Isle of Man TT 2023: Dunlop smashes lap file as observe ends

The official current lap file across the 37.75-mile TT course stands at 135.452mph set by Peter Hickman within the 2018 Senior race.

As observe got here to an in depth for TT 2023 forward of the primary race day on Saturday, Dunlop on his Hawk Racing Honda unofficially set the fastest-ever lap of the mountain course with 135.531 mph on his ultimate lap of the Superbike/Superstock session.

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Coming into Friday’s operating, Hickman stood because the quickest rider of TT 2023 to that time, having posted a 133.7mph effort on Thursday night from a standing begin.

On Friday afternoon, Dunlop set the tempo from a standing begin within the pitlane at 134.270mph, with Hickman second at 133.195mph on his FHO Racing BMW.

Hickman was late away within the Superbike/Superstock session having been left stranded on the course within the Supersport/Supertwins session when his Yamaha bike within the latter class broke down.

This meant he was one of many final to get out on his Supersport bike and was nonetheless on his lap when the Superbike/Superstock session received underway.

Dunlop carried on for a flying lap on his second tour on the Superbike and began to gentle up the timing screens as his sector occasions recommended he was contained in the outright lap file.

Pushing onerous throughout the lap, with a second going over Sulby Bridge and operating vast into Ramsey Hairpin, Dunlop blasted over the mountain to finish the tour at a staggering 135.531mph.

For that to be counted as an official lap file, it must be posted in a race.

Hickman’s second lap received him near his personal lap file, because the FHO rider posted a 134.910mph effort to finish up second forward of DAO Racing’s Dean Harrison at 134.216mph.

Padgetts Honda’s Davey Todd was fourth general on his Superbike together with his best-ever lap on the TT of 132.194mph, whereas John McGuinness was fifth on the manufacturing unit Honda at 131.003mph.

Todd’s team-mate Conor Cummins has been dominated out of racing till subsequent week having been admitted to hospital with an an infection.

Dunlop’s domination of observe continued within the Supersport and Supertwins lessons, with the Ulsterman quickest on his MD Racing Yamaha at 127.510mph, whereas he set an unofficial lap file within the Supertwins class at 123.474mph.

The Sidecars had been first away on Friday afternoon, with the Peter Founds/Jevan Walmsley outfit main the best way with a 117.807mph.

That’s nonetheless a way shy of the perfect Sidecar lap of observe week set by the Birchall brothers at 119.474mph – an unofficial lap file – on Thursday night.

The Birchalls didn’t set a consultant lap on Friday, with driver Ben and passenger Tom stopping for a wheel change at Ballacraine earlier than setting off once more to finish the tour.