Hickman denies Dunlop to win Senior TT at 2023 Isle of Man TT
Hickman finished 19.9 seconds clear of runner-up Dean Harrison, with Dunlop a further 20.4s behind in third.
The Monster Energy by FHO Racing BMW rider set the fastest lap of the race, 135.507mph, on the second lap which saw him claim two more best-ever sector times meaning he now has all six.
Conor Cummins finished fourth, Josh Brookes fifth, James Hillier sixth, John McGuinness seventh and David Johnson eighth.
The rivalry between Hickman and Dunlop has engulfed this year’s event but it was Hickman who won the most prestigious, and final, race of 2023.
For Hickman it was a 13th career victory at the TT, meaning only eight men have won more.
Dunlop had already amassed four wins to leave himself one short of the all-time record (26) held by his iconic uncle Joey Dunlop, but Hickman’s brilliance will force him to wait until next year before trying to claim the outright record.
Hickman had broken the outright lap record on a Superstock bike earlier this week and did consider using the same machine for the Senior TT, but he emerged pleased with his Superbike’s performance after a warm-up lap.
His decision was justified with a flawless six-lap ride around the Mountain Course.
Hickman joins Dunlop as a three-time Senior TT winner, and has now won three of the past four.
Hickman also denied Dunlop the chance to equal the record of five wins in a single event, held by Ian Hutchinson. Hickman and Dunlop finish 2023 with four wins each.
How the Senior TT was won
It was Harrison who seized the initiative on the first run to Glen Helen and he led Hickman by half a second with Dunlop, perhaps surprisingly, 2.2 seconds adrift in third. James Hillier (OMG Racing Yamaha) had made a good start and was running in fifth ahead of the Milenco by Padgett’s Motorcycles Honda duo of Conor Cummins and Davey Todd.
Seventh to tenth were occupied by John McGuinness (Honda Racing), Jamie Coward (KTS Racing powered by Steadplan Honda), Hickman’s team-mate Josh Brookes and David Johnson (C&L Fairburn Properties/Jackson Racing Honda) with the quartet covered by just three quarters of a second.
Hickman grabbed the lead on the run to Ballaugh, courtesy of the first ever sub-three minute sector time, but Coward was out having retired at the famous landmark, and by Ramsey Hairpin, Hickman’s lead had moved out to 4.7s. Dunlop was still in third but had closed to within three quarters of a second of Harrison. Fourth to sixth was now Cummins, Hillier and Brookes.
An opening lap of 135.349mph – the quickest ever standing start lap – put Hickman 6.1 seconds ahead of Harrison with Dunlop now 3.9 seconds adrift of Harrison. Cummins still ran in fourth but whilst Hillier continued to run in fifth, he was only 0.098s ahead of Brookes. Johnson was now up to seventh as McGuinness, Dominic Herbertson and Craig Neve rounded out the top ten.
Through Glen Helen for the second time, Hickman’s lead had extended to 7.4 seconds, aided by another new sector time, with Brookes overhauling Hillier for fifth. Mike Browne was out though having retired at the pits and Herbertson followed him out of the race shortly afterwards when he stopped at Ballacraine.
Onto Ramsey on the second lap and Hickman had stretched his advantage to 8.7 seconds with Dunlop losing further ground as he now sat 6.8s behind Harrison. Further back, Johnson was now less than a second adrift of fellow Honda rider McGuinness.
By the Bungalow, the lead went above ten seconds for the first time and with a second lap of 135.507mph, Hickman led Harrison by 11.8 seconds. Dunlop was now more than seven seconds behind Harrison in third as Cummins, Brookes and Hillier held station in fourth to sixth. Johnson sat in seventh, 0.4 seconds ahead of McGuinness, with Todd and Neve completing the top ten, the latter doing his first 130mph+ lap.
A quicker pit stop by Harrison’s crew brought Hickman’s lead down to eight seconds at Glen Helen and there were further changes elsewhere as McGuinness moved up to sixth and Hillier dropped down to tenth.
Hickman slowly reasserted control of the race though and at the end of the lap, half race distance, his advantage was close to ten seconds once more. Dunlop was losing further ground in third and looked to be out of contention, but he remained well clear of fourth placed Cummins.
With a fourth lap speed of 134.822mph, Hickman extended his lead to 12.38s as he made his second and final pit stop but whilst Harrison was continuing to keep the pressure on, Dunlop had slipped some 23.6 seconds behind the Kawasaki rider. Cummins and Brookes were looking secure in fourth and fifth with McGuinness almost ten seconds ahead of a recovering Hillier.
The lead was again brought down to less than ten seconds at the pit stop but once Hickman overhauled Dunlop on the road, he upped his advantage once more and starting the final lap he led Harrison by 15 seconds.
That had become 19.989 seconds by the chequered flag with Dunlop completing the podium in third. Cummins ended his week on a high in fourth with Brookes doing likewise in fifth and it was Hillier who got the verdict for sixth after overtaking McGuinness on the final lap. Johnson, Todd and Rob Hodson, who posted a maiden 130mph+ lap, completed the top ten after Rutter retired at Glen Vine on the penultimate lap.
