Isle of Man TT 2023: Race schedule, results and how to watch on TV

Peter Hickman picked up his first victory of the week by claiming the spoils in the opening Superstock race, but Michael Dunlop ended the day by returning to the top step of the podium to claim his third win in four days with his 24th Isle of Man TT triumph.

Hickman had twice finished runner-up to Dunlop, in the curtain-raising Supersport TT on Saturday and Sunday’s Superbike TT, and at Glen Helen on the opening lap of the RL360 Superstock race it looked as though the Ulsterman would be setting the pace once again.

But having learned the error of his ways with his slow starts over the weekend, Hickman instantly responded and took the lead by Ballaugh, maintaining a slender gap of just under three seconds to Dunlop by the time they pitted at the end of the first lap.

Emerging from the stops, Hickman’s advantage had doubled over Dunlop and he was able to pull away as he settled into a groove over the remaining two laps, with the lead out to 15.72 seconds by the time they completed the second circuit.

With clear space in front of him, Hickman got his head down and came within a whisker of setting a new Superstock TT record, with his average speed of 134.331mph on the final lap falling just short of his 134.403mph set in 2018.

“Right from the start the bike felt awesome. I had no problems whatsoever,” Hickman said after claiming his 10th TT victory, riding aboard the FHO Racing BMW.

“I hadn’t even ridden the bike since Wednesday as I was so happy with it. We found a really good setting so we parked it to work on the Superbike.

“I just enjoyed myself on the last lap, doing a few wheelies and waving at the crowd.

“This place is just so amazing to ride and when you have that little bit of a buffer you can really enjoy it.”

Dunlop eased home in second to secure his third podium of the week, along with the DAO Engineering Kawasaki of Dean Harrison as the same three men graced the rostrum as both solo races over the weekend.

But Dunlop was soon back to winning ways in the evening’s Supertwin TT race, which took place several hours later than planned after early morning cloud on the mountain had delayed proceedings by three hours.

Riding aboard his MD Racing Paton, Dunlop proved unstoppable in the smaller bike category that he has dominated in recent times, taking a third victory in the last four runnings of the Supertwin and Lightweight class.

Such was the 34-year-old’s pace, he pitted at the end of lap one with a healthy 14.343-second advantage over the KTS Racing Kawasaki of Jamie Coward, who was locked in an intense battle with Mike Browne aboard the Burrows Engineering Paton. By the end of lap two Dunlop had stretched his advantage to nearly 22 seconds, allowing him to cruise to victory by 26.783 seconds and stand alone as the second most successful TT rider in history, moving clear of John McGuinness and sitting just two races behind his uncle Joey’s all-time record tally of 26.

“We had a bee in our bonnet last year with the bike sort of stopping. We had an issue on lap one - and then she actually stopped when we had an issue during the week. Andrea, who builds the motorbike, was supposed to fly in on Sunday and his flight got cancelled, so had to drive for two days to get here so fair play to him just for putting in the effort.

“The bike was fantastic, I didn;t use the best of the bike today, I just nursed it. Andrea told me ‘I don’t know what to do’ and we were nursing it but the wee bike never missed a beat. I just nursed it but it’s nice to get another one back under my belt after last year.

“The bike was incredible today, and I was fortunate enough to be in that position to be able to calm the bike down and just calm myself down and just work the lead. The boke’s mint and it was a dream to ride.”

Browne held off Coward on the final lap to take second by just 2.128 seconds, with Hickman having to make do with fourth on his least favourite bike that he only qualified on in the morning’s warm-up session.

What is the Isle of Man TT?

Over the course of two weeks, the public roads of the Isle of Man shut down and become one of the fastest race circuits in the world, eclipsed only by the Ulster Grand Prix in Northern Ireland which currently boasts the fastest lap average.

The TT features five different categories that this year will all race twice over the course of eight days. Solo riders will jump between Superbike, Superstock, Supersport and Supertwin machines, while riders will team up with a passenger to compete in the two Sidecar races.

Events are very weather-dependent and lengthy delays can occur, particularly when public roads are used throughout the fortnight when races are not taking place - oil spills, parked cars and rogue wildlife are a common occurrence.

Where can I watch it?

For years, coverage of the TT has only been available through TV highlight shows on ITV4 each night. But last year TT organisers unveiled new plans to provide live coverage online through the TT+ Live Pass, which returns again for 2023.

