TT 2017: Hutchinson holds off Hickman for RST Superbike win

Ian Hutchinson has grabbed his 15th Isle of Man TT victory after a fierce RST Superbike race on Sunday having fended off a final lap charge from Peter Hickman on the Smiths BMW to win by over five seconds.

The race looked set-up for the Michael Dunlop against Hutchinson battle which dominated the pre-event talk but Dunlop’s Bennetts Suzuki suffered a technical issue on lap two at Handley’s corner while he was leading by 1.4 seconds from Dean Harrison.

Dunlop’s stop sparked a four-way battle for victory between James Hillier on the JG Speedfit Kawasaki, Harrison (Silicone Engineering Kawasaki), Hutchinson and Hickman.

Hutchinson's Tyco BMW team produced a superb pit stop to hand their rider a cushion of five seconds which then stretched to 9.5 seconds at Ballaugh Bridge over Hillier in second and Hickman third after Harrison dropped to fourth in the pits.

Hickman slashed Hutchinson's lead to 1.6 seconds at Ramsey on the final lap but the Tyco BMW rider was able to stretch his lead over the Mountain as he pulled clear to win by five seconds. Harrison was a further eight seconds behind with Hillier in fourth. 

Dan Kneen finished fifth on the Penz BMW while Michael Rutter completed the first six on the Bathams BMW.

Norton's David Johnson finished seventh ahead of team-mate Josh Brookes, with William Dunlop (Yamaha) and Martin Jessopp (BMW) the top ten.

Honda's Guy Martin came off at Doran's bend unhurt on lap one.