Ulster GP: William Dunlop out of Dundrod 150 Superbike race

William Dunlop will sit out of this evening’s Dundrod 150 Superbike race after struggling with a wrist injury sustained last week.

Dunlop says he broke his scaphoid 10 days ago, but wanted to at least try riding as practice for this week’s Ulster Grand Prix got underway.

Assistance has been on hand from the McAMS Yamaha BSB team’s Tim Seed to help Dunlop’s IC Racing Yamaha team progress with the YZF-R1 and it seems to have worked, with the Ballymoney man quick in both Superbike and Supersport sessions.

He qualified fourth for this evening’s Dundrod 150 Superbike race and clocked the fifth fastest time in qualifying for the Ulster Grand Prix Superbike races despite pulling in towards the end after struggling with the wrist.

Not wanting to be a danger to others, Dunlop has decided he won’t race in tonight’s Dundrod 150 outing but says he might go out on the Supersport machine on Saturday.

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“Unfortunately coming into this week I knew I’d struggle,” Dunlop told MCN. “I broke my scaphoid 10 days ago, but with Yamaha sending Tim Seed to work with us on electronics we gave it a go to try and get the bike more manageable. We’ve made a massive step. It’s been hard work this year but all of a sudden now it’s like a brand new bike, so it’s really disappointing not to get racing!

“I had two purple sectors but had to pull in in qualifying as I just couldn’t pull the clutch in and in race conditions I don’t really want to be risking it, I wouldn’t want anyone else like that. I’ll see how I feel on Saturday, maybe ride my 600 if I feel up to it.”

Despite the injury, Dunlop was able to cling onto his R1 enough to clock the highest speed ever recorded at the Dundrod circuit, hitting 200.4mph down the Flying Kilo on his first qualifying lap.

“There’s plenty of speed in the R1 which is maybe something people don’t’ associate with them but it felt really good, I was on my own and there was no slip stream!” 

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