I could win all eight or I could win none - Dunlop

Michael Dunlop has won TTs across four different classes and on machines supplied by six different manufacturers

Michael Dunlop says the vagaries of Isle of Man TT racing are such that he could "win all eight" solo races or "win none" this year as he closes in on the record of 26 victories at the event achieved by his revered late uncle Joey.

Dunlop's third four-timer of his TT career 12 months ago saw him move to within one of the all-time wins benchmark, which has stood since Joey achieved a treble in June 2000.

One month after his final successes over the Mountain Course, the then 48-year-old Northern Irishman Joey died as a result of a crash at a meeting in Estonia.

Dunlop will compete in the Superbike and Senior races, both Superstock outings, the two Supersport events and the Supertwins races as he bids to increase his personal tally.

"The TT is such a demanding place. You can only do what you can and what will be will be," Dunlop told BBC Sport NI as he prepared for the start of racing on Saturday.

"I'll keep pushing. I just want to try and be as fast as I can and win races.

"I'm just here to better myself. I'm not trying to be better than someone who is not here."

'Proud to be a Dunlop'

In addition to the massive tallies of triumphs accrued by Joey and Michael, Robert Dunlop, Michael's dad, won five TT races, while his brother William secured multiple podiums at the famous road racing event.

Robert died as a result of an accident at the North West 200 in Northern Ireland in 2008 while William was killed after a crash at the Skerries road races in the Republic of Ireland in 2018.

Hailing from the County Antrim town of Ballymoney, Michael says he is "just proud to be a Dunlop, proud of where I come from".

"Joey was something else, he was so well thought of, and my dad too, they were different breeds of people," reflected the 35-year-old.

"I never judge myself against other people, they were different eras of the game, and everything I have done is a bit different too.

"When you're the only person left carrying it [the name], it does bear a bit of a load but I don't want to be famous, I just want to be the best I can."

'This place throws so many hurdles at you'

Michael Dunlop in action during Superbike qualifying for the 2024 IOM TT

Dunlop has been keeping his options open during the first two qualifying sessions for this year's TT, jumping from a 765cc Triumph to his more familiar 600c Yamaha in the Supersport class and swithering between the 2023 or new 2024 versions of the Honda Fireblade for the Superbike races.

The Northern Irishman has won the last four editions of the Supersport race on a Yamaha, becoming the first rider to lap the circuit in excess of 130mph in the middleweight class in the process, while his Hawk Racing Honda took him to Superbike race glory in 2023.

He will also campaign a Honda in the Superstocks and a Paton in the Supertwins.

With Tuesday and Thursday's practice sessions having been cancelled, Dunlop hopes to make up for lost time when qualifying is set to resume on Friday.

"This place just throws up so many hurdles at you," he added. "We're doing what we can with the time we've got and the best we can with the budget we've got.

"I feel good and all the boys are working hard, the team is good."

Dunlop sits second in the Superbike qualifying leaderboard ahead of the resumption of qualifying on Friday, having set a lap speed of 131.729mph on Wednesday evening, marginally slower than the 131.729 posted by Milwaukee BMW rival Davey Todd.

He sits fifth fastest of the Superstocks so far on 128.870, but quickest Supersport to date courtesy of a circuit at 126.917 on his Yamaha.

"Usually by this time of the week we've had 20 to 25 laps while this year we have had a lot fewer and we have had some issues that are outside of our control but we'll batter on," he said.

"I feel like I should maybe have done more riding before I got here but that's my own fault."