Senior Classic TT: Another victory for Michael Dunlop, bad luck for Julian Trummer

With a few exceptions, the current road racing elite are not about to miss out on taking part in the Senior Classic TT, which has long since become the most important race for historic motorbikes. Northern Ireland’s exceptional rider Michael Dunlop – the most successful rider on the Snaefell Mountain Course with 36 TT victories to his name – is also eagerly awaiting the start.

The glorious weather of the last few days has changed. Instead of pleasant warmth, it has turned quite chilly. In the starting area on Glencrutchery Road, the temperature is only 15°C. It has even rained lightly in some parts of the Isle of Man. However, the course – which is over 60 kilometres long – has dried out in time for the eagerly anticipated action.

Following the results of the Formula One Classic TT, the starting order has been adjusted once again. Irishman Mike Browne, ahead of local hero Nathan Harrison – both on Kawasakis – will be the first rider to start the race. Dunlop has the obligatory number 6 on his Suzuki, whilst Briton Peter Hickman, riding one of the rare Nortons with a Wankel engine, has ‘his’ number 10.

Austrian Julian Trummer, who finished the Formula One Classic TT race in seventh place two days ago, has moved up to twelfth place. His Kawasaki has been completely rebuilt by the mechanics of the TC Racing/CP Coldplaning team, as the race bike had lost oil during practice and gearbox problems had arisen with the spare bike.

Die Maschine von Julian Trummer wurde für das Rennen neu aufgebaut

Foto: Julian Trummer

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At 10.15 am local time sharp, the first rider is sent out onto the track. The race distance is four laps, or 242.9 kilometres.

It is not Dunlop but Jamie Coward who tops the timesheets at Glen Helen. Dunlop is two-tenths of a second slower, and Harrison is only a further seven-tenths of a second behind. It is not until Ramsey that the favourite takes the lead with a 0.5-second advantage. With Browne and Rob Hodson, there have already been two high-profile retirements.

Trummer shocks the commentators when the timekeepers show him as the clear leader. However, this is likely to be down to a problem with his transponder.

Coward puts Dunlop under pressure. After the first lap, just 1.8 seconds separate the two rivals. Behind Harrison, Shaun Anderson is staking his claim to a top-three finish. In fifth place, Joe Yeardsley – another local hero – has secured a good starting position for the rest of the race. Trummer pulls into the pits and retires.

On the second lap, Dunlop shows who’s boss. Slowly but surely, he pulls away from his closest rival. With a lead of just over seven seconds, he heads into the pits to refuel. Harrison is 20 seconds behind, but has a comfortable lead over Anderson in fourth place.

Conor Cummins, who was running in sixth place at the halfway stage, falls hopelessly behind because his motorbike won’t start after the refuelling stop. To make matters worse, he’s handed a 30-second penalty. Hickman, too, would most likely prefer to forget this race. Far down the field, he dismounts from his bike, clearly disappointed.

By the third lap, the order has settled at Dunlop ahead of Coward, Harrison, Anderson, Yeardsley and Michael Sweeney. Only the gaps between them are changing.

All eyes are on Dunlop, who can see Coward – who started 20 seconds ahead of him – right in front of him on the track. Whilst the top four – Dunlop, Coward, Harrison and Anderson – are firmly established, a virtual duel has broken out between Yeardsley and Sweeney for fifth place. At the finish line, Yeardsley just manages to come out on top.

Senior Classic TT Results, Isle of Man, 25 August 2026

1. Michael Dunlop (GB), Suzuki, 4 laps in 1:11:47.331 mins. 2. Jamie Coward (GB), Kawasaki, 11.680 sec behind. 3. Nathan Harrison (GBM), Kawasaki, +45.636 sec. 4. Shaun Anderson (GB), Suzuki. 5. Joe Yeardsley (GBM), Kawasaki. 6. Michael Sweeney (IRL), Kawasaki. Also: Julian Trummer (A), DNF.