The seeded entry list for the 2024 Supersport TT has been revealed with Michael Dunlop eyeing another double victory as part of a line-up demonstrating a number of key changes in the field.
Dunlop was the dominant winner of both Supersport races during the 2023 Isle of Man TT, successes that contributed to him being placed just a single victory shy of matching the all-time record held by late uncle, Joey Dunlop.
The Ulsterman - who became the first rider to lap the Mountain Course in excess of 130mph aboard a middleweight machine - returns to defend his victories with a unchanged set-up as part of his eponymous MD Racing team aboard a Yamaha R6.
Similarly, TT rival Peter Hickman - who matched Dunlop in winning four races across the 2023 TT fortnight - will race his self-prepared K2 Trooper by PHR Triumph STR765 RS. While the Mountain Course overall lap record holder trailed Dunlop in the Supersport class last year, his build-up programme for the 2024 TT included an outing in the Daytona 200 last month.
While Dunlop and Hickman aren't changing their winning formulas for the 2024 Supersport TT, there are a number of changes elsewhere in the line-up.
Chief among them is Dean Harrison, who will look to take a higher step on the podium aboard the new Honda CBR600RR as part of the Japanese manufacturer's factory-backed effort, while the updated machine will also be campaigned by Milenco by Padgett's Motorcycles pair Ian Hutchinson and Conor Cummins, plus Jackson Racing's Paul Jordan, who will lead the field off as the first starter.
A new addition to the field will also be the TAS Racing-prepared, Powertoolmate-backed Ducati Panigale V2 steered by Davey Todd, who will attempt to take the Italian manufacturer - which dominated the short track Supersport classes in WorldSSP and British Supersport last year - to its first TT win since 1985.
Elsewhere, Boyce Precision Engineering by Russell Racing will stick with its Yamaha R6 but have two new faces lining up in double British Superbike Champion Josh Brookes and up-and-comer Mike Browne, while Dominic Herbertson will also ride the Iwata firm's machine representing Burrows Engineering by RK Racing.
After it was given its TT debut by Hickman in 2022, the Triumph STR765 RS is well represented with Jamie Coward and KTS Racing swapping to the British motorcycle, together with Bathams Racing duo Craig Neve and Michael Rutter, plus Ashcourt Racing's Lee Johnston.
Kawasaki is represented by Bournemouth Racing and James Hillier, while there will be a handful of Suzuki entrants within the top twenty starters too.
2024 Supersport TT, Top 20 Starting Order | 2024 Isle of Man TT
Top 20 Starting Order for the 2024 Isle of Man TT Supersport TT races | ||||
No. | Rider | Nat | Team | Motorcycle |
1 | Paul Jordan | 🇬🇧 | Jackson Racing | Honda CBR600RR |
2 | Jamie Coward | 🇬🇧 | KTS Racing powered by Stanley Stewart Racing | Triumph STR765 RS |
3 | Dean Harrison | 🇬🇧 | Honda Racing UK | Honda CBR600RR |
4 | Ian Hutchinson | 🇬🇧 | Milenco by Padgett's Motorcycles | Honda CBR600RR |
5 | James Hillier | 🇬🇧 | Bournemouth Kawasaki Racing | Kawasaki ZX-6R |
6 | Michael Dunlop | 🇬🇧 | MD Racing | Yamaha R6 |
7 | Josh Brookes | 🇦🇺 | Boyce Precision Engineering by Russell Racing | Yamaha R6 |
8 | Davey Todd | 🇬🇧 | Powertoolmate | Ducati Panigale V2 |
9 | Craig Neve | 🇬🇧 | Bathams Racing | Triumph STR765 RS |
10 | Peter Hickman | 🇬🇧 | K2 Trooper Triumph by PHR | Triumph STR765 RS |
11 | Conor Cummins | 🇬🇧 | Milenco by Padgett's Motorcycles | Honda CBR600RR |
12 | David Johnson | 🇦🇺 | TBA | TBA |
13 | Lee Johnston | 🇬🇧 | Ashcourt Racing | Triumph STR765 RS |
14 | Mike Browne | 🇬🇧 | Boyce Precision Engineering by Russell Racing | Yamaha R6 |
15 | Rob Hodson | 🇬🇧 | SMT/Vehicle Recovery Services | Yamaha R6 |
16 | Dominic Herbertson | 🇬🇧 | Burrows Engineering by RK Racing | Yamaha R6 |
17 | Gary Johnson | 🇬🇧 | 750, NL Motorcycles/Astro Van Centre | Suzuki GSX-R750 |
18 | Shaun Anderson | 🇬🇧 | Butterfields of Skipton with ARD | Suzuki GSX-R750 |
19 | James Hind | 🇬🇧 | North Lincs Components | Suzuki GSX-R750 |
20 | Michael Evans | 🇬🇧 | Smith Racing | Triumph STR765 RS |