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Conditions were truly top notch ahead of the opening qualifying session of TT 2023, which commenced at 2:00 PM with Supersport, Super Twins exponents first out on the sun-drenched Mountain Course.
Quite incredibly from a standing start Michael Dunlop aboard the SC Project Paton, bested his own Super Twins lap record, lapping at 122.907 mph, equating timing wise to 18:25.127 seconds.
Quickly after Dunlop’s sensational performance, world’s fastest road racer Peter Hickman went fastest overall, heading the Supersport time screens, lapping at 125.958 mph.
Just 3.987 in arrears to Hickman’s lap was perennial top challenger of recent TT’s, Dean Harrison (125.494).
Hickman went onto near the 127-mph lap mark but then the in-form Dunlop, surpassed this barrier, recording a lap time of 17:49.355 seconds.
Dunlop (127.019), K2 Trooper Beer/PHR Performance Triumph mounted Hickman (126.814), two plate holder Harrison (125.494), Milenco by Padgetts Davey Todd (124.604), team-mate Conor Cummins (122.783), Michael Browne (122.161) would go onto finish this afternoon’s Supersport top six.
In terms of the Twins field, second to sixth speediest behind Dunlop were Jamie Coward (119.758), Brian McCormack (118.971), aforementioned BE/RK Racing lead rider Browne (117.504), Dominic Herbertson (116.821) and new Dafabet Racing Kawasaki jockey, Josh Brookes (116.47).
TT 2023 – Monday Qualifying Results:
(PB lap speed located near racer’s name)
Supersport:
1 – Michael Dunlop – 127.019
2 – Peter Hickman – 126.814
3 – Dean Harrison – 125.494
4 – Davey Todd – 124.604
5 – Conor Cummins – 122.783
6 – Michael Browne – 122.161
7 – Paul Jordan – 121.796
8 – David Johnson – 121.788
9 – James Hillier – 120.607
10 – Craig Neve – 120.502
11 – Matt Stevenson – 119.496
12 – Pierre Yves Bian – 119.346
13 – Joey Thompson – 119
14 – Brian McCormack – 118.971
15 – Forest Dunn – 118.303
16 – Julian Trummer – 118.225
17 – Shaun Anderson – 117.798
18 – Mark Goodings – 117.508
19 – Stephen Parsons – 117.215
20 – Stefano Bonetti – 116.945
21 – Jonathan Goetschy – 115.988
22 – Tom Weeden – 115.977
23 – Richard Wilson – 115.214
24 – Xavier Denis – 114.695
25 – Mark Parrett – 114.634
26 – Jamie Cringle – 114.568
27 – Gary Vines – 114.54
28 – Amalric Blanc – 114.056
29 – AJ Venter – 113.601
30 – Ryan Cringle – 111.658
31 – Jim Hind – 110.62
32 – Craig Szczypek – 108.865
33 – Jack Petrie – 107.696
34 – Jorge Halliday – 107.527
35 – David Brook – 107.097
Super Twins:
1 – Michael Dunlop – 122.907
2 – Jamie Coward – 119.758
3 – Brian McCormack – 118.971
4 – Michael Browne – 117.504
5 – Dominic Herbertson – 116.821
6 – Josh Brookes – 116.47
7 – Michael Rutter – 116.425
8 – Francesco Curinga – 115.183
9 – Paul Jordan – 115.048
10 – Michael Evans – 114.829
11 – Stefano Bonetti – 114.29
12 – Michal Dokoupil – 113.97
13 – Jonathan Perry – 113.548
14 – Chris Moore – 113.238
15 – Pierre Yves Bian – 113.105
16 – Barry Furber – 112.752
17 – Jonathan Goetschy – 111.98
18 – Dave Hewson – 111.517
19 – Michael Russell – 110.688
20 – Martin Morris – 110.074
21 – Miroslav Sloboda – 110.072
22 – Pete Murray – 110.046
23 – James Chawke – 109.993
24 – Kevin Barsby – 109.752
25 – Gareth Arnold – 109.339
26 – Paul Cassidy – 109.094
27 – Masayuki Yamanaka – 108.335
28 – Dave Madsen Mygdal – 108.174
29 – Vinny Brennan – 105.104
30 – Andy Hornby – 104.018
Photo credit: Nick Wheeler, Mark Corlett
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
Quickly after Dunlop’s sensational performance, world’s fastest road racer Peter Hickman went fastest overall, heading the Supersport time screens, lapping at 125.958 mph.
