Peter Hickman, Isle of Man TT 2026, Superbike
Peter Hickman, Isle of Man TT 2026, Superbike
© Isle of Man TT
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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
14:39

Harrison comes into the pits for his second stop. That was a 134.12mph lap.

14:37

At the Bungalow, Harrison's lead is now 34.058s, but Hickman is back into second ahead of Dunlop - 0.135s. 

14:36

Dunlop is now ahead of McGuinness on the road.

14:34

Harrison's lead at Ramsey is 33.6s.

Dunlop is back into second ahead of Hickman, though only by 0.153s. 

14:33

McGuinness is pushing hard here. He ran wide into Parliament Square. He still has Dunlop behind him on the road, which is impressive. 

14:32

For the moment, Brookes looks to have fourth over McGuinness in hand with a seven-second advantage that has remained stable for a while.

14:31

At Ballaugh, Harrison's lead is 32.6s from Hickman, who is holding Dunlop 0.750s at bay.

14:31

One thing we haven't noted yet is that Conor Cummins has ditched the Bathams BMW Superbike and is on his own Conrod Racing Superstock-spec bike. 

He's hanging onto the top 10 on it. 

14:29

Jonathan Perry and Mark Parrett have retired from this race.

14:28

In the battle for fourth, Brookes has 7.7s on McGuinness. But McGuinness is about to be passed by Dunlop, and he may be able to use that to help drag him closer to Brookes. 

14:27

Through Glen Helen on lap four, and Harrison continues to extend his lead. 

He's 30.3s ahead of Hickman, who is only 0.784s ahead of Dunlop in this tense battle for second. 

14:25

Standings at the end of lap three:

  1. Harrison
  2. Hickman
  3. Dunlop
  4. Brookes
  5. McGuinness
  6. Coward
  7. Hutchinson
  8. Browne
  9. N.Harrison
  10. Cummins
14:23

Hickman has extended over Dunlop. He's 2.4s up on Dunlop at the start of lap four.

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.