Peter Hickman, Isle of Man TT 2026, Superbike
Peter Hickman, Isle of Man TT 2026, Superbike
© Isle of Man TT
LIVE

Isle of Man TT LIVE: Superbike race updates

Live text coverage of the 2026 Isle of Man TT Superbike race on Sunday 31 May.

KEY MOMENTS

  • Superbike TT is underway
  • Harrison leads after two laps
  • McGuinness in top five 

The 2026 Isle of Man TT race week begins today (Sunday 31 May) with the six-lap Superbike TT. 

Race week was due to begin on Saturday with the opening three-lap Superstock TT of the event. But poor weather forced Saturday's action to be scrapped. 

That means today's six-lap Superbike TT will mark the curtain-raiser for the 2026 event. 

Setting off at No.1 on the road will be 23-time TT winner John McGuinness, who marks the 30th anniversary since his debut on the Isle of Man in 1996. 

McGuinness was fifth overall after qualifying in the Superbike class, showing that the 54-year-old is going as fast as ever and could well find himself in the podium hunt today. 

But favourite for victory will be his Honda team-mate Dean Harrison, who has been in total control of the big bike classes throughout practice week. 

Harrison, who won both Superstock races last year, was fastest outright at the end of qualifying with a 135mph lap on his Superstock-spec Honda, while also leading the Superbike times with a 134.8mph lap. 

Michael Dunlop will be hoping to add to his tally of 33 TT victories, but he has not had the easiest of weeks so far on his Superbike, having made a late change to the Honda following his original plans to race a Ducati. 

Dunlop was fourth on Superbike qualifying times, and was looking in a better shape on the last day of practice. 

Peter Hickman has been a big bike specialist at the TT in recent years, but his true form in a six-lap race remains to be seen, as he continues to recover from nerve damage from a 140mph qualifying crash in 2025. 

He was second at the end of the practice week with a 132mph lap on his 8TEN Racing BMW. 

Others to watch for in the Superbike race include double BSB champion Josh Brookes, Nathan Harrison and Jamie Coward. 

2026 Isle of Man TT: Sunday schedule

Roads closed - 12:30pm

Superbike TT (6 laps) - 1:30pm

31 May 2026
14:22
Lap 4/6

Harrison rips through the Grandstand to start the fourth lap. 

 

14:21

McGuinness is under fives seconds behind Brookes in the battle for fourth.

14:20

At the Bungalow, Harrison is 28.9s up on Hickman, who is now into second and 1.002s up on Dunlop.

14:17

Harrison's lead is up to 28.560s over Dunlop, who has Hickman 0.471s behind. 

So, this battle for second remains tight at Ramsey.

14:15

Hickman has Brookes and Coward ahead of him to pass.

14:15

Top 10 at Ballaugh:

  1. Harrison
  2. Dunlop
  3. Hickman
  4. Brookes
  5. McGuinness
  6. Coward
  7. Hutchinson
  8. N.Harrison
  9. Browne
  10. Cummins
14:14

Hickman stays third, but is now 0.784s behind Dunlop and is coming up on traffic.

14:13

Harrison is through Ballaugh and is 27.5s clear of Dunlop now.

14:12

David Johnson has retired.

14:11

Harrison's lead is 24.4s at Glen Helen over Dunlop, who is 0.332s ahead of Hickman. 

14:09

Standings on lap 2:

  1. Harrison
  2. Dunlop
  3. Hickman
  4. Brookes
  5. McGuinness
  6. Hutchinson
  7. Coward
  8. N.Harrison
  9. Browne
  10. Cummins
14:09

McGuinness did a 132mph lap into the pits. He's on course for his best lap ever today. He holds fifth, 7.4s behind Brookes.

14:07

Hickman's stop was 54.216s, which might just get him ahead of Dunlop if he has a good run to Glen Helen.

14:06

Harrison's lead at the end of lap two is 24.327s, though that will come down a little after a slightly quicker stop for Dunlop. 

Hickman is back to third, 0.293s behind. 

14:05

Harrison has a 59s pit stop. 

McGuinness 56.5s. Dunlop 55.268s.

14:04
Lap3/6

End of lap two and Harrison is into the pits for his first stop.

14:04

The battle for seventh looks like it's shaping up. Nathan Harrison is up there, but he's got Coward, Browne and Cummins quite close behind on corrected time. 

14:03

Brookes found some time to the Bungalow in fourth and is now 5.8s clear of McGuinness. 

14:02

At the Bungalow, Harrison's lead is 22.518s clear of Hickman, who is just 0.388s ahead of Dunlop. 

14:00

McGuinness is closer again to Brookes, 3.090s behind. Fourth is on here for the 54-year-old!

14:00

Top 10 at Ramsey:

  1. Harrison
  2. Hickman
  3. Dunlop
  4. Brookes
  5. McGuinness
  6. Hutchinson
  7. N.Harrison
  8. Coward
  9. Browne
  10. Cummins
13:59

And that's impacted Dunlop big time, because Hickman is now second, 1.3s clear of Dunlop!

13:59

Harrison's lead is up to 21.6s over Dunlop into Ramsey. 

Dunlop got stuck behind Nathan Harrison through Parliament Square and up through Ramsey. 

13:57

McGuinness is catching Brookes here. At Ballaugh, the gap to fourth is just 3.7s. 

13:55

Harrison's lead at Ballaugh is up to 17.7s over Dunlop now. Hickman still 1.2s behind in third.