TT 2016: Dunlop smashes lap record on way to Superbike win

Hawk BMW’s Michael Dunlop obliterated John McGuinness’ outright lap record on the way to a dominant RST Superbike TT win today and was the first man to set a sub-17m lap on the Mountain Course.

Dunlop put in a a 133.393mph on lap two - which included a fuel stop - on his way to his 12th win but also did a 133.369 on lap one to cross the line by 19.064s from Tyco BMW’s Ian Hutchinson in second and King of the Mountain John McGuinness in third. Hutchinson set a 132.892 mph on lap one while McGuinness did a 131.558 on the end of lap four.

Peter Hickman slowly made progress through the race to take fourth place at the end of lap five from Dean Harrison, setting a 132.465mph lap on the last, while veteran Michael Rutter bagged sixth place on the Bathams/SMT BMW. David Johnson scored a fantastic seventh for Norton with a 130.872mph lap, just ahead of bruised Bruce Anstey on the RCV in eighth, Gary Johnson in ninth and Lee Johnston in tenth.

Dunlop led every single sector of every lap, going into a 1.991s lead over Hutchinson for the first time of asking at Glen Helen with James Hillier 2.836 further back, Rutter 1.538s slower in fourth, Harrison in fifth and McGuinness sixth. Dunlop increased his lead to 3.606s at Ballaugh as McGuinness passed Rutter for fifth place.

Hutchinson passed Hillier for second on the road at Ramsey but dropped another three-tenths at Ramsey while Harrison began to catch Hillier for third but McGuinness went back behind Rutter in the battle for fifth place. At the Bungalow, the gap at the front remained static as Harrison passed Hillier for third.

At the grandstand, Dunlop set his 133.369mph lap to lead Hutchinson by 3.654s with a 132.892. Harrison set his first ever 130mph to lead Hillier by almost four seconds while McGuinness and Rutter completed a top six all over 130mph from a standing start.

Dunlop upped his lead to 4.670s on the run to Glen Helen on lap two as McGuinness went past Hiller for fourth. At Ballaugh, Hutchinson was almost six seconds in arrears and at the Bunglow, Hutchinson had passed McGuinness to lead on the road as McGuinness began to reel in Harrison for third place.

At the grandstand, Dunlop upped the lap record to 133.393 while Hutchinson put in a 132.884 and McGuinness set his 131.451. The Morecambe Missile waved Hutchinson past in the fuel stops but came out ahead of Harrison with a 3.421s lead over the Silicone Kawasaki rider.

Hutchinson got to Glen Helen with a 15.204s deficit on Dunlop and said in parc ferme his knew his race was over at that point as by the end of lap three, he was 17s down. Hillier dropped down the leaderboard into ninth place which put Hickman into fifth as he had gone past Michael Rutter at the end of lap two.

McGuinness was back in front on the road at Ramsey and then put in the fastest sector on the way to the Bungalow while Hutchinson and Dunlop were together on the road. Dunlop then went into second on the road at Glen Helen while Hickman began to catch Harrison for fourth place.

Dunlop took the lead on the road at the Bungalow on lap five and Hickman passed Harrison for fourth. Hutchinson was two seconds faster than Dunlop at Glen Helen and was back past on the road at Ramsey while Hickman set the fastest sector at Ramsey as they went up the Mountain for the final time.