TT 2018: Dunlop clocks 18th win in Lightweight TT

Michael Dunlop took his 18^th Isle of Man TT victory in a record-breaking Bennetts Lightweight race this afternoon.

It wasn’t the easiest win for Dunlop with Ivan Lintin and Derek McGee joining the Ulsterman in shattering the existing lap record on the opening lap.

However, drama would soon strike for Dafabet Devitt Kawasaki’s Lintin, who retired at Bedstead on the second lap handing Dunlop the lead.

Time lost in the pits saw the Paton of Dunlop lose the lead to the IEG Kawasaki of Derek McGee on the penultimate lap, and while he was able to retake the lead the Irishman was never far from his tail in corrected time.

That was until a barnstorming final lap for Dunlop, who clocked an average speed of 122.750mph to shatter James Hillier’s previous record of 120.848mph.

McGee took a strong second place ahead of 2017-victor Michael Rutter, who completed the podium on the Paton he was given when replaced by Dunlop in the factory squad.