Dean Harrison delivered a masterclass to claim a dominant win in Sunday afternoon’s Superbike race.

The Ballaugh resident backed up some impressive times in qualifying week, by bringing home the Honda Racing Fireblade 15.580 seconds ahead of Peter Hickman after 226.38 miles of hard racing in good conditions around the Mountain Course.

Hickman enjoyed a race-long battle with Michael Dunlop for the runner-up spot, Hicky eventually finishing 12.416s ahead of the event’s most successful rider on corrected time.

Speaking after winning his sixth TT, Harrison admitted he wanted to put the hammer down from the off: ‘I’ve had good pace all week, but you’re never sure what other people are capable of so I just went for it from the off.’

The Yorkshireman did just that, setting the race’s fastest lap of 16 minutes 46.939 seconds (134.892mph) on his opening circuit.

This helped build up a lead of just over 12 seconds, which he built up to nearly 30 before managing his advantage at the head of the timing charts.

Ominously for his rivals, Harrison said after the race he thinks there’s more speed to come from himself and the Fireblade: ‘I had a bit more left in the tank. I built up a good lead and controlled it from there.

‘I feel good for the six laps - the bike never missed a beat.’

Of the top 10, eight were on Honda Fireblades, suggesting the Japanese manufacturer is once again the dominant force in the big bike classes at the TT.

Harrison, who has not won a Superbike TT before, added: ‘This means the absolute world to me. I’m over the moon with that result.’

BMW-mounted Hickman was also delighted with second spot admitting he’s still struggling with the injuries he suffered when crashing in qualifying at last year’s event.

‘It took me until lap four to chill properly and be calm in myself.

‘I don’t quite feel myself yet, but each time I ride I feel a bit better.’

Hickman and Dunlop traded places throughout the race, but a quick pitstop at the end of lap four by the 8TEN Racing team gave the 14-time winner the platform to produce two strong final laps.

The 39-year-old would eventually finish 12.416 seconds up on his rival by the time they crossed the finish line at the Grandstand in what was the event’s first six-lap race since the 2024 Superbike TT.

Dunlop, who was riding the Hawk Racing Honda Fireblade, admitted he was shocked he’d finished on the podium after struggling to get the bike up to pace during qualifying week.

Speaking to Radio TT in the winner’s enclosure he said: ‘I’m quite surprised to be where we are. The bike’s pace hasn’t been there all week - it felt like I was taking a knife to a gun fight.

‘I feel like it can perform better.’

Such was the pace of the top three, that the gap to fourth was nearly a minute.

Australian ace Josh Brookes finished 56 seconds down on Dunlop on the DAO Racing Honda, with John McGuinness marking his 30th year at the TT with fifth place a further 19.568 seconds down on Brookes.

McGuinness’s Honda Racing Fireblade carried a special livery which was inspired by the one carried by the Paul Bird Motorsport Honda RS250 he rode in 1996. He said after the race he was delighted with fifth: ‘I just wanted to do the 30-year outfit justice.

‘I’m in that “Best of the Rest” group, which is not bad for a 54 year old!’

He added the occasion and the support around the Mountain Course made it an emotional ride: ‘I don’t feel I’ve ever seen so many people out on the track in the time I’ve been racing round here.’

Rounding out the top six was Ian Hutchinson, who just managed to edge out Jamie Coward by 1.273 seconds.

Onchan’s Nathan Harrison was next on corrected time, 45.624s down on Coward.

Mike Browne was ninth, Paul Jordan 10th ahead of Manxies Conor Cummins and Michael Evans.

The former made a late switch to his own Conrod Motorsport Superstock BMW instead of the Bathams Racing Superbike he’d been expected to ride. Evans was passed fit to ride on Friday, his team working hard to get the Dafabet Honda repaired after a crash in qualifying at Greeba Castle on Wednesday evening.

The Ramsey man’s fellow Manxies Marcus Simpson and Jamie Cringle were 16th and 23rd respectively.

Davo Johnson and Dominic Herbertson were early mechanical retirements, while Matt Stevenson came off at Waterworks, but the rider was reported okay at race control.