2023 Isle of Man TT Results
SuperTwin TT Race Two – Three Laps
Dominic Herbertson was first away when the second and final SuperTwin TT got underway at 1500 on Friday afternoon at a sunny Isle of Man.
Michael Dunlop quickly established his place in the pecking order on the delectable Paton, that being first, and was ahead of fellow Paton rider Mike Browne by three-seconds at Ballaugh. Yamaha R7 mounted Peter Hickman was nine-seconds behind Dunlop by Ballaugh.
Jamie Coward’s charge was halted by technical problems on the 650 Kawasaki less than half-a-lap into the race.
Michael Dunlop’s Paton cried enough on the Mountain Mile to deny him what was looking almost certain to be his 26th TT victory. Inheriting the lead was Mike Browne (Paton), who as they pitted at the end of lap one was almost 12-seconds ahead of Peter Hickman (Yamaha), who in-turn had 14-seconds on Josh Brookes (Kawasaki).
Michael Rutter was then another retirement, his YZF-R7 experiencing a steering damper failure that saw him call it a day in the pits.
A potential podium finish for Josh Brookes looked to have disappeared in the pits. The Dafabet Kawasaki man was delayed during the stop which saw him drop from third place all the way down to seventh. Brookes claimed fault for the problem after perhaps pressing a wrong button in his rush to get the Kawasaki going again.
Mike Browne continued to pull away from Peter Hickman. Browne’s Paton 8 mph quicker than Hickman’s Yamaha at the Sulby Speed Trap, 157 versus 149 mph.
As they started the final lap Browne led Hickman by 14-seconds, but then the Irishman retired! A slipping clutch ending up being terminal and robbing him his chance of victory.
Browne’s demise saw Hickman inherit the lead with a huge 40-second buffer over Dominic Herbertson and Pierre Yves Bain. Josh Brookes was nine-seconds behind Bian at Glen Helen so had plenty of work cut out for him on the Kawasaki if he was to chase down the Paton and steal that final step on the rostrum.
Then another retirement! Dominic Herberston retired after Glen Helen from second place. Herbertson’s demise promoting Bian to second place and Josh Brookes back onto the provisional podium.
On the final lap Brookes chased Bian hard, pulling back ground on the Paton here and there to be just over six-seconds behind at Ballaugh. Brookes had pulled another second back bay Ramsey, but with only ten miles to go it was going to be an upward battle. That gap down to 3.4-seconds by Bungalow, just under three-seconds at Cronk ny Mona… But no, Bian holds on and Brookes takes third after recording a 120.939 mph lap on the final circuit to reduce the gap to two-seconds. That final lap by Brookes the fastest of the race.
SuperTwin Race Two
1. Peter Hickman – Yamaha
2. Pierre Yves Bian – Paton +47.784s
3. Josh Brookes – Kawasaki +2.001s
Up front thought Peter Hickman celebrated his 12th TT victory with a long wheelie on the R7 Yamaha, 48-seconds ahead of Pierre Yves Bian. After failing to complete a lap during the qualifying week Hickman’s team worked hard on the engine overnight to try and get the best out of the Yamaha twin.
Maiden TT podiums for both Pierre Yves Bian and Josh Brookes.
Tomorrow, Saturday, is the big one, the six-lap Senior TT.
2023 Isle of Man TT Results
SuperTwin Race Two
- Peter Hickman – Yamaha
- Pierre Yves Bian – Paton +47.784s
- Josh Brookes – Kawasaki +2.001s
- Stefano Bonetti – Paton +27.398
- Rob Hodson – Kawasaki +7.576
- Baz Furber – Yamaha +35.845s
- Michael Evans – Aprilia +16.932s
- Francesco Curinga – Paton +7.670s
- Michal Dokoupil – Aprilia +15.384s
- Michael Russell – Aprilia +25.487s
- Martin Morris – Aprilia +32.019s
- Jonathan Goetschy – Aprilia +4.123s
- Paul Cassidy – Kawasaki +7.261s
- Paul Williams – Kawasaki +0.07s
- Gareth Arnold – Aprilia +1.286s
- Miroslav Sloboda – Kawasaki +50.963s
- Tom Weeden – Kawasaki +28.608s
- Pete Murray – Kawasaki +8.877s
- David Brook – Aprilia +9.725s
- Masayuki Yamanaka – Kawasaki +9.636s
