Ulster Grand Prix: Six-time winner Michael Dunlop to race at Dundrod
- Published
Dunlop claimed his 19th Isle of Man TT win last month
Six-time Ulster Grand Prix winner Michael Dunlop will return to Dundrod for this year's event.
The 30-year-old will race his Tyco BMW in the Superbikes and ride his own MD Racing machinery in the other classes.
"I haven't carried much performance at the Ulster for a while," said Dunlop, who missed the 2018 event following the death of his brother William.
"I am still short of bike time which puts me on the back foot."
This year's race week runs from 7-10 August.
Dunlop enjoyed a hat-trick of wins at Dundrod in 2011 but has not topped the podium in six years.
So far this year his time on the bike has been limited, with weather disrupting both the North West 200 and the Isle of Man TT before Dunlop suffered "serious" injuries in a crash at the Donegal Rally.
Despite this, the 19-time TT winner plans to ride the Southern 100, which begins on 8 July.
"I am still suffering a bit with the shoulder and wrist but I am getting treatment at the minute," Dunlop said.
"I will just have to suffer the pain with it for now until I can get an operation."
The Ballymoney man won the Lightweight race after enduring a difficult week around the Isle of Man's Mountain Course, showing signs of a return to form as he begins to look towards the last domestic international road race of the year.
"I got a win on the smaller bike at the TT because it wasn't so hard to ride with the injury. But I just didn't have enough time on the other bikes between being too sore and breaking down in practice," added the 30-year-old.
"I suppose all of this stuff puts me back into the life of the underdog but I don't mind that. There has just been a series of knocks with this and that which have all added up when you are already up against it to start with after being off the bike for so long.
"If I thought I wasn't quick enough I wouldn't be in the game. I wouldn't embarrass myself. I just need these wee silly things ironed out that are holding me back and then get my finger out."