- 20/06/2025
Highlights from the 1st Superport race of the 2025 Isle of Man TT
06:45 - Race Start
06:45 - Race Start
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SportsTranscript
00:00I
00:30Hello there, welcome back to a sunny Isle of Man.
00:54On the way, highlights of race one in the Monster Energy Supersport class.
00:59And an opportunity, fellas, after a slight disappointment for Michael Dunlop in the
01:04Superbikes, to make up for it in the class that he's really made his own over the last
01:08few years, Steve.
01:09Massively, you know, he's been doing a lot of homework, shall we say, Daytona, you know,
01:14he's been riding the bike all over, he's spent a lot of time in Spain testing, so he's going
01:19to be really good.
01:20I think at the moment, probably his most competitive class to be right at the front.
01:26And he certainly has the opportunity to do that on the Ducati.
01:28He does have the chance to do that on the Ducati, and that will be, if he does, it'll
01:31be a seventh win on a different manufacturer for a single rider, which will be another
01:36record broken.
01:37Yeah, he's all about breaking records, but the man he's got to beat today looks like
01:41Dean Harrison.
01:42He was fastest in qualifying, so anticipation high then ahead of this one.
01:47Let's get out onto the grid and get the thoughts of the riders.
01:50And first of all, Lee Johnston, who's with Grace Webb?
01:53Yeah, we are on the grid for Supersport Race number one.
01:57And this has been won the last six times by a certain Michael Dunlop.
02:03But there's a few others in contention this year.
02:07Michael Dunlop, as we know, is on a Ducati.
02:10And we are just walking past Dom Herbertson, who is on another Ducati in the top 20.
02:15A bit of a rare machine that you see in this class, Lee.
02:17Yeah, obviously with the new rule change, the Ducati and the Triumph are now both allowed
02:22in this class.
02:23Both bigger capacity engines, but it's all controlled on electronics.
02:27Do you want to quickly grab Dom Herbertson?
02:29Oh, there he is.
02:30There he is.
02:31Yeah.
02:32If we can grab a word with you, Dom, we were just saying you're on a Ducati, which we don't
02:36usually see in this class, but how's it working for you?
02:39Well, I feel like, you know, them little hamsters that they test on, that was definitely me last
02:45night.
02:46It upside down and nearly had me upside down a few times.
02:48So anything, everything's up from here, Grace, we've been rock bottom.
02:55We can definitely go up from here.
02:56So, but the bike's got so much potential, you know, it's a nine, five, nine.
02:59It's got all the grunt in the world and all it wants to do is drive.
03:02So we get these things nailed down.
03:04We're laughing because I think there's only four in this race.
03:09So at the moment, if one breaks down, I'm on the podium on a Ducati in my head.
03:12So it's a little wins, Grace, little wins.
03:14But from your analogy then, has it been a bit of a handful?
03:17What have you managed to test in qualifying?
03:19Well, we've only had the four laps in qualifying and look at what Michael Dunlop's doing on
03:24it.
03:25You know, he's top of the sheets on that side of thing.
03:26Connor's getting his dialed in as well.
03:28So the potential's there.
03:29We just need to get it over the line.
03:30I'm sure you will, Dom.
03:31Good luck for this one.
03:32Thank you very much.
03:33See you.
03:34Yeah, it's interesting to get that insight actually.
03:36Like Dom's saying, there's a lot of things that need to be done to the Ducati to get it
03:40competitive and get it composed.
03:42Yeah, and it's all well being having a little bit more horsepower and more torque.
03:46But as anyone that rides a motorbike, the more torque and power you have, the harder
03:50it is to set that motorcycle up.
03:52Hence why big bikes around here are so much harder to set up normally than your normal
03:57600cc capacity engine.
03:59What we're looking at now, the beautiful Paget Supersport bike of Davey Todd.
04:02This is an original Supersport 600cc engine.
04:05And then obviously further on from that, we've got the Hondas of Jackson Racing as well.
04:10And to the other side is Mike Brown's R6.
04:12So yeah, these are all what we would class as original Supersport bikes.
04:16And then this is going to lead us into the Ducati that Dom Herbert was just talking about
04:20of Michael Dunlop's, which looks absolutely beautiful.
04:24If there was points or speed for looks, I think it would definitely be up there on the
04:28on the charts.
04:29Yeah, for sure.
04:30And this is an exact replica of the world Supersport winning bike.
04:36This has got some some trick bits on it.
04:38And like you say, it looks stunning.
04:39And this was fast at the Northwest 200 as well.
04:43Yeah, we've seen on that.
04:44I think it was the Thursday night race at the Northwest 200.
04:47It looked like he just hit a turbo button, but then it's different there.
04:50You've got massive slipstream, which helps the Supersport bike a lot more to see James Hillier's
04:55bike in the background.
04:56And his team, James, I think, has been fifth fastest this week, fifth or sixth fastest
05:00in qualifying so far.
05:02And James is a genuine podium contender in Supersport.
05:05Yeah.
05:06We'll see if we can grab a quick word for him, because like we were saying, mixed machines.
05:11He's on a Kawasaki.
05:12He's just taken a spot in the bus stop.
05:14So I'll try and can I catch the bus ride with you, James?
05:18How are you feeling for this one, the Bournemouth Kawasaki for the Supersport race?
05:23How's it been going in qualifying?
05:24All right, really.
05:26I mean, I've done enough laps on one of these Kawasaki's around here, so we just don't know
05:31where to set it.
05:32I just couldn't really get any rhythm that first race.
05:35I just hope we've had a bit of lunch and a chill out.
05:38So we'll see what this brings.
05:42But as always, it'll be max effort.
05:44And I was just thinking there's not many races in the world you can sit in a bus stop
05:49and get ready for, is there?
05:50It's quite random.
05:51You're perfectly positioned for it as well.
05:53So glad to hear you're refreshed.
05:55We'll let you chill out before this one.
05:56Yeah, and like James is alluding to, the TT is just about endurance as well.
