Isle of Man TT: Peter Hickman wins Senior race to complete four-timer
- Published
Peter Hickman secured the third Senior TT win of his career
Peter Hickman won a record-breaking Senior TT to complete his second four-timer in successive years and take the 13th success of his Isle of Man career.
The FHO Racing BMW rider took charge from the start and maintained his lead throughout the six laps, setting a new Senior race lap record of 135.507mph.
The 36-year-old's eventual winning margin over Dean Harrison was 19.98 seconds, with Michael Dunlop in third.
Dunlop also won four races during race week to sit on 25 victories overall.
Saturday's Senior offered up the opportunity for the Northern Irishman to equal his uncle Joey's record of 26 wins but the Ballymoney man must wait another 12 months to try and reach or better that benchmark.
Ian Hutchinson also retains his 13-year record as the only rider ever to win five individual races in a week.
Hickman's triumph was his third in the Senior race after he claimed victory in 2018 and as part of his quadruple in 2022, and he came home 39 seconds inside the previous race record time at one hour 42.29 seconds.
His 13 wins see him move above Bruce Anstey in the all-time winners' list and sit just one behind the tally accumulated by Mike Hailwood.
Hickman led Harrison by 6.1 seconds after the opening circuit courtesy of a lap speed of 135.349, with Hawk Racing Honda-mounted Michael Dunlop a further 3.9 seconds in arrears of the DAO Racing Kawasaki rider.
The Lincolnshire rider extended that advantage at the head of proceedings to 11.8 seconds by the end of lap two after upping the pace to lap record level but lost a few seconds to his nearest challenger by virtue of a slower pit stop.
Harrison, who had finished third five times this week, continued to keep Dunlop at bay as he aimed to split the two star performers of the meeting for the first time in TT 2023.
Hickman's lead was 9.9secs and 12.3secs respectively after laps three and four and he enjoyed an increased cushion of 15.9secs as he crossed the line to set out on his last lap.
The British Superbike rider managed his lead to the finish, with Dunlop 20 seconds behind runner-up Harrison, the third-place finisher achieving the fastest lap of 135.259 he has produced on his final circuit.
"I wasn't super-fast but I did enough. I had more in hand if I really needed it but I just did what I had to. It's been a great TT," said Hickman.
"The team have done a fantastic job, trying to rectify the problems we had with the bike and it was pretty much faultless today."
Milenco by Padgett's Honda rider Conor Cummins was fourth, Australian Josh Brookes fifth and James Hillier sixth.
Hickman's other victories this week came thanks to a Superstock double and a Supertwins win, while Dunlop won both Supersports, a Supertwin and the Superbike event.
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