Monday race day preview: TT 2016
Today sees a double race day at the 2016 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy, opening up with the Monster Energy Supersport Race at 10.45 (GMT) followed by the RL360 Quantum Superstock Race at 1.45pm.
The favourites for both races are Ian Hutchinson and Michael Dunlop who are set to continue the battle that began with Saturday’s RST Superbike Race, when first honours undoubtedly went to the Northern Ireland rider.
Hutchinson probably starts narrow favourite for the opening race, following his double 2015 Supersport race victories but Dunlop, riding his MD Racing Yamaha, already has five wins to his name in the 600 class. Also in the mix are Dean Harrison, who qualified fastest with a lap of 126.249 in Friday’s sensational qualifying session while Lee Johnston, Conor Cummins, John McGuinness and Peter Hickman will all be looking for podium places. Bruce Anstey could not be discounted as another challenger for a win, if he has recovered from Thursday’s spill at Kepel Gate.
The Supersport race is always one of the closest of the week and the times recorded in qualifying reflect this. William Dunlop and Jamie Coward rounded out the top ten with Coward's 122.305 putting him just ahead of Daniel Hegarty with Jackson Racing's Steve Mercer twelfth quickest despite his 25 starting number.
Colin Stephenson, Bjorn Gunnarsson and Rob Hodson have also qualified well, moving up the start order to 26, 27 and 29 respectively. You can see the full start list here: Monster Energy Supersport TT Race 1
In the afternoon’s Superstock race Hutchinson must be the favourite following his unofficial outright lap record of 132.803 set in a stunning qualifying lap on Friday but Dunlop, who posted the official lap record and shattered Hutchinson’s fastest lap in the process on his Superbike in Saturday’s Race, will be breathing down his neck on the MD Racing BMW having qualified second fastest with 131.879, which he also set in Friday qualifying.
The evergreen Michael Rutter on the Bathams SMT BMW qualified third with 129.204 while John McGuinness on his EMC2 / Bet Victor Honda, Lee Johnston and the Kawasaki-riding Dean Harrison, James Hillier and Peter Hickman will all be scrapping for podium slots.
With six laps of 1000cc racing under their belt from Saturday's opening RST Superbike TT Race, and conditions close to perfect there will be plenty of riders looking to make an impression on the scoresheet today.
Ivan Lintin, Horst Saiger, Dan Hegarty, Ben Wylie and Ryan Kneen, amongst others, have recorded their fastest ever laps over the course of qualifying and, with many rating the Superstocks as easier to ride than the full-spec Superbikes, expect some impressive results. Full start list here: RL360º Quantum Superstock TT Race
You can follow all of today’s racing around the Mountain Course via the live timing and live Manx Radio commentary which is available via iomtt.com.