Who's going to win at the Isle of Man TT 2026

It’s been a somewhat stop-start week of qualifying at the 2026 Isle of Man TT.

With red flags, high winds, and a new practice week rest day, it feels like the start of racing on Saturday has somewhat sneaked up on competitors despite most of the field having a solid week of high speed, dry, practice laps under their belts ahead of the three-lap opening Superstock TT.

Yet while it might be the case that we’ve had a somewhat uncertain week of laps, one thing is clear - there is very much a well-established favourite for each of the four solo classes in a way that there perhaps hasn’t been for quite some time.

Superstock TT

Right now, there’s only one man to watch in the opening production-spec race: Honda Racing’s Dean Harrison. Already a favourite for the class thanks to his double victory twelve months ago, Harrison came into this year’s TT as many peoples’ established man to beat, and practice week has done little to dissuade that notion.

Michael Dunlop hasn’t looked completely up to speed yet on his own superstock BMW, and while that often means very little when the flag drops at the start of a TT race week, it might be conceding a little too much to the on-form Harrison.

In fact, it looks like Dunlop might not even be a clear favourite right now for P2, with a surprisingly strong Josh Brookes concentrating on superstock over superbike and snapping at Dunlop’s heels throughout practice week.

1 | Dean Harrison | 135.484mph | 16:42.538
2 | Michael Dunlop | 131.952mph | 17:09.371
3 | Joshua Brookes | 131.943mph | 17:09.444
4 | Ian Hutchinson | 130.700mph | 17:19.237
5 | Nathan Harrison | 130.318mph | 17:22.283

Sportsbike TT

However, while Harrison might be the man to beat in the superstock class, the newly-renamed Sportsbike TT class sees Honda not fielding an entry for the factory-backed Yorkshireman, and Dunlop not only the favourite but the dominant frontrunner in qualifying.

Riding a factory-backed Paton machine in what is likely the 650cc twin’s final outing at the TT ahead of a full switch to the new sportsbike regulations for 2027, Dunlop is the master of the class anyway without the speed advantage the boutique Italian marque gives him, and the only way someone else has a sniff of a win is if he encounters technical regulations.

With many of the big names sitting out the smallest class, it means a possibility for others to contend for podium success, though, with names like Mike Browne, Michael Evans, Paul Jordan, Jamie Coward and Dom Herbertson likely to bring the fight to Dunlop and possibly Peter Hickman’s Swan-backed Yamaha R7.

1 | Michael Dunlop | 123.557mph | 18:19.313
2 | Mike Browne | 121.348mph | 18:39.325
3 | Peter Hickman | 120.803mph | 18:44.377
4 | Paul Jordan | 120.649mph | 18:45.813
5 | Michael Evans | 120.299mph | 18:49.090

Supersport TT

If a Dunlop victory looks like a sure thing in the sportsbike class, then it’s practically a certainty in the two four-lap Supersport TT races, such has been his absolute domination on the middleweight machines over past seasons.

Already impressive on old Yamaha R6 machinery before making the switch to Ducati for 2025 and promptly handing them their first wins in thirty years, he comes with increasing backing from Bologna and an even faster machine.

Harrison, who rides supersport bikes all year round for Honda in the British championship, should be his biggest threat, while Hickman’s height will always work against him even given his factory Triumph machines. Brookes, riding an older Suzuki package, might not be too far away either.

1 | Michael Dunlop | 129.557mph | 17:28.401
2 | Peter Hickman | 127.301mph | 17:46.985
3 | Dean Harrison | 127.242mph | 17:47.481
4 | Joshua Brookes | 126.848mph | 17:50.793
5 | Paul Jordan | 125.897mph | 17:58.879

Superbike TT and Senior TT

The one that everyone wants to win, the two superbike races might actually be the most open of this year’s event and the one with the best chance of seeing the promised fight between the TT’s Big Three of Harrison, Hickman and Dunlop (in the absence of reigning champion Davey Todd, still sidelined by injury).

Harrison, who lines up on a hybrid bike with elements of both his superbike from last year and his victorious superstock machine, has been blisteringly fast in practice, though, while both Dunlop (who made a last minute switch from Ducati to Honda) and Hickman (still carrying nerve damage from his practice crash last year) have struggled.

In fact, it’s once again Brookes who is something of a dark horse to get involved in their fight after practice - and you can never ever discount TT veteran John McGuinness from pulling off a surprise given just how quietly competent he has looked all week.

1 | Dean Harrison | 134.877mph | 16:47.053
2 | Peter Hickman | 132.712mph | 17:03.475
3 | Joshua Brookes | 132.220mph | 17:07.288
4 | Michael Dunlop | 132.149mph | 17:07.840
5 | John McGuinness | 130.903mph | 17:17.622