06:05And if anyone knows about endurance, it's James Hillier, the only TT rider to have completed
06:09the Dakar as well as the Isle of Man TT.
06:12Let's get to our race commentators, Cam Donald and Andrew Coley.
06:24Second race for the solo riders today as we get Supersport underway.
06:28Michael Dunlop slings his leg over the Ducati.
06:31Is that the machine to beat around the 37?
06:340.73 miles of this incredible course.
06:37Smaller bikes in theory, but as you see in the Ducati, it's a bigger engine.
06:41Myself and Cameron Donald will run you through how the TT equalizes the performance between
06:46the various different bikes as we get underway.
06:4814 degrees C, a little bit windy out there, but still the sunshine, lovely dry roads.
06:53And Paul Jordan gets us underway on the Jackson Racing Honda.
06:58Down towards Bray Hill for the first time from the heli.
07:01Tap on the shoulder next for Davo Johnson on the Kawasaki.
07:06Now Dean Harrison pulls up to the line on the factory Honda.
07:11Love the different launches from everybody.
07:14Cam, what's the score with the launches?
07:15Some people seem to be flipping the throttle, others you just hear them pin it and are away beautifully.
07:19Starting technique is a rider's personal preference, but one thing they all have in common is keeping these bikes on the boil.
07:25Maximum revs as they drop the clutch to head off that start line.
07:29Harrison is absolutely on it immediately.
07:32He's been so strong on the various different bikes during practice week.
07:37And here is a man they've all got to beat.
07:39Michael Dunlop on the Ducati.
07:41This machine is special cam.
07:43Listen to the lazy drone of that V2 Ducati.
07:46The Milwaukee back bike firing itself off down the line.
07:50And we're all waiting to see what this bike can do around the TT course.
07:54Over the crest at the bottom of the hill, James Hilliop into his lap as well.
07:59And this is Davey Todd on the Honda.
08:02He's swapped away from Ducati machinery cam.
08:05Of course, that's right, Andrew.
08:06Last year, Davey Todd piloted that Ducati to second place in the first Supersport race.
08:11Can Michael turn that around this year?
08:13It'll be 30 years since Ducati's had a win here.
08:17And it would be a seventh different manufacturer ridden by Dunlop to victory if he can do it.
08:22But he's got to beat some serious talent in this one, including, of course, Davey Todd, who won earlier on today on the Superbike.
08:30So Todd's on form, but different machinery and maybe a bigger ask in this one.
08:35Todd's on a roll, but then Michael's even more fired up after taking second in that first Superbike race.
08:40And we know how much you want to make amends for that.
08:43It was such a tiny margin too, wasn't it?
08:45On the bomb, Herbertson, another Ducati mounted rider.
08:52Listen to that. There are times when words are not enough and you guys just need to listen to the howl at home.
08:58Yeah, that is so different to the inline four-cylinder engine configurations of the competition.
09:03It's really sweet to the year.
09:05Herbertson down to the bottom of Brayhill and we are well underway for Supersport race one.
09:11Welcome back to the Monster Energy Supersport TT.
09:21Race number one, of course, the second one later on in the week.
09:23You're looking at Paul Jordan first on the road on the Honda CVR 600RR through Gorsley.
09:30Just blowing away those leaves. Oh, Davo Johnson, look, has been caught already by Dean Harrison.
09:34Harrison's on a mission, Cam.
09:37Yep, perfect pass up the inside Griever Bridge.
09:41That's a committed area to pass there and he's done well to get past Davo who's no slouch himself.
09:47Dean races this bike week in, week out in the British Supersport Championship.
09:51So for Dean, it'll be like putting on an old set of slippers.
09:55Yeah, just comfortable immediately.
09:57I mean, that's early in the lap to have closed down that gap.
10:01This is Hillier and this is a special livery camp.
10:04Yeah, 30 year anniversary of the ZX6 livery.
10:08How cool does that look?
10:11Very cool indeed going through Gorsley.
10:13That lit, that's for sure.
10:14And here comes Michael Dunlop on the Ducati.
10:19Two attempts at turning, maybe.
10:21Yeah, we saw a similar thing on the Superbike, but he's done very few dry laps on that bike this week.
10:27So probably just coming to terms with it a little bit.
10:31You're on board with Davey Todd.
10:33We can hear here, Cam, that they're full throttle a lot.
10:36Compare that for us to Superbike.
10:38Oh, well, they're a smaller engine.
10:40They are higher revving.
10:41And with less power, you need to just wring that machine's neck that little bit more.
10:46It's a full throttle for a lot more in terms of percentage of the lap.
10:50Absolutely, a high percentage of the lap at 100% throttle.
10:53You see Paul Jordan make his way up Sarah's cottage to Jackson Racing Honda, a bike he's very comfortable on.
10:59Harrison leads by 7.8 seconds.
11:02He's 7.8 up on Paul Jordan already, and a further 7 up on Davo Johnson.
11:07So Harrison is chucking down a marker here.
11:09Dean Harrison means it on the factory Honda.
11:12He wants the win, and it looks like he's trying to make a break early doors.
11:15Yeah, we expected him to come out of the blocks quickly, but it's Michael Dunlop we're waiting to see come past.
11:19Hillier's only 4.5 back, so Hillier's gone well there too.
11:23Very impressive by James, and Michael comes through.
11:27P2, 3.4 down on Dino.
11:30That's a decent gap for the first sector.
11:32Just goes to show how hard Dean Harrison's pushing, as is this man, Davey Todd.
11:37Using so much road on the way in there Cam, and Todd comes in just 4 tenths of a second behind Hillier.
11:42So there's only 5 seconds between Dunlop, Hillier and Todd.
11:46And Dean Harrison, 3.5 seconds up the road.
11:48Harrison here, full focus.
11:50We can often see through his visor, and it is just eyes down, eyes forward and flat out.
11:55Yeah, and of course these smaller machines, less power.
11:58It's even more imperative to keep tucked in behind that screen.
12:02Chest on the tank, cutting through the air.
12:05Unbelievable at the bottom of Pogaro.
