Michael Dunlop looks well placed to continue his fantastic start to TT 2023 today (Tuesday) in the first Supertwin and Superstock races of the week.
Dunlop posted the quickest lap of qualifying week in the Twins on his MD Racing Paton, setting an unofficial lap record of 123.474mph (18 minutes 20.053 seconds) on Friday, having previously gone under the record on Monday.
The 34 year old was also second fastest in the Stockers on his MD Racing Honda Fireblade. Peter Hickman set the fastest time for this class on the FHO Racing BMW on Wednesday evening, clocking a lap of 16 minutes 59.087 seconds, eight and bit seconds down on his lap record for the class.
Dean Harrison was third quickest, also lapping in the 132s on his DAO Racing Kawasaki, as a repeat of the podium for the first solo two races of the week again looks on the cards.
Behind them, Davey Todd was fourth quickest in Superstock qualifying and will be hoping for better luck having had to retire the Padgett's Honda in the Superbike race.
Jamie Coward will be hoping to continue his run of top-six finishes so far as will James Hillier who posted the fastest Mountain Course lap by a Yamaha in Sunday's Superbike race.
Mike Browne and Rob Hodson will also be hoping for trouble-free runs after both produced fast times in qualifying. Browne lost time as he had to adjust his suspension during the Superbike race, while Hodson came off on the last lap at Sarah's Cottage while sat in a fine eighth place.
Local fans will be hoping Conor Cummins recovers from the illness that ruled him out of the opening weekend's racing after the Ramsey Rocket set the seventh quickest time of Superstock qualifying.
In the Twins, Dunlop's closest challenger looks likely to be Coward who set the class's second fastest lap of 121.080mph.
Browne was third quickest and will be gunning for a first TT podium, with his previous best result ninth in last year's second Supersport race.
Frenchman Pierre Yves-Bian, finished fourth last year and will again be in the mix for a podium spot, while Josh Brookes, Hodson and Paul Jordan, who finished third in the Supertwin race last year, will also be pushing for a top-three spot.