Dunlop 'could go on winning IOM TTs for 10 years'

Michael Dunlop sprays the victory champagne after clinching his 26th TT win

Eleven-times Isle of Man TT winner Phillip McCallen says Michael Dunlop "could go on winning for another 10 years" at the annual international road racing event.

Aged 35, Dunlop drew level with his late uncle Joey Dunlop as the most successful riders in the history of the TT when he took his tally to 26 wins by taking victory in Saturday's Supersport race one.

The Northern Ireland rider looked on course to move ahead of Joey in the all-time list by clinching a historic 27th success when he led Sunday's Superbike race by 25 seconds with two of the six laps remaining.

His hopes were dashed however when an issue with his visor after his pit stop meant he lost in the region of 50 seconds and dropped down to fourth place.

Dunlop was forced to pull up on Bray Hill at the start of his fifth lap, take off his helmet, remove his gloves and adjust the sidepod on his visor.

"The pod is a quick change thing, you can easily think you have clicked it in but it appears that it came back out again," McCallen told BBC Sport NI.

"We know Michael though. He'll bounce back and he'll want more wins.

"He could easily go on to win for the next 10 years or however long he wants to go on racing.

"The TT takes experience, determination and knowledge and Michael has all of that in abundance."

Lap record 'proved a point'

Michael Dunlop's chances of Superbike success ended when the sidepod in his visor came loose

Dunlop will compete in another six races this week so could surpass the total accumulated by his uncle over a period between 1977 and his final TT in June 2000, one month before he was killed aged 48 in a crash in Estonia.

Michael has racked up his 26 wins over a 15-year period after claiming his maiden success in 2009.

McCallen, who secured all his victories during the 1990s, including a four-timer in 1996, added that the loss of a seemingly certain Superbike victory will hurt in the short term.

"The top four all had spells at the front during the race but Michael had a settled lead when he pulled up.

"He would have known as soon as he stopped that the race was all over as the pace was so hot. He lost that win."

Dunlop's misfortune opened the door for Davey Todd, Dean Harrison and Peter Hickman to battle it out for victory, with the latter ultimately scoring his 14th TT triumph with 8.5 seconds to spare over Todd and Harrison an additional 8.2 seconds in arrears.

"His rivals thought that they weren't going to win this race but suddenly it all came alive again.

"Peter is the sort of rider who as the race goes on he gets quicker and quicker. He was given an opening and he took it.

"Michael went on to prove a point on the last lap though by setting a new lap record."

'Dunlop tally could reach the 40s'

Ex-double Formula Two world champion and five-time TT winner Brian Reid, a compatriot of both Dunlop and McCallen, says Dunlop would be "devastated" by missing out on the big bike victory but still had time on his side.

"He had it in the bag but it's not just about the riding at the TT, it's about the pit stops as well," said Reid.

"Michael is something special and to win 26 is something else. He could end up in the 40s in terms of victories.

"We thought 26 would never be bettered but there are more races now than there were in Joey's day so there are more opportunities to increase your wins."