12:07Here comes Hillier on board with Hillier through the same section.
12:10Down through McInnes' 150 miles per hour and building.
12:15What's he going to reach before Pogaro top 160?
12:19Commitment unbelievable through here as well.
12:24Pogaro top only slightly less exciting than Pogaro bottom.
12:29Absolutely brilliant.
12:30You're on board with Todd now, and the reflective visor there.
12:33That shows you all you need to see.
12:34You can see on the dash, the LCD display is absolutely at the top, at the peak.
12:39He is maxed out.
12:41Oh, as is his use of the road there.
12:44Out onto the curve, even using the white line, and again.
12:49What a place to go and watch, isn't it?
12:51He's just so impressive, it really is.
12:53Paul Jordan, still first on the road.
12:56Surely, though, being closed down now by Harrison.
12:59Harrison must be somewhere near.
13:00Look at that rear-facing camera.
13:01The amount of leaves and debris that are flicking up off the tyre.
13:04Being first on road, he used to the street sweeper.
13:07The lead line up in the background again, over Balafridge.
13:11Oh, nice.
13:12Big send.
13:15This is the man that is on the charge.
13:20Wow, he's pulled plus 12 on Paul Jordan.
13:23Let's see where James Hillier and Michael Dunlop are when they reach Balafridge themselves.
13:28150 mile an hour through here.
13:32The change in light cam, I think, is quite stark.
13:35You know, shade trees, shade trees all the way through.
13:38It's hard to read, I imagine.
13:39Very, very hard to remain focused.
13:41Most of these riders are using a mid-tint as you're in bright sun and then in full shade.
13:46Very tricky.
13:48Hillier flying the jump long.
13:49Watch Dunlop.
13:50He'll land him on the front and Dunlop 4.6 off Harrison.
13:53Hillier now two seconds back from there.
13:56Here comes Todd.
13:57Yes, we're right on board with Davey Todd, but that gap there.
14:00Dean's been able to push so hard in that first sector.
14:02Now, he runs a Metzler tyre and they're renowned for being able to get up to temperature quickly.
14:06Michael Dunlop on the Dunlop tyre.
14:09A little bit slower to reach optimum temperature as Davey Todd.
14:14Big move under brakes.
14:15Launches it past Josh Brooks over Balafridge.
14:19Todd through on the road and pre now to have a bit of air in front of him.
14:23Try and make up some more time.
14:26Meanwhile, this is Michael Evans.
14:29The Manxman on the Triumph Triple.
14:33Riding very well this week, Andrew.
14:35Really impressive.
14:36Paul Jordan.
14:37Jordan's pulled off the side of the road.
14:39That is not a well machine.
14:40You can tell that.
14:41You don't need to be a mechanic to hear that that is not right.
14:44On the pavement and parked.
14:45What a shame.
14:46Oh, what a shame.
14:47It's game over for the Jackson Racing Honda.
14:50The Supersport Race 1.
14:52Look at the amount of debris on the road.
14:54We've had high winds.
14:55That's another thing these riders will have to contend with.
14:57A bit of debris on the road.
14:58Harrison going to be there first now as well.
15:01So, of course, he never had to make his pass in the end.
15:05With Jordan pulling off to the side of the road.
15:07Harrison free to come through.
15:08No time lost in the past.
15:09Look at the fans leaning over the wall.
15:11The hedges are absolutely packed.
15:13Everyone's been so keen because we've had such rough weather during practice week.
15:17Everyone is in the hedges today out there seeing these guys on the limit.
15:20They're as keen to get involved in the action as the riders.
15:23Now, look at the body language of Dean Harrison.
15:25He is pushing that machine to its absolute limit.
15:29Deep and straight on the brakes there.
15:31A bit tight on the line in.
15:32Was that because he was later than he expected to be?
15:34He carried a lot of speed up that hill into that corner.
15:36Probably just went a couple of metres past his optimum apex point.
15:42Here is Todd on the brakes down at Parliament Square.
15:44This is where he ran deep earlier on today on the Superbike.
15:47No such mistake this time round.
15:49You can see by the body language how hard he's also pushing Andrew.
15:53They're really...
15:54He wants a race result in this class.
16:00Fantastic camera view.
16:01Look up.
16:02Look how much he's moving around on the machine as he wrestles it from right to left.
16:07Hanging off the side of it is just wonderful, isn't it?
16:10These...
16:11They are a very special breed indeed.
16:13Dunlop now five seconds down on Harrison.
16:15Hillier a further 4.7 back.
16:17Davey Todd just four tenths off Hillier.
16:19So Todd is four tenths away from a podium position as we stand at the moment.
16:24Let's take a look back at that Dunlop jump.
16:26Cam, talk us through the technique difference here.
16:28Yeah, Michael chops the throttle as he comes off the up ramp.
16:32Transferring the weight forward to cause that landing on the front wheel.
16:35Where if you open the throttle slightly positive throttle on the up ramp, you'll land front wheel high.
16:41Fantastic stuff.
16:42Harrison is up at the bungalow.
16:45Five seconds as we said was the gap.
16:47Is that going to continue to grow for the whole of lap one as we come towards the point where these riders are coming for their mandatory pit stop?
16:53It has to be at the end of lap one.
16:55And we'll talk to you about the fueling and things when we get to the stop shortly.
16:59You're on board with Dave O'Johnson and that's Dunlop behind.
17:02Dunlop will want to try and find a way through into bungalow.
17:05The left-hander so close to the curb and now up Hailwood Heights.
17:09So is he going to try and get through here?
17:11He tucks in, pulls out to the right side, just drives by Cam.
17:14Doesn't even need to use the slipstream.
17:16Michael carried good corner speed and that Giacati's got some grunt.
17:20We've seen the Giacati.
17:21We've seen the Triumph that's a triple.
17:23We know the Honda is a four-cylinder bike.
17:25How are they equalising the performance between these different machines?
17:28Well, the Giacati Sportback with throttle position.
17:31They're only allowed to use now 79% of their maximum throttle.
17:36Last year that was just above 80.
