Isle of Man TT announces top 20 starters for 2026 Supersport class

Mike Browne will lead the field off the line at the start of both Supersport races at this year’s Isle of Man TT, organisers have announced.

The Supersport class was swept by Michael Dunlop last year, who guided an MD Racing-run, World Superbike-spec Ducati V2 to a brace of victories.

Dunlop, now the TT’s most successful rider in history with 33 wins, has gone unbeaten in the Supersport class since racing resumed at the Isle of Man in 2022 following the COVID pandemic.

He will face stiff opposition in 2026, however, as a stacked line-up has been announced as the seeded top 20 for the two Supersport races this June.

Mike Browne will campaign the class with Russell Racing on Yamaha R9 machinery, marking its debut on the Mountain Course - though the previous R6 was a winning bike in recent years with Dunlop.

Paul Jordan will go from second on the grid on the Jackson Racing Ducati, as he switches machinery in the class for this year.

Jordan took the V2 to victory at the Cookstown 100 last weekend. Dean Harrison will go from third for Honda.

Jamie Coward is up at fourth on the road with the Rapid Honda squad, as he switches from Triumph in his quest to build on a best of fourth in class in 2024.

David Johnson will campaign a Kawasaki for CD Racing and will set off at fifth on the road. The Kawasaki bagged a podium last year in Supersport with James Hillier.

Michael Dunlop will defend his unbeaten Supersport streak from sixth on the road, as he campaigns a Ducati under the MD Racing banner.

Josh Brookes is up at seventh on the Uggly & Co. Racing Suzuki, while Michael Evans is on a Triumph with Dafabet Racing at ninth on the road.

Peter Hickman will go from his traditional 10th spot on the grid on his own PHR Performance Triumph, while Manxman Conor Cummins will follow him 10 seconds later on the North Lincs Components Suzuki.

Ian Hutchinson will have Ducati machinery for the first time in his career for the Supersport races this year, as he teams up with Burrows Engineering.

Dominic Herbertson will go from 13th for KTS Triumph, while Shaun Anderson is next on the Stanford Racing Suzuki.

Completing the seeded top 20 is Rob Hodson on the SMT Racing Ducati, Nathan Harrison on the H&H Motorcycles Honda, Michael Sweeney on the EM Building Yamaha, Joe Yeardsley on the SpinArena.net Suzuki and Joey Thompson on the TH Racing Honda.

Adam McLean was due to go from 20th on the second CD Racing Kawasaki, but has withdrawn due to recent surgery.