TT 2026 – Tuesday Qualifying

Dean Harrison sets early pace after disrupted start to practice

Dean Harrison wasted no time laying down the early marker at TT 2026, setting the fastest ever lap recorded in an opening qualifying session after Monday’s curtailed start to practice.

Tuesday evening effectively became the first timed hit-out of TT 2026 after Monday’s free practice session had started and then been stopped. Perfect weather again bathed the 37.73-mile Mountain Course, although proceedings were delayed by around 20 minutes due to a road traffic accident before the roads were cleared and the Superbike/Superstock session finally got underway at 1850.

Dean Harrison prepares for Tuesday evening qualifying, where he would go on to set the fastest ever opening-session lap at the Isle of Man TT.

Dean Harrison was first away on the Honda Racing UK Fireblade, followed by Nathan Harrison on the H&H Motorcycles Honda and Australia’s David Johnson on the Platinum Club Racing Kawasaki. Michael Dunlop, Jamie Coward and Josh Brookes were next to take the plunge down Bray Hill.

The conditions were good, but not without their usual TT complications. The evening sun was particularly awkward on the first run out towards Ballacraine, while the still air brought plenty of flies and dust in places. Even so, Harrison looked immediately settled and was soon threatening a 133 mph lap from a standing start.

Dean Harrison starts TT 2026 with record pace

The first official timed lap of TT 2026 was completed at 133.222 mph, a new practice week standing-start benchmark. Dunlop was second quickest at that point on 130.341 mph, while Brookes, running his Superstock machine, and Nathan Harrison also broke the 130 mph barrier, Brookes with 130.197 mph and Nathan with 130.010 mph.

Michael Dunlop was second quickest in Superbike qualifying after returning to the pits for front-end tweaks following his opening lap.

Brookes’ opening lap was enough to put him to the top of the Superstock order, ahead of Peter Hickman on the 8TEN Racing BMW. Hickman then called into the pits to switch to his Superbike.

Josh Brookes gave the Australian contingent an early highlight by topping Superstock on the DAO Racing Honda.

Dunlop also returned to the pits after his opening lap, his body language and hand gestures making it clear there was work to do on the Honda Fireblade. Tweaks were made at the front end before he was sent back out, the record 33-time TT winner making it clear that Superbike mileage remained a priority at this stage of the week.

Harrison, meanwhile, pressed on. His second lap stopped the clocks at 133.925 mph, the fastest lap ever recorded in an opening qualifying session at the Isle of Man TT.

Nathan Harrison was among the early 130 mph runners, finishing third quickest in the Superbike order.

He then dived into the pits, ran back up pit lane and jumped onto his Superstock machine, getting out just before pit exit closed. That gave Harrison a third big-bike lap on an evening where the delayed start meant most of the key Superbike/Superstock contenders only had time for two.

“It felt good to get out and get into a rhythm tonight,” Harrison said. “I felt good straight away and the bike did too. To be honest, I was more interested in seeing how differently the bike felt with a lightened fuel load, so as pleased as I was with the 133.2, I was equally happy to follow it up with a 133.9 mph lap. The tyre, the bike and the conditions were good. I enjoyed my riding this evening and look forward to following it up tomorrow.”

Dean Harrison was immediately on record pace during Tuesday qualifying, setting the fastest ever opening-session TT lap at 133.925 mph on the Honda Racing UK Superbike.

The final Superbike order had Honda machinery locking out the top four. Dean Harrison led on 133.925 mph, ahead of Dunlop on 130.341 mph, Nathan Harrison on 130.010 mph and John McGuinness MBE on 128.979 mph. Ian Hutchinson was fifth at 128.903 mph, with Johnson sixth at 128.275 mph.

McGuinness settles in after tyre change

McGuinness had started the session on a zero-compound tyre but was not comfortable with the choice, later describing it as a backwards step before the team moved in a more productive direction. The 23-time TT winner has also switched from a MoTeC ECU to the HRC kit ECU, bringing him into line with Dean Harrison so the Honda Racing UK riders can share data more effectively.

“I finished the session happy,” McGuinness said. “It takes a while to get used to the amount of flies that we have to deal with, there isn’t a round of BSB or even the NW200 that can prepare you for the flies you get here sometimes. I took a bit of a backwards step with a tyre choice for the first lap but we sorted that and moved forwards. I’ve a few small tweaks I’d like to make but at this stage of the week it’s about getting up to speed with the track and letting my brain get used to what my eyes are feeding it. I enjoyed the session, we’re not a million miles from the sharp end either which is always a good place to be.”

