Michael Dunlop has confirmed he will tackle the 2022 Isle of Man TT Superbike and Superstock races with Hawk Racing aboard its Suzuki GSX-R1000R.
One of road racing’s most decorated racers, Dunlop - nephew of all-time TT record holder Joey Dunlop - had been planning to ride a Paul Bird Motorsport-prepared Ducati Panigale V4 R at the North West 200 and TT, but parted ways last month.
Though no reason was cited at the time, it is understood the unproven Ducati’s relative lack of mileage on an event such as the TT made it too much of a risk for Dunlop to ride it.
As such, Dunlop will reacquaint himself with Hawk Racing, with whom he has raced on BMW and Suzuki machinery, collecting wins on both in 2014, 2016 and 2017, the latter coming in the first year of the GSX-R1000R L7.
Though the machine itself is beginning to date relative to newer opposition, Dunlop is confident his intimate knowledge of the machine will be a benefit to him when the first TT in three years kicks off at the end of the month.
“After 3 years away from the roads and the Isle of Man, it’s important for me to be with a team I know and on a bike that I know. It’s been a big effort to get the bike ready so quickly, so I can’t thank Stuart [Hicken], Steve [Hicken], and the team, plus my own Street Sweep, H&S Contractors, and UGGLY&CO personal sponsors enough for all their efforts.”
Team Principal of Hawk Racing Steve Hicken added: “We’ve a great relationship with Michael and have enjoyed a lot of success over the years. Of course these aren’t ideal circumstances without any testing, but you can never rule Michael out and we’ll do everything we can to give him the bike he needs.”
Though PBM Ducati won’t be present at the TT now, it has decided to enter the North West 200 with its BSB rider Josh Brookes.
