Michael Dunlop wins first Supersport contest of TT 2026

Ballymoney man sweeps to his 34th victory at the event

Michael Dunlop MBE claimed his first win of TT 2026 and his 34th TT win overall with a dominant showing in today's Supersport TT Race 1.

The Ballymoney man pulled clear over the three laps after a close early tussle with Honda rider, Dean Harrison who went on to take second.

Elsewhere, Peter Hickman made it back-to-back podiums in the first two races of this year's racing fortnight, finishing third after a close-fought contest with Paul Jordan for a place in the top three.

Whilst Dunlop had dominated the qualifying times in practice week, he wasn't having it all his own way in the early stages as he led by just one-tenth of a second ahead of Dean Harrison at the end of lap one.

In turn, Paul Jordan was rounding out the top three 12 seconds further back off Jordan whilst five seconds back on him was Peter Hickman looking to keep in touch for podium contention.

Further back, both Mike Browne and Conor Cummins - running in the top-ten battle early on - were hit with respective 30-second penalties for speeding in the pit lane with the former of those two dropping down to fifth on lap two as a result.

Back at the front and, following the first-lap pit stops, the pendulum swung in a different direction to see Dunlop take control over Harrison with the Ballymoney man stretching that advantage to more than 12 seconds over Harrison heading onto the final lap.

Meanwhile, the battle between Jordan and Hickman raged on for third spot onto the final run with the latter moving ahead of Jordan at Glen Helen on lap three.

With the gap on fine margins there, it was the opposite case in the fight for top spot as Dunlop continued to extend his lead across the final few sectors to eventually take the chequered flag 24.4 seconds ahead of Harrison.

And as spectators waited for an outcome on a gripping battle for the last place in the winners enclosure, it was Hickman who pulled out the stops on lap three to make sure it was he who scooped third spot, upping the pace to eventually take it by 11.5 seconds ahead of Jordan.

The Supersport TT Race 1 marked the only afternoon action on the Snaefell Mountain Course with roads around the course - except the Mountain Section - to reopen no later than 5pm.

Highways around the course are then due to shut once more at 6pm ahead of the three-lap Sportbike TT Race 1 at 6.30pm.