John McGuinness worked through tyre choice and set-up direction on Tuesday evening, ending the Superbike session fourth fastest.

Brookes tops Superstock for DAO Racing Honda

Josh Brookes gave the Australian contingent an early headline by topping Superstock on the DAO Racing Honda. His 130.197 mph lap came from a standing start and stood as the benchmark in the class.

Josh Brookes’ 130.197 mph lap put him quickest in Superstock on the first timed evening of TT 2026.

Hickman was second on 129.420 mph, ahead of Jamie Coward on 128.702 mph and Dominic Herbertson on 128.569 mph. Dean Harrison’s late dash on the Stocker netted fifth at 128.237 mph, ahead of Mike Browne, Conor Cummins and Paul Jordan.

Dunlop leads Supersport on Ducati

The Supersport/Sportbike session began at 1930, with several of the expected front-runners delayed in getting out after their Superbike/Superstock commitments. Dunlop, Hickman and Harrison were among those late away, while Michael Sweeney was also delayed after being unhappy with the front of his R6 Yamaha.

Michael Dunlop quickly moved to the top of the Supersport order, eventually posting a 126.922 mph lap on the Scars Racing Ducati.

There was also notable paddock news around Mike Browne, with the team electing to park the next-generation Yamaha R9 that had been entered for the Monster Energy Supersport class and instead run its regular R6 Yamaha.

Dean Harrison’s Supersport outing was short-lived. He had only just left the pits on the Honda CBR600RR-R when he returned far sooner than expected, the pit limiter having stuck on.

“The two laps on the Superbike felt good,” Harrison said while his team worked on the Supersport issue. “133s aren’t too bad at this stage of the week but we’ve some changes to make ahead of tomorrow.”

As Harrison waited, Hutchinson initially led the Supersport order on the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing Ducati with a 123.538 mph lap, ahead of Paul Jordan and Nathan Harrison.

Dunlop then moved the goalposts. He first posted 125.955 mph on the Scars Racing Ducati, with Hickman slotting into second on the Swan Triumph by PHR Performance. Dunlop went quicker again on his second lap, a 126.922 mph effort making an early statement in a class where he again looks likely to be a central figure.

Brookes was second quickest in Supersport at 124.271 mph, making it a strong opening timed evening across two categories for the Australian. Hickman finished third at 123.584 mph, just ahead of Hutchinson on 123.538 mph, Jordan on 123.455 mph and Browne on 123.182 mph. David Johnson was 11th at 120.522 mph.

Jordan quickest in Sportbike

Browne set the early Sportbike pace with a 119.097 mph lap on the Melbray/Laycock Racing Paton, initially putting him ahead of Coward on the Milenco by Padgetts Paton and Italian Andrea Majola on the Majo Road Racing Team by EA Paton.

Mike Browne set the early Sportbike pace before Paul Jordan and Jamie Coward shuffled him back to third in the final order.

Coward improved on his second lap to 119.199 mph, but Jordan ended the session fastest overall in the class with a 120.208 mph lap on the Aprilia. Coward remained second, Browne third, Michael Evans fourth at 119.001 mph and Majola fifth after improving to 118.018 mph.

Johnson was ninth in the Sportbike order at 116.144 mph, one place ahead of Hickman.

Crowes quickest before Sidecar red flag

The Sidecars rounded out the evening and offered the first proper look at the effect of the revised class regulations, particularly the use of restrictor plates to reduce performance.

For Ryan and Callum Crowe, the impact appeared minimal. The lap record holders opened with 118.224 mph from a standing start, putting them more than 47 seconds clear of Peter Founds/Jevan Walmsley at 113.553 mph. Ben Birchall/Mark Wilkes were third at 112.969 mph.

Ryan and Callum Crowe were immediately the Sidecar benchmark, opening their TT 2026 qualifying account with a 118.224 mph standing-start lap.

Both the Founds and Birchall outfits were reportedly on course to improve on their second laps, but the session was red flagged before they could return to the Grandstand.

The red flag followed an incident involving Maria Costello MBE and passenger Shaun Parker, sidecar outfit number 28, at Brandish during their second lap.

The official update reported that Costello was conscious and talking, with reported head injuries, and had been taken to Noble’s Hospital by Airmed for further assessment. Parker was also reported as conscious and talking, with leg and arm injuries, and was taken to Noble’s Hospital by ambulance for further assessment.

Superbike TT Qualifying Times

Superstock TT Qualifying Times

Supersport TT Qualifying Times

 Sportbike TT Qualifying Times

Sidecar TT Qualifying Times