Peter Hickman roars to 2023 Senior TT victory

Dean Harrison impresses to take second ahead of Michael Dunlop

Peter Hickman made it back-to-back Senior TT victories this afternoon (10 June) as he roared to an emphatic victory in the finale to TT 2023.

The FHO Racing man managed to finish 19.9 seconds ahead of a highly-impressive Dean Harrison in second who ran superbly to finish 20.4 seconds ahead of Michael Dunlop who took third.

Today's win sees Hickman move onto 13 TT victories in total, surpassing Bruce Anstey and Ian Lougher, and ending his current mountain course campaign with three straight victories over the last two days.

Much focus was on the duo of Peter Hickman and Michael Dunlop heading into today's race, and it was the former who set the early standard in lap one to lead 6.1 seconds in front of Dean Harrison who was enjoyed a fast start to proceedings - Dunlop then trailed the Yorkshireman in third by 3.9 seconds going onto the first flying lap.

Heading into the first pit stops, the order at the front was unchanged, but Hickman had increased his gap to Harrison further to 11.9 seconds with Harrison himself also keeping Dunlop at bay by 7.4 seconds, elsewhere Conor Cummins was cementing himself in a steady fourth ahead of Josh Brookes and James Hiller in fifth in sixth respectively.

Hickman in the process of his second lap also set a new Senior TT lap record at 135.507mph.

As the top three remained unchanged heading into lap three, there was some change in behind following pit stops, a longer stop from Hillier meant he slipped down the order in the top ten with John McGuinness moving several steps up in to sixth whilst Craig Neve was impressing in ninth slightly further down.

By the time the first machine crossed the line to mark the halfway point of the race, Dean Harrison - despite still trailing Hickman by 9.9 seconds - was continuing to improve by opening the gap to Dunlop to 17.67 seconds.

Further down, Hillier, who'd lost time in his first pit stop managed to leapfrog Davey Todd into eighth on lap four and began bearing down on David Johnson in seventh.

Into the second and final pit stops, and the gaps between the leading trio had become more substantial - Hickman entered the pits with a 12.4-second advantage over Harrison who was still proving too hot to catch for Dunlop in third with the interval between those at 23.6 seconds.

In the early stages of lap five Hillier had made up more ground this time moving up and past David Johnson in the standings to seventh whilst Hickman made a statement in being able to pass Dunlop on the road on the Sulby straight.

Hickman's commanding lead was holding heading onto a flying final lap as Harrison dropped further back to 15.9 seconds but the Yorkshireman's positive charge throughout the contest was still seeing him inch further away from Dunlop who now trailed his rival at Glencrutchery Road by 27.6 seconds.

Whilst some may have expected Hickman to begin easing off with the lead he'd built, there was in fact no let up as he increased the gap to Harrison further, and elsewhere Dunlop had earned a small amount of time back on Harrison.

Hillier was also continuing his charge inside the top ten further down as he then moved ahead of McGuinness at Glen Helen into sixth but still some way off Brookes who was holding onto a comfortable fifth spot.

But the battles elsewhere would bear no relevance to Hickman who took the final chequered flag of the fortnight on the sixth and final lap to take his 13th TT win in front of Harrison who held off a late response from Dunlop to take second, with the Ballymoney rider having to settle for the final podium place in third.