17:38It's been reduced slightly for this year in the technical regulations
17:42just to keep that playing field as level as possible.
17:54Welcome back to the Monster Energy Supersport TT.
17:57Dean Harrison exits Governor's Dip and you can see there the pit sign flashing.
18:02Mandatory pit stop on lap one. Here we go.
18:04Yeah, so we are down with the Honda guys again obviously
18:07because Dean Harrison is about to come in first on the road.
18:10The guys have got a spare rear tyre.
18:12The option is not to want to change that.
18:14That is only if he's going to have a problem with the tyre.
18:16So he's going to be straight in, possibly rear stand.
18:18Yeah, in with the rear stand, then straight in with the fuel
18:21as that's what's going to take the time in the pit stop.
18:23You can see his crew chief there just reaching for the tear-off
18:26to get one tear-up off.
18:27He said he only used one tear-off in the whole first race,
18:30but he's just giving them a little bit of information there.
18:33Six seconds over Michael Dunlop, but it's really quick now.
18:36So we're going to nip on down the pit lane as Dean heads out
18:39and see if we can catch both Michael Dunlop and Davey Todd
18:43as they're going to be heading in just a few slots further up the grid.
18:46I've seen Michael Dunlop's helmet waiting for him as he came in,
18:50and I don't know if that's just a precaution,
18:52but we can see now as Michael has just pulled into his pit stop.
18:55Now, I would think that this Ducati has taken slightly more fuel
18:59than the likes of Dean's CBR600.
19:01He's also making a setting change.
19:03He's took one mil of preload off the forks there.
19:05You see the guys in with the adjuster on top of the fork cap.
19:08He's not even bothered about the rear stand.
19:10That's something I couldn't do because my both feet didn't touch the ground.
19:13Really quick pit stop there. He's set off, and we're about to know,
19:16if you spin around your left hand side,
19:18Davey Todd is just about to come into the pits.
19:21If we can just move that guy out of the road.
19:23Davey Todd is just about to come into the pits.
19:26You see on the ground there, that was the name board the guys had out
19:29just to show him where his spot was.
19:31Dave's really quickly getting on, cleaning the screen,
19:34giving him over some information.
19:36He's not gone for a tear off or a helmet change,
19:39and the same thing just for fuel.
19:41Quick drink out of his Monster Energy drinks bottle.
19:44And the guys are away.
19:46Obviously, you can see a little splash of fuel there.
19:48That always happens.
19:49And when you're used to doing British Championship and stuff,
19:51and not used to doing pit stops, it frightens you for the first time.
19:54But really good pit stop there from the Padges guys.
19:56But I think all the top three or four have had good pit stops,
20:00so hopefully the racing's going to get made up out on the track.
20:03Super, super close there.
20:05Dave O'Johnson lost a bit of time, but everybody else with a clean stop.
20:08I think what's really interesting there, Cameron, is the fact that there was just a slight settings change for Dunlop mid-race.
20:14Yeah, that's not the standard thing we'd see during a TT pit stop, Andrew.
20:17I think it goes to show that he's still finding his feet with that V2 Ducati.
20:22Connor Cummins down onto the pit lane limiter into the pit entrance.
20:27Oh, look, Hutchinson is in in front of him.
20:29So Hutch, he's passed Cummins out on course.
20:32Cam, you've got three laps here.
20:34Obviously, you only need half a tank for the first lap.
20:36What do you do, go out light or go out heavy?
20:38No, full tank of fuel, and then you come in for a splash and dash.
20:42So, less time lost with a shorter fuel stop than there is carrying the extra weight, basically.
20:46Absolutely.
20:47There we go.
20:49Michael Dunlop on the Ducati.
20:527.4 seconds down on this man, Dean Harrison, who is absolutely tucked in behind the fairing.
20:58Dean will want this win so badly.
21:01Dean's had 31 TT podiums, but just three of those have been on the top step.
21:06He's desperate for another win, and this has to be one of his best chances of the week.
21:11He's a TT legend, isn't he?
21:13He's one of the fast three.
21:14We call that the fast four.
21:15Now, David Todd's joined.
21:16Of course, Hickman not here this week.
21:18Unfortunately, you're on board with Hilliard.
21:20You can't say anybody isn't fast.
21:221.74 miles an hour there at the peak.
21:25Yeah, as you head over Crosby Leap, down towards the Highlander.
21:29That's one of the fastest sections of the course.
21:31Harrison sits up once, turns in beautifully.
21:35Just looks fully confident and comfortable on that machine.
21:39This is Davo Johnson again.
21:41Yeah, also looking well on that Kawasaki.
21:44Davo tucking in that frame.
21:47Dropped down the order a bit, hasn't he?
21:48Thanks to that slower pitstop.
21:5010 seconds lost there.
21:51Sees Johnson down just outside the top 10, unfortunately.
21:55Dunlop, and the gaps come down.
21:576.4, so Dunlop then with that slight change on the bike.
22:01Is he looking more comfortable?
22:03Well, he certainly appears so, and his speed is building.
22:07I wonder how many pit boards that Dean Harrison is getting out in the lead
22:11to help control that margin, because it was a healthy one.
22:14With two laps to go, anything could happen here, Andrew.
22:16Fascinating to hear them in the pits, wasn't it?
22:18With your 1.1 up on this, your 7.4 down on that.
22:21As much information as they can get without stressing them out.
22:24At the same time, they need to know, and the pit board's pretty hard to spot.
22:27Got to have them at the slow points on the course.
22:29These riders are out there on their own.
22:30It's them, their machine, and the course.
22:32There's no way of communicating apart from those couple of pit boards
22:36that you can get off the hedge.
22:37And there's only so much you can relate on a message board.
22:40Josh Brooks looks still tucked right up behind Davey Todd,
22:44and we go on board with Ian Hutchinson.
22:46The speed builds.
22:47Hutchie coming up towards one of the fastest corners on the course.
22:52He's riding well.
22:54He's back in the Supersport class.
22:56One we've seen him take victory in before.
