Dunlop speaks about 140mph "close shave"

ROAD RACING star Michael Dunlop has been speaking about his high-speed near miss, after the Irishman was caught up in a 140mph crash involving English rider Olie Linsdell at the Manx Grand Prix.

Dunlop was catching Linsdell through a flat-out section of the course when Olie fell right in front of the Ballymoney rider. Dunlop has said how he had to make a split decision between hitting the fallen Linsdell or his machine. Thankfully, Dunlop chose the latter:

"I had caught Olie on the road and he crashed at Bishop's Court, which is a flat-out right-hander. It all happened so fast and all I remember is seeing Olie lying on one side of the road and his bike on the other," Dunlop told Irish newspaper News Letter Sport.

"The only options I had were to run into Olie or his bike, so I aimed for the bike," said the 22-year-old.

"I hit the bike somewhere around the front end and lifted into the air and managed to stay on. I don't know how I got away with it, but it was a close shave.

"After that I just decided to be sensible and bring the bike home for the win rather than trying to polish my ego by getting a 122mph lap."

Linsdell, son of TT veteran Steve Linsdell, was airlifted to Nobles Hospital following the incident and is now in a critical condition.

Dunlop went on to win the race by two-and-half-minutes.