Access will cost a one-off sum of £19.99 for the fortnight, which will include coverage of all qualifying and race sessions, daily round-ups and hours of exclusive TT programming.

You can also follow race week with Telegraph Sport.

Isle of Man TT 2023 schedule and results

June 3
Monster Energy Supersport Race One results

1. Michael Dunlop 01:11:22.090
2. Peter Hickman +12.329
3. Dean Harrison +0.393
4. Jamie Coward +41.277
5. Davey Todd +2.836

3Wheeling.Media Sidecar TT Race 1

1. Ben Birchall/Tom Birchall 56:53.768
2. Peter Founds/Jevan Walmsley +24.066
3. John Holden/Maxime Vasseur +3:15.401
4. Steve Ramsden/Mathew Ramsden +3.551
5. Gary Bryan/Philip Hyde +16.212

June 4
RST Superbike TT

1. Michael Dunlop 1:43:01.854
2. Peter Hickman +8.233
3. Dean Harrison +9.806
4. James Hillier +2:00.343
5. Jamie Coward +10.440

June 6
RL360 Superstock TT Race 1
1. Peter Hickman 51:05.244
2. Michael Dunlop +23.171
3. Dean Harrison +14.827
4. Davey Todd +23.007
5. James Hillier +8.570

Carole Nash Supertwin TT Race 1 - 3-laps

1. Michael Dunlop 56:21.475
2. Mike Browne +26.783
3. Jamie Coward +2.237
4. Peter Hickman +26.045
5. Josh Brookes +11.129

June 7
11:45am: 3wheeling.media Sidecar TT Race 2 - 3-laps

1. Ben Birchall/Tom Birchall 56:41.815
2. Peter Founds/Jevan Walmsley +9.147s
3. Ryan Crowe/Callum Crowe +47.632
4. Tim Reeves/Mark Wilkes +1:36.317
5. Steve Ramsden/Mathew Ramsden +38.961

Monster Energy Supersport TT Race 2

1. Michael Dunlop 1:10:50.234
2. Peter Hickman +9.617
3. Dean Harrison +24.811
4. Davey Todd +11.878
5. Jamie Coward +21.623

June 9
11:45am: RL360 Superstock TT Race 2 - 3-laps
2pm: Carole Nash Supertwin TT Race 2 - 3-laps

June 10
12:15pm: Milwaukee Senior TT - 6-laps

Who are the riders to watch?

Peter Hickman is expected to be the man to beat in 2023 after winning nine of the last 16 solo races [not including the TT Zero race. Hickman also has the outright lap record, an average of 135.452mph set back in the 2018 Senior TT, as well as the Superstock TT record. The Monster Energy by FHO Racing BMW rider is certainly one to keep an eye on.

Hickman’s main competitor over those years has been Dean Harrison. Riding this year on the Dao Racing Kawasaki, Harrison has three wins to his name including the 2019 Senior TT.

But both will be keeping an eye on the threat of 21-time TT winner Michael Dunlop, who looks to be in his best form in years and has hit the ground running during qualifying week. Dunlop sits just five race wins behind his uncle Joey Dunlop, who remains the man with the most TT wins in history, and with eight solo race wins up for grabs in 2023 - more than ever before - that gap could be cut significantly by the end of the week.

The Padgetts Honda duo of Davey Todd and local Manxman Conor Cummins are also hotly tipped to be on the pace, although the latter has been struggling with illness throughout qualifying week, while Hickman’s British Superbikes team-mate Josh Brookes returns to the TT for the first time since 2018 and is already threatening the 130mph barrier.

Another TT legend to keep one eye on is John McGuinness, the 24-time winner who is within a whisker of matching Joey Dunlop’s record. At the age of 51 years old, McGuinness’ fastest days may be behind him but he has his sights set on returning to the podium this year with Honda Racing and the veteran can never be ruled out of contention if things are going his way.

How many riders have died?

The TT would not be the challenge it is without its level of risk and danger. In total, 266 riders and passengers have died on the Snaefell Mountain Course, which hosts the TT as well as the Manx Grand Prix and the Classic TT.

There have been 155 deaths caused by accidents in the TT alone, with 2022 proving particularly tragic as six deaths were recorded over the fortnight.