22:58It's a good seeing him building form in this year's TT.
23:02We're back with Michael Dunlop now from the heli
23:05as he heads towards Bergaro.
23:076.4 is the gap to Harrison.
23:10Cam, you mentioned that he runs the Dunlop tyre,
23:12which takes a bit more to come in.
23:13He's obviously changed the settings on the bike.
23:15He's looking very comfortable.
23:17Down through here.
23:19Fully committed through the bottom of Bergaro as well.
23:22Is Harrison in trouble here?
23:24I mean, 6.4 is a manageable gap.
23:26Yeah, it certainly is.
23:27I think Dean's just got to manage his gap,
23:29keep that pace up,
23:30not make any unforced errors,
23:32and just focus on his job.
23:34We look back.
23:35Nathan Harrison,
23:36another Honda mountain rider.
23:38He went brilliantly in the first Superbike race
23:40with a sensational fourth position.
23:42Now he's also doing a good job on the smaller Supersport machine.
23:45James Hillier.
23:47Up in the podium at the minute.
23:48It'd be nice to see him on the podium again, wouldn't it?
23:50I mean, you know,
23:51Dakar earlier this year,
23:52it was incredibly tough for him.
23:54Then almost missing out on the TT.
23:56Doing last minute deals.
23:58And Bournemouth Kawasaki,
23:59good enough to say,
24:00you know what?
24:01We can service that.
24:02Let's go.
24:03Michael breaking.
24:05On his way down to Valaft Bridge.
24:08Now we're back on board.
24:10The rear facing camera,
24:11the man that he is chasing,
24:13Dean Harrison.
24:14Harrison.
24:17Harrison absolutely howling.
24:19Look at that.
24:20The rhythm through these sections.
24:21Davey Todd.
24:22Here's the gap.
24:235.595.
24:24So it's down by nine tenths of a second.
24:27Doesn't sound like a lot,
24:28but with, you know,
24:29a lap and a half still to go.
24:30More than a lap and a half.
24:31Dunlop has closed the gap just a little bit to Harrison.
24:36Here's Todd over the bridge.
24:38Josh Motocross style.
24:39Look at that.
24:40Makes it look so easy.
24:41Doesn't he?
24:42Yeah.
24:43And look how close Josh Brooks is behind.
24:44Of course he caught Josh halfway through lap one.
24:46Close that 10 second gap.
24:48And you can feel them behind you.
24:50Like you can,
24:51do you know they're there?
24:52Yeah, you can.
24:53You can feel someone in their draft directly behind you,
24:55especially right now.
24:57Dom Herbertson would be feeling Rob Hodson as he drafts past
25:01on the way down to Valaft Bridge.
25:03Tidally done.
25:04Harrison's late on the brakes at Parliament Square,
25:07but gets the Honda turning beautifully.
25:09He looks comfortable.
25:11He looks comfortable,
25:12but he's got to keep this machine lit.
25:14Just lifts the front wheel up.
25:16Speed traps though.
25:17Look at this.
25:18Harrison 171.
25:19Dunlop 175.
25:21Four miles an hour, Cameron.
25:23You can ride it as hard as you like,
25:24but if the top speed is different,
25:26it's going to be a tough job.
25:27Yeah.
25:28We saw how quick the Ducati was last year
25:29when David Todd was on board that machine.
25:31Michael was able to hold him off last year.
25:33Michael being yammer hard mounted in 2024,
25:35but now he's on the Italian Ducati.
25:385.5 as they come up to Ramsey hairpin.
25:414.0.
25:42Another 1.5 seconds has come off by Dunlop
25:45as we see Davey Todd coming through.
25:47He was 5.3 off that podium position.
25:50And here is Michael Dunlop.
25:524.0 back now.
25:54Absolutely stunning time on that sector.
25:57He's on it.
25:58He certainly is.
25:59He's on it like Josh Brooks is on the tail of Davey Todd.
26:03He does not want to let him go.
26:05How has Todd caught him so quickly
26:07and then he's able to keep up with him, Brooks,
26:09once Todd has passed?
26:10Brooks is an extremely seasoned competitor.
26:13Very quick British Championship rider.
26:15Also a good Supersport rider on short circuits.
26:18He's probably doing it a little bit easy
26:20when he's getting the toe from Davey Todd.
26:22Mike Brown on the brakes at the end of the Solby.
26:26Straight and goes straight on.
26:28Oh my goodness.
26:29End of Solby straight.
26:30Left of braking too late.
26:32He's fine.
26:33That's the most important thing.
26:34He's fine and up.
26:35But too late on the brakes.
26:36The medics are over to check him straight away.
26:38Great response time.
26:40Cam, we've seen a few mistakes in those high-speed braking zones.
26:43There at the end of the Solby straight,
26:45we saw Davey Todd run wide in Parliament Square.
26:47We saw Mitch Rhys actually ended his race yesterday
26:49at the Ramsey hairpin.
26:50What is it about those slow speed corners
26:52when everything else is so quick?
26:53Well, I guess limited practice time this week.
26:56Also, not a lot of rubber on the road.
26:58Less reference points.
26:59Riders just making small errors that can be quite costly.
27:04Yeah, this was where Mitch Rhys...
27:06We did a lap with Mitch, didn't we?
27:07And this was where he unfortunately ended his race
27:09in the Superbike on the braking zone
27:11at the Ramsey hairpin.
27:12You're on board with Rob Hodson now
27:14as he catches up with Connor Cummins.
27:16Of course, we saw Rob Hodson past Don Hurwitzon
27:19on the Ducati
27:20and he's about to pass another Ducati
27:22up the inside into Mayhill
27:23as he slips past Connor Cummins.
27:25That is such a great view of Mayhill.
27:27We've spoken, haven't we, about how some of these corners are blind.
27:29That's why you've got to know this course
27:31like the back of your hand.
27:32You can't see through the corners.
27:34You've got to know what the exit is
27:35so you can get on the throttle early.
27:37Harrison.
27:38Oh, have a look.
27:39There's not many flies on that visor
27:41because he's spending so much time with his head down behind that screen.
