Team Honda Legends riders took charge of the Superbike feature at the annual Isle of Man races, with new signing Michael Dunlop leading team-mates Cameron Donald and pre-race favourite John McGuinness home. It was Dunlop’s first Superbike victory at the Island.
McGuinness, as usual the pre-race favourite with 19 Island wins to his credit, lost a minute to a penalty for speeding in pit lane after his second pit stop and had to settle for a new lap record on his final go-around, doing an amazing 131.67 mph (212 km/h) lap to snatch the final place on the podium from Tyco Suzuki’s Guy Martin, who is still looking for his first TT victory.
Penalty or not, it was Dunlop’s day, as he finished 40 seconds ahead of Donald and a minute 20 seconds ahead of McGuinness. That’s four TT wins for Dunlop, adding to his previous Supersport and Superstock wins.
“It’s fantastic and I can’t thank enough people. It hasn’t sunk in yet and it’s unreal,” he said. I’ve always wanted a Superbike win. I love the bike and I can’t say enough about the lads. I took it easy on the final laps. Honda put a great bike together and it shows how good the bike is when you have three Hondas on the podium.
McGuinness, who had been undefeated in any Superbike race he had finished at the TT since 2003, added: “I can’t win them all. I don’t know what happened in that second pit stop. Obviously it’s my fault and I’ll take it on the chin because they’re the rules.”