Just 3.987 in arrears to Hickman’s lap was perennial top challenger of recent TT’s, Dean Harrison (125.494).
Hickman went onto near the 127-mph lap mark but then the in-form Dunlop, surpassed this barrier, recording a lap time of 17:49.355 seconds.
Dunlop (127.019), K2 Trooper Beer/PHR Performance Triumph mounted Hickman (126.814), two plate holder Harrison (125.494), Milenco by Padgetts Davey Todd (124.604), team-mate Conor Cummins (122.783), Michael Browne (122.161) would go onto finish this afternoon’s Supersport top six.
In terms of the Twins field, second to sixth speediest behind Dunlop were Jamie Coward (119.758), Brian McCormack (118.971), aforementioned BE/RK Racing lead rider Browne (117.504), Dominic Herbertson (116.821) and new Dafabet Racing Kawasaki jockey, Josh Brookes (116.47).
TT 2023 – Monday Qualifying Results:
(PB lap speed located near racer’s name)
Supersport:
1 – Michael Dunlop – 127.019
2 – Peter Hickman – 126.814
3 – Dean Harrison – 125.494
4 – Davey Todd – 124.604
5 – Conor Cummins – 122.783
6 – Michael Browne – 122.161
7 – Paul Jordan – 121.796
8 – David Johnson – 121.788
9 – James Hillier – 120.607
10 – Craig Neve – 120.502
11 – Matt Stevenson – 119.496
12 – Pierre Yves Bian – 119.346
13 – Joey Thompson – 119
14 – Brian McCormack – 118.971
15 – Forest Dunn – 118.303
16 – Julian Trummer – 118.225
17 – Shaun Anderson – 117.798
18 – Mark Goodings – 117.508
19 – Stephen Parsons – 117.215
20 – Stefano Bonetti – 116.945
21 – Jonathan Goetschy – 115.988
22 – Tom Weeden – 115.977
23 – Richard Wilson – 115.214
24 – Xavier Denis – 114.695
25 – Mark Parrett – 114.634
26 – Jamie Cringle – 114.568
27 – Gary Vines – 114.54
28 – Amalric Blanc – 114.056
29 – AJ Venter – 113.601
30 – Ryan Cringle – 111.658
31 – Jim Hind – 110.62
32 – Craig Szczypek – 108.865
33 – Jack Petrie – 107.696
34 – Jorge Halliday – 107.527
35 – David Brook – 107.097
Super Twins:
1 – Michael Dunlop – 122.907
2 – Jamie Coward – 119.758
3 – Brian McCormack – 118.971
4 – Michael Browne – 117.504
5 – Dominic Herbertson – 116.821
6 – Josh Brookes – 116.47
7 – Michael Rutter – 116.425
8 – Francesco Curinga – 115.183
9 – Paul Jordan – 115.048
10 – Michael Evans – 114.829
11 – Stefano Bonetti – 114.29
12 – Michal Dokoupil – 113.97
13 – Jonathan Perry – 113.548
14 – Chris Moore – 113.238
15 – Pierre Yves Bian – 113.105
16 – Barry Furber – 112.752
17 – Jonathan Goetschy – 111.98
18 – Dave Hewson – 111.517
19 – Michael Russell – 110.688
20 – Martin Morris – 110.074
21 – Miroslav Sloboda – 110.072
22 – Pete Murray – 110.046
23 – James Chawke – 109.993
24 – Kevin Barsby – 109.752
25 – Gareth Arnold – 109.339
26 – Paul Cassidy – 109.094
27 – Masayuki Yamanaka – 108.335
28 – Dave Madsen Mygdal – 108.174
29 – Vinny Brennan – 105.104
30 – Andy Hornby – 104.018
Photo credit: Nick Wheeler, Mark Corlett
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou 