27:45I just love seeing the focus, Cameron.
27:49You blink, I guess, on the straights.
27:51Yeah, there's not much time to blink.
27:53You're trying to navigate corners as fast as this
27:55with little to no runoff.
27:57The rear shot's incredible as well.
27:59When you see the people at the side of the road
28:01but just see how quickly you're eating up the road as well.
28:04The speeds up here are incredible.
28:064.0 is the gap at the moment.
28:09Back to Michael Dunlop from the hairpin.
28:11Gonna have to see whether that's been made up any further
28:13as you see Dom Herbertson now trying to pass Connor Cummins.
28:17Herbertson alongside.
28:19Look at this.
28:20Both Ducati mounted.
28:21That'd be a tougher pass.
28:22Yeah, it will.
28:23V2 versus V2.
28:26Still hasn't found a way through.
28:28And Dunlop, though, has found another half second.
28:30Dunlop plus 3.5 at the bungalow.
28:33Oh, who's that?
28:37Oh, no.
28:38Mike Evans.
28:39Disappointing.
28:40Looks like he's out.
28:41Just heading up to Stella Maris.
28:43The Triumph has called it a day.
28:46Off the racing line, at least, and parked away.
28:49Good job.
28:50But disappointment in the body language.
28:52You can see it, can't you?
28:53Just, ah, game over.
28:55Dean Harrison now will surely be getting messages
28:58from his pit boards that it's plus 3.5.
29:01Cameron Wenya, it was plus 6.4 at Len Helen.
29:04Three seconds have gone away in the last few sectors.
29:07You just don't want to see that on the pit board.
29:09He has to try and respond.
29:11Yeah, but can he, Andrew?
29:12Like, look at the pace he's carried straight from the get-go.
29:15I don't think he's left anything on the table.
29:17He's tried to leave from the start.
29:18He's giving it his all.
29:19I don't think there's much more he can do.
29:21He looks comfortable, too, doesn't he?
29:23He hasn't made any mistakes that we've seen.
29:24He's riding the bike that he's familiar with on the limit.
29:27You can see by his body language, though, he's forceful.
29:29He is riding hard.
29:33You see he's coming out of the Craig.
29:35Look at that crowd, the rear-facing camera.
29:37Look at the speed building as he's heading downhill.
29:40150, 160.
29:43Brandish coming up next for him then.
29:45He'll be Cameron.
29:46He's got a lap to go.
29:47He's desperately trying to hang on to this 3.5-second lead.
29:50What can he do?
29:51Well, the Honda works well through the corners.
29:53He'll be pushing everywhere.
29:55Can he make up any time in the technical sections?
29:58Look at this on-board camera.
30:00It's obvious he's leaving nothing on the table.
30:03Nudging 170 miles per hour on the way down through Hillbury.
30:09We've got one lap to go then in the Monster Energy Supersport TT.
30:15It's Dunlop versus Harrison for this one.
30:17We are in the closing stages of the Monster Energy Supersport TT race number one.
30:34You're on board with Dean Harrison.
30:36He is fighting to try and hang on to this win.
30:39He was P3 earlier on today in the Superbike race.
30:44He would love to stand on the top step of the podium.
30:462019, I think his last victory here was on the island.
30:49He's been flying on the Honda, but Dunlop has got the gap down to 2.4.
30:53It's come down even further, Cameron.
30:55We need to see it going back the other way for Dean.
30:57We do.
30:58Dean's crossed the line.
30:59He's got about 260 corners between him and that checkered flag.
31:04Can he hold off that charging ball?
31:07And here he is.
31:08Michael Dunlop tucked in down Glencrutchery Road.
31:11Crosses over the line.
31:12It was 2.4 at Kronknamona.
31:14It's 2.9.
31:15Harrison's gone back.
31:16So Harrison's taken half a second back off Dunlop.
31:19We're on for a final lap battle here.
31:21We wondered if Harrison would respond and Dean has.
31:24We watched Michael throw the Ducati over Aggo's Leap.
31:29Davey Todd here with Josh Brooks tucked in right behind him.
31:32He's still there.
31:33A lap and a half after he passed him.
31:35He's still there.
31:36The two Hondas are riding in tandem at the moment.
31:39He's hanging on behind.
31:40He can't seem to pass.
31:41Davey Todd back.
31:42But he seems happy just to sit behind him.
31:45Take advantage of the toe.
31:47Here comes Harrison.
31:48Oh, and they're cheering him on from the side of the road.
31:51Oh, the fans, they know how close this race is.
31:53They know how seasoned both these competitors are.
31:56Both will be so hungry to win this first Supersport TT.
32:02It's just two incredible races and a wonderful sidecar encounter in between as well.
32:08But having waited so long for the weather to clear, the fans are being treated to absolute thrillers today.
32:14Dunlop, look at this.
32:15The difference between lap one and lap three and the way that bike is turning into Gorsley.
32:20It's a different attitude.
32:22It's a different animal completely.
32:23He's definitely much happier with the package.
32:25James Hillier on the way down to Crosby.
32:28One of the fastest corners on the course.
32:30Taken flat out in sixth gear.
32:32We've barely spoken about Hillier ever.
32:34He's up there in a podium position.
32:35It's a brilliant result for him.
32:37He's not quite in touch with these front two, but still a great ride.
32:40Listen to that CBR 600 scream as Dean just bangs it back.
32:44That one gear to get the drive out of Sarah's cottage.
32:47Working his way up Greg Willie's hill.
32:49Nothing left and still he took half a second.
32:53There was nothing left, but there was another half second left in that sector.
32:57Here comes Dunlop.
32:59What's it going to be?
33:00Oh, it's down to 0.8 of a second.
33:02Dunlop responds again.
33:03So Dunlop has turned the screws a little bit more.
33:06And we're under a second for victory here in the first Supersport race.
33:10It will be seven Supersport victories in a row for Dunlop if he can do it.
33:14Three quarters of a lap to go as you look back from Davey Todd.
33:17Wow.
