TT 2016: Dunlop takes Senior win with 133.962mph lap

Hawk BMW’s Michael Dunlop has taken the big-bike double at TT 2016 this afternoon, taking the Senior TT win by 31.476s from Ian Hutchinson and smashing his own outright lap record with a 133.962 mph lap as John McGuinness took third for his 46th podium, Valentino.

Dunlop had Hutchinson in his sights on the final lap and could have just sat behind the Tyco BMW but the Ballymoney man opted to pass the Bingley Bullet on the run to Ramsey to take the chequered flag on the Glencrutchery Road as Hutchinson, who ran his Superstock engine in the Superbike chassis, had to contend with an electronics failure from lap two and had to ride with no traction control for the rest of the race.

Dunlop led from start to finish and went through Glen Helen on lap one with a 1.805s lead over Hutchinson with Dean Harrison in third, Lee Johnston fourth, Gary Johnson fifth and Peter Hickman in sixth place, just half a second down on the Penz BMW man.

McGuinness was down in ninth place and said that he was suffering a big of arm pump and needed waking up. At Ballaugh, Dunlop had gone away from Hutchinson to the tune of 3.578s while Gary Johnson had moved into third ahead of Hickman and Bruce Anstey on the RCV.

At the Grandstand, Dunlop set a Senior TT lap record with a 133.256mph lap as Hutchinson struck back over the mountain to cut the gap back to 2.830s while Hickman moved into third place and Anstey fourth.

Dunlop got to Glen Helen with a 4.930s lead over Hutchinson while at Ballaugh it extended to 6.445 as Hickman firmed up third with a ten second gap over Anstey with Harrison fifth and Gary Johnson sixth. Dunlop. Hutchinson led on the road at Ramsey, which seemed to wake up McGuinness, as at the Bunglow, the Honda legend hauled himself up to fifth ahead of Harrison.

As Dunlop broke his own outright lap record, set last Saturday in the Superbike race, Hickman retired at Brandywell which promoted Anstey to third and McGuinness to fourth but he was closing on the New Zealand rider.

McGuinness’ team put in one of their trademark pitstops to promote the Morecambe man one more place at Glen Helen on lap three and he was also back in front on the roads while Dunlop’s lead over Hutchinson was 8.992s while Gary Johnson retired at Appledene.

Norton’s David Johnson crashed unhurt at Sulby Bridge as Johnston found his rhythm again and moved into sixth place on the leaderboard. As the leaders flashed through at Ballugh on lap four Conor Cummins moved ahead of Johnston for sixth as Harrison began to cut into Anstey’s lead.

The Bradford man was 9.816s down at Ramsey and then just 7.188 at the second round of pitstops. Dunlop was 11.611s ahead of Hutchinson while McGuinness put in a 45s pitstop - compared to 58s for Hutchinson - and he was back in front on the roads again.

Dunlop’s lead over Hutchinson was 15.354s at Glen Helen on lap five but down to 14.999s at Ramsey as he again passed McGuinness for the lead on the road. Dunlop also passed Hutchinson on the road as they approached the grandstand and set off in pursuit of Hutchinson.

It was at Ramsey that Dunlop went into the lead on the road and then carried that up and down the mountain to claim his 13th Isle of Man TT win with three laps in the 133mph bracket. The outright lap record has reduced by almost ten seconds this year.

Harrison remained in fourth place to round off a fantastic week with Anstey in fifth place. Manxman Cummins ended in sixth place with veteran Michael Rutter seventh on the Bathams/SMT BMW. Johnston finished one behind Rutter with James Hiller in ninth and Ivan Lintin in tenth.

Dan Hegarty moved into 11th place with Martin Jessopp one place further back. Derek Sheils was 13th, Shaun Anderson 14th and Horst Saiger in 15th. Youngster Sam West was 16th.