Michael Dunlop and Ian Hutchinson both broke John McGuinness’ outright lap record in tonight’s final Isle of Man TT practice session and have begun to climb towards the magic 133mph mark as they get ready for tomorrow’s Superbike race and the Superstock outing on Monday.
Tyco BMW’s Hutchinson was first past the mark with a 132.801 but on his Superstock-spec S1000RR while Dunlop, on the Hawk BMW Superbike, then set a 132.754mph lap. The two then changed classes but Hutchy couldn’t match the speed he set earlier, crossing the line on a 131.521mph as team boss Philip Neill said the electronics on the Superstocker are more advanced so might make fast laps on it easier.
Dunlop switched to his Superstock bike and put in a 131.879mph from a standing start but then a slower lap of 131.630mph. Dunlop’s final lap on the Superbike started slowly but he built to a 132.413. All four Superstock laps were faster than Dunlop’s 2015 record of 131.220 set in 2013. Bruce Anstey’s Superbike record of 132.298mph looks set to decimated tomorrow as well as the outright as they can only be set under race conditions.
In the Superbike class, Dean Harrison was the third quickest man and narrowly missed the 130mph mark with a 129.996mph lap. Veteran Michael Rutter was fourth, taking his Bathams/SMT BMW to a 129.613 as the fastest of three laps in the 129mph bracket while Conor Cummins set a 129.499 for fifth place. McGuinness parked his Superbike-spec Fireblade after one lap, saying he was ready to race it on Tuesday but still put in a 129.209.
William Dunlop upped his game to a 128.928 on the Yamaha with David Johnson increased his pace to a 128.533mph on the Norton, just head of Steve Mercer in eighth on a 128.364. Gary Johnson placed ninth with a 128.029 and James Hiller rounded out the top ten with a 127.896. A stiff and sore Bruce Anstey did one lap on the RCV in 11th place.
In the Superstock class, Harrison was third quickest on a 128.947mph with Lee Johnston also increasing his speed to a 128.607. Hillier is fifth on a 128.134, McGuinness sixth on a 128.092 with Peter Hickman on a 127.937.