33:18That is quite incredible.
33:20It's the closest it has been all race.
33:23The tide has turned.
33:25Dunlop is coming.
33:26Absolutely incredible sector time by him through there.
33:31Harrison.
33:32He may not know the gap as yet.
33:35Not sure where Dean's pit boards are.
33:37But whether he can eek any more out of the CBR 600 in this last portion of the final lap.
33:46Here comes Dunlop through the section.
33:49And he's absolutely on it as he has been.
33:520.8 of a second.
33:53What do you have, Cam, on a pit board?
33:55I'm guessing that the point is 0.8.
33:56You literally got plus zero.
33:58What's the communication to the rider?
34:00That's it, Andrew.
34:01It's just the gap to the rider behind.
34:03On board, James Hillier.
34:04Begaro bottom.
34:05Oh, listen to that.
34:08Powisaki bottom out.
34:10Belly on the floor.
34:11That is some, some commitment through there.
34:14It really is.
34:15James Hind here on the Suzuki GSX-R.
34:18Of course, James finished fifth in this same race last year.
34:21Very fast competitor.
34:23Not going quite as well in today's race.
34:25Dean Harrison at Balaft Bridge.
34:26That's the onboard angle as you see it.
34:28Just look how physical this is.
34:30Remember, this is their second race today as well.
34:32They've been hanging off the side of a superbike.
34:34And now they're on the limit on a super sport machine.
34:36Dunlop on the front wheel.
34:38On the pipe.
34:39It's a tenth of a second.
34:40But Dunlop is in the lead.
34:42So Dunlop has taken it from Harrison.
34:44He's a tenth up the road.
34:46Here's a look now over the jump from James Hillier as well.
34:50Squashing the rear tire.
34:52And it's a big jump for the classic liveried Kawasaki.
34:57Back with the Hondas in tandem.
34:59Davey Todd with Padgetts.
35:01Again with Padgetts.
35:02He did ride for them in 2023.
35:03He's back with them this year just for super sport and the super twin class.
35:07And from that rear facing camera,
35:09looks like maybe he's finally starting to put a gap in.
35:13Here's Hodgson on the Yamaha.
35:15Cummins then on Ducati.
35:17And it is Dominic Herbertson on the Ducati as well.
35:20Three bikes running close together.
35:22What a treat for the fans down at the bottom.
35:24And Bergaro on board now with Herbertson.
35:26Tucked right in again.
35:27Yeah, we're seeing so many bikes on track together.
35:30It just shows how evenly matched these super sport machines are.
35:34Yeah, hard to break a toe, isn't it, when you get together in a pack.
35:37This man has been trying to break the toe of a bike that he can't even see.
35:41Dunlop further behind on the road, but they're locked together on the sector times.
35:45Dunlop did some serious damage at the start of this lap, didn't he?
35:48It just took a bit away from Dean after Dean had edged out by half a second.
35:52Outstanding start.
35:53It's that first sector where Dean Harrison is so strong, but that is where Michael got him back.
35:58It's been a brilliant first sector for Michael Dunlop to get us down to within just an ace of each other on this lap.
36:05Harrison, this time, is wide tight at the hairpin.
36:08Went slightly deep there on lap number one.
36:10It's perfect this time, and it needs to be perfect to try and hold onto a gap from this man, Michael Dunlop.
36:16Is the fight going to continue over the mountain as he cranks the Ducati over on the right-hand side
36:21and opens it up on the run up to the hairpin?
36:23Oh, it's plus 3.4!
36:25Wow!
36:26He's done the same as he did in the first sector camp.
36:28Three and a half seconds found on the run to Ramsey hairpin.
36:31Dunlop, what's he found?
36:33Well, I'll tell you, he found something.
36:35I can only imagine how quick that lap time will be with the momentum he has.
36:39It's an epic run, isn't it?
36:41Dunlop is absolutely flying.
36:43Plus 3.4, unfortunately.
36:44That's a big chunk.
36:45It might be game over.
36:47Hillier riding brilliantly.
36:49Look, 36 seconds off the back of Harrison, but 14 seconds up the road from Todd now.
36:54Oh, he'll be excited about getting back on the podium if he can.
36:56James Hillier, it's been five-plus long years since he stood on that podium.
37:01Always a front-runner.
37:03Moving the rear of the bike around, wasn't he, on the run to the hairpin?
37:06He'll be enjoying this, won't he, at this point?
37:08Because although he'll want to be in the fight for the win,
37:10if you've got your pit board saying you're in no man's land, it's a bit clear on this last night.
37:15You can nurse it home a bit.
37:16Oh, will he be enjoying it or will he be just talking to that Kawasaki saying,
37:19please, just get us home.
37:20Just get me back on that TT podium.
37:23Hang on in there.
37:24I want to climb the steps up in front of the crowd.
37:26Hundred mile an hour through the right-hander.
37:28Look, this is the section leading up.
37:30Now we start to lose the trees and you get up into the bare areas as you come up over the mountain,
37:35is where Harrison is now at Bungalow.
37:37Is there anything left?
37:38We think not.
37:39Harrison's been trying so hard.
37:40The gap was plus 3.4 over the mountain here in theory.
37:44The Ducati with the torque as well.
37:45Cameron, this is a good place for that bike, isn't it?
37:47Yeah, the booming big Ducati.
37:49It's out in the open now where it can stretch its legs.
37:51Just listen to that V-twin.
37:53What is the gap now?
37:55Has it gone up or not?
37:56Dunlop coming through Bungalow.
37:586.6.
37:59It's nearly doubled.
38:00He's had another three seconds off him in the run uphill all the way uphill.
38:05It's just up right the way to the top of the mountain.
38:07And it's obviously the man and machine are completely in sync.
38:10Failing bad luck.
38:11I think it looks like Michael Dunlop's to lose from here on in.
38:15Hillier still, look, he's lost another second to the bikes in front,
38:18but he's still way up the road from Todd.
38:20And the crowd are leaning over the fence and fist pumping him as he's coming up the hill.
