Michael Dunlop will ride the same Honda 250 RS that Bruce Anstey rode to win 3 times in the Lightweight races between 2016. and 2019.

Michael rode to victory in last year’s Lightweight race on his own MD Racing Honda with a lead of 47.1 seconds ahead of Ian Lougher. He set the fastest lap of the race at 115.285mph. Dunlop will have high hopes of recreating victory at this year’s meeting.

It’ll be Michael’s first time riding for the Padgetts team, but he isn’t the first Dunlop to do so. His father, Robert Dunlop, rode the 125cc and 250cc Hondas at the start of the 1994 season.

Clive Padgett said: “I’m super excited to be working with Michael. We have so many happy memories of working with Robert towards the end of ’93 and into ’94, and it’s a great connection with the Dunlop family. I almost feel like I’m cheating on Bruce a little bit because that bike has been his baby for so long! The team are working hard behind the scenes to get the bike ready for the Classic, we’re looking forward to a great week of racing.”