of the Tourist Trophy 2018 -

Finally, congratulations to our three French pilots registered for the TT this year who achieved a careful group shot on this Superstock event: Julien Toniutti (BMW n ° 56), Xavier Denis (Honda n ° 54) and Fabrice Miguet (Kawasaki n ° 57) respectively finish 38, 39 and 40th.

Peter Hickman, winner:
"It’s pretty awesome to be sitting here as the TT winner! I thought I got it all down by pulling straight into Braddan: I had to stop, back up and then turn around before I must have lost at least 15 seconds. After that, I rushed headlong and I have probably never attacked so much here, despite the wind which surprised me several times on the mountain because it changed constantly steering. I was fast on the Superstock bike all week and climbed to third at the end of the first lap. I then considered I still had a chance. I just put the lead. in the handlebars and pushed to the max. It means a lot to me, my family and the team ".

Top 10 Superstock

  1. # 10 Peter Hickman – BMW / Smiths Racing BMW – 01: 08: 49.976 (131.553 mph)
  2. # 6 Michael Dunlop – BMW / MD Racing – 01: 08: 54.428 (131.412 mph)
  3. # 5 Dean Harrison – Kawasaki / Silicone Engineering – 01: 09: 03.579 (131.121 mph)
  4. # 9 David Johnson – BMW / Gulf BMW – 01: 10: 16.337 (128.859 mph)
  5. # 2 James Hillier – Kawasaki / Quattro Plant JG Speedfit – 01: 10: 21.259 (128.709 mph)
  6. # 3 Michael Rutter – BMW / Bathams BMW – 01: 10: 51.480 (127.794 mph)
  7. # 12 Martin Jessopp – BMW / Riders Motorcycles BMW – 01: 11: 43.806 (126.240 mph)
  8. # 27 Sam West – BMW / PRL / Worthington – 01: 11: 47.242 (126.139 mph)
  9. # 23 Ivan Lintin – Kawasaki / Dafabet Devitt Racing – 01: 11: 49.149 (126.083 mph)
  10. # 80 Davey Todd – Suzuki / Burrows Engineering Racing – 01: 11: 50.396 (126.047 mph)

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