Michael Dunlop battling “problems” on Wiz Norton at Classic TT

Michael Dunlop is battling issues despite setting another record around the Mountain Course.

Dunlop posted a 123.505mph lap on Saturday in Formula 1 qualifying for the Classic TT - unofficially the fastest ever on a Norton.

It edges a record which has been held by Steve Hislop, who lapped at 123.50mph, in 1992.

Dunlop remains short of the best time in the class of this year’s Classic TT so far, set on Thursday by Rob Hodson. He went 127mph on a Ducati 916).

“It’s issue into issue, but I suppose what do you expect,” Dunlop was quoted by the Belfast Newsletter.

“We’ve just a few problems.

“We’re always trying to make it better but it’s a hard game here just to try and make this thing work.”

On Saturday, Dunlop was only fifth fastest in Formula 1 qualifying.

The top four - Nathan Harrison, Jamie Coward, Dominic Herbertson, Ian Hutchinson - were all riding Kawasakis.

In fact, eight of the top 10 - and 14 of the top 20 - were on a Kawasaki.

Dunlop topped qualifying on Saturday in the lightweight class at the Classic TT on a MD Racing 250 Honda.

Dunlop, the record-holding 33-time race winner at the Isle of Man TT, enters this week’s event as the man to beat.

He claimed a Wiz Norton prepared WRS 588cc Norton Rotary for the Formula 1 class at late-notice, days after rival rider Shaun Anderson revealed the ride had been taken from him.

The bike that Dunlop is competing with, and encountered issues on, was made famous by his father Robert who won TT races using it in the early 90s.