TT 2024: Dunlop sets the pace in opening qualifying

Todd & Hickman also impress in first action of 2024

Michael Dunlop has set the opening benchmark during the opening qualifying sessions for the 2024 Isle of Man TT Races.

The 25-time winner clocked the quickest pace of the night at 129.59mph on his Hawk Racing superbike but just 0.1 seconds clear of Davey Todd on the Milwaukee BMW machine (129.757mph).

Last year's Senior TT winner Peter Hickman made up the top three in that class at 128.721 mph, 6.96 seconds off the pace of Dunlop.

Whilst only third on the Superbike, Hickman was the dominant force when it came to the Superstocks' opening laps of the course at 129.032mph.

However, it was not a significant margin with Dunlop in close attendance at 128.87mph (+1.3 seconds) ahead of third-quickest Dominic Herbertson (127.54mph).

Elsewhere - in contention early on in the Superbike timings - Todd topped the charts when it came to the Supersport session with his early benchmark there from Monday evening standing at 125.601mph, 1.014 seconds ahead of James Hillier (125.483mph).

Meanwhile, with the margins looking tight across many areas, things were much more clear-cut in the first Supertwin outing as Hickman's pace of 118.011mph proving far superior to the rest of the field.

The next nearest time there came from Todd 19.314 seconds back (116.063mph) who in turn held an 11-second cushion ahead of Barry Furber (114.958mph).

Rounding out the evening were the sidecars and it was local duo Ryan and Callum Crowe setting the pace.

The Jurby pairing clocked 116.699mph, edging out defending champion Ben Birchall and passenger Kevin Rousseau (115.882mph) with Pete Founds and Jevan Walmsley also close by (115.505mph).

The second qualifying session is due to take place on Tuesday, 28 May with roads around the Snaefell Mountain Course scheduled to close at 6pm and reopen no later than 9.30pm.