Michael Dunlop wins Senior Classic TT

Seven Mountain Course victories for Ballymoney man in 2026

Michael Dunlop won the Senior Classic TT this morning (25 August).

The Northern Irishman beat second place Jamie Coward by over 11 seconds. 

Meanwhile Island resident Nathan Harrison crossed the line in third to complete the podium. 

The result means Dunlop has won three Classic TT races this year after he claimed victories in the Formula One and, Lightweight/Ultralightweight races. 

The Ballymoney man has now won six races on the Snaefell Mountain Course in 2026.

Race report by Isle of Man TT Races:

Michael Dunlop took his third victory of this year’s Classic TT as the Team Classic Suzuki rider won Tuesday morning’s Senior Classic TT race, finishing 11.68s ahead of Jamie Coward (Greenall Racing Kawasaki), with Coward’s team-mate Nathan Harrison completing the podium in third.

​Conditions were perfect all around the Mountain Course and although Harrison was first to arrive at Glen Helen on the opening lap, it was Coward who led, albeit by just 0.2s from Dunlop, with Harrison only 0.7s further back in third.

​Shaun Anderson (Stanford Racing by ARD Suzuki), Dominic Herbertson (TAS/Adam Hewitt Racing Kawasaki) and Michael Sweeney (Mistral Racing Kawasaki) completed the early top six, but Rob Hodson was out, the CK Racing Ducati rider retiring at Quarter Bridge.

Mike Browne, third in Sunday’s Formula One race was also out having retired the Electric Van Company Kawasaki at Crosby.

​Over Ballaugh Bridge for the first time and Coward doubled his advantage to 0.4s but Harrison had lost a bit of ground and he was now 2.4s adrift of Dunlop.

Anderson was still fourth but Sweeney and his Mistral Racing Kawasaki team-mate Joe Yeardsley were now in fifth and sixth with Herbertson having retired at Orrisdale.

​Dunlop had nosed ahead at Ramsey Hairpin by half a second and he’d doubled his advantage at the Bungalow where Yeardsley had nosed ahead of Sweeney for fifth.

​Harrison was first to complete a lap at 126.096mph but a lap of 127.070mph gave Dunlop a lead of 1.8s over Coward, whose opening lap was 126.849mph.

​Harrison was first to complete a lap at 126.096mph but with a lap of 127.070mph, Dunlop had a lead of 1.8s over Coward whose opening lap was 126.849mph.

Anderson (124.888mph), Yeardsley (123.065mph) and Sweeney (122.996mph) completed the top six but Julian Trummer (TC Racing/DP Coldplaning Kawasaki), running strongly in the top ten again, retired at the pits.

​Through Glen Helen on the second lap and Dunlop’s lead had moved out to 2.6s with Harrison losing further ground in third, 10.8s behind Coward, although he was comfortably clear of fourth placed Anderson.

Yeardsley and Sweeney remained locked in battle though, just two and a half seconds between them.

​Dunlop’s lead had extended further at Ballaugh to 3.4s and by Ramsey Hairpin for the second time it had increased again, the gap to Coward now standing at 4.8s as the riders made the Mountain climb prior to the solitary pit stop.

​A second lap speed of 128.596mph, the fastest of the race, gave Dunlop a lead of seven seconds over Coward (127.970mph) with Harrison (127.155mph) now 13s behind in third.

They were followed by Anderson (125.662mph), Sweeney (123.828mph) with Conor Cummins (123.983mph) now in sixth on the Steadplan Racing Kawasaki after overhauling Yeardsley over the Mountain.

​Cummins’ bike refused to fire after the pit stop and, although the Manxman eventually got back underway, he dropped outside the top ten as Barry Furber, Paul Williams and Amalric Blanc, amongst others, overhauled him.

Peter Hickman was also out of luck, and the 14-time Isle of Man TT race winner retired the Norton at the pits.

​Onto Glen Helen on the third lap and Dunlop’s lead remained at seven seconds with the gap 7.4s at Ballaugh but it moved out to nine seconds at Ramsey Hairpin where Harrison was 21.4s adrift in third.

Anderson was in a comfortable fourth but the battle for fifth continued to rage with Yeardsley back ahead of Sweeney whilst behind them, Furber’s strong ride ended in retirement.

​Going into the final lap, Dunlop’s lead was up to 11.2s with the first four positions looking secure and, indeed, there was to be no drama on the fourth lap with a final lap speed of 128.031mph giving Dunlop his third victory of the meeting, 11.68s ahead of Coward (127.976mph) who repeated his second-place finish from Sunday’s Formula One race.

​Harrison (126.765mph) completed the podium in third ahead of Anderson and in the race-long battle for fifth, it was Yeardsley who prevailed over Sweeney, the two team-mates separated by 3.5s at the chequered flag. Williams, Joey Thompson, Ryan Whitehall and Kevin Keyes rounded out the top ten, with Cummins battling his way back to 11th.

​The chequered flag on the Senior Classic TT brings the racing programme to a close at the 2026 Classic TT.

The celebrations on the Mountain Course continue this afternoon, with attention now turning to the Back to 1996 Rewind Parade, the Classic Sidecar Parade, and the John McGuinness MBE 30 Years Parade, marking three decades since McGuinness made his TT debut.