38:24What a brilliant feeling to get back in the top three.
38:27Wonderful stuff.
38:29On board with him now.
38:31James as he pilots that Kawasaki over the top of the mountain,
38:36and it's all downhill from here.
38:38Harrison comes through the right-hander.
38:41It's been a wonderful fight from him.
38:43A brilliant effort.
38:44He started so strongly on lap one.
38:46But you can see at Kronknamona, the gap has gone up to Dunlop.
38:50Dunlop now will surely just be rounding the final couple of corners.
38:54It's been 30 years since Ducati took a win here.
38:57And Michael Dunlop's going to take his 30th victory at the TT on the Italian machine.
39:03Seven different manufacturers he's won for now.
39:06And this is seven in a row in the Supersport category.
39:09Dunlop takes it from Harrison.
39:11And a brilliant P3 for James Hillier on the Kawasaki.
39:14I thought you'd got a bus ticket to the podium when I spoke to you earlier.
39:31What a race, James. How do you feel?
39:34There's so many people behind the scenes that have helped get me here and make this happen.
39:37Alan Gardner at OMG Racing.
39:39Although this isn't his bike, we're running out of his awning and truck and crew.
39:43It's just nice to pay back everyone for all their efforts and commitment to me.
39:49And you weren't 100% sure on the bike setup before going into the race.
39:53But now based on that, what are your feelings?
39:55I think we're close.
39:56You know, I've done so many laps on one of those X6s.
39:59So, you know, I knew it was in the ballpark.
40:01There's probably a little bit more.
40:03I didn't have the legs to stay with Michael.
40:04But once I saw the pit board and the gap was comfortable, I just rode accordingly.
40:09And it was very windy up the top.
40:12I felt the bike was slow.
40:13Now I thought I had a problem.
40:14But I think it's just the heavy wind was just slowing me up.
40:17So anyway, I can pipe to Guinness later, I think.
40:21And I'll sleep well tonight and see what the rest of the week brings.
40:34Dean, absolute fair play in that one.
40:37It was a close race, but a second position for you there.
40:40How do you feel?
40:41No, honestly, I'm over the moon with that, to be fair.
40:43Because I knew, Michael, how fast...
40:44Well, the Ducati is so fast through the speed traps.
40:47So I knew I had to just go hard from the start and then just try and go as fast as I could.
40:52Because I knew that he'd come strong later on in the race.
40:54So, no, it's nice to be battling at the front and be there and thereabouts.
40:56So, no, good start to the week.
40:58And you're getting some of your best times on the Supersport.
41:00Is it looking strong for race two, do you think?
41:02No, that's all it's got.
41:03There's no...
41:04You know, we can't improve what we have.
41:05This is all we have here.
41:06Obviously, that's a new generation bike where we're six miles an hour down through the trap.
41:10There's nothing.
41:11We're not going to find any more power through the week.
41:13So, we'll just do the same again in race two.
41:16Congratulations, Michael Dunlop.
41:33First place on new machinery in the Supersport race.
41:37How was that?
41:38Yeah.
41:39Yeah, it was tough first lap.
41:40It was a bit tough.
41:41It's, again, like a lap.
41:42So, we've struggled with obviously a new manufacturer.
41:45But it's great to, you know, Ducati wanted somebody to get back on winning in ways.
41:49And I think they're actually saying that today is the 30th year.
41:52Well, not today, obviously.
41:53But this is the 30th year since they've last won.
41:55That's now my 30th victory.
41:57So, it's quite cool.
41:58Like, you know what I mean?
41:59And obviously, that puts another manufacturer under my tally.
42:01And just hats off to the boys.
42:03I knew the boys at Quattro and Milwaukee and Cheshire Moulins were keen to be successful.
42:08So, they put my faith in me and I just got stuck on with it.
42:12And you look to be making a few suspension changes in pit lane.
42:15Were you getting a better feel throughout the race?
42:17Yeah, it sort of goes to show how sort of screwed we are.
42:20Not just set up, just lack of track time and complete new machinery.
42:24And all them things add up into one.
42:26It just goes to show that when we're making changes in the pits,
42:29it's never really what we're trying to achieve.
42:32Normally, with this stage, everybody else has bikes they've ridden for years.
42:36So, they don't have to do this.
42:37I'm having to do it in the pits.
42:38So, fair play to the boys.
42:39It was a brainwave from one of the technicians to say,
42:41look lad, I know this is what we're struggling on.
42:44Or we have bits.
42:45We'll bring a bit of a job in with us and we'll make changes if needs be.
42:51So, that's what we've done.
42:52So, the Dunlop story continues here and it's really frightening fellas to think that this guy is still in his prime.
43:07He's got so much more still to come.
43:09Still in his prime, 16 years since he won his first race.
43:13That was on the Supersport.
43:14Pretty special.
43:15Now, you've got a feel for Dean Harrison on the 600.
43:17You do have to feel, sorry, for Dean Harrison on the 600.
43:19He got out of the blocks hot and he sort of had a good lead.
43:21And then they came into the pit start and Michael Dunlop,
43:24them adjustment changes on the front dampers there seemed to make all the difference.
43:27He could sort of reel that time in.
43:28And then from Ramsey really on that last lap, he just made the race his own.
43:32Whatever happens for the rest of this TT race week, Steve,
43:35I think it's fair to say that that podium for James Hillier will be up there
43:38as one of the moments of the week for lots of people here,
43:41fans and people in the Paddockalai.
43:43Hey, pretty special.
43:44You know, coming over the mountain there on that lovely colour scheme,
43:49just like the old H1 ZXR 750 ball backs and special memories.
43:53Yeah, special moment for James Hillier,
43:55a really special moment for Michael Dunlop and his family,
43:58whose legacy is extended here on the Isle of Man.
44:01We'll be back with more racing tomorrow night.
44:03Bye for now.
44:31Have a good day.
44:33Take care.
44:34Take care.
44:35Bye.
44:36Bye.
44:38Bye.
44:39ommy.
44:40Bye.
44:53Bye.
44:55Bye.
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