Davey Todd Claims Thrilling Victory in RST x D3O Superbike TT – Opens 2025 Isle of Man TT with Third Career Win
Despite schedule disruptions caused by poor weather and compromised road conditions, the first race of the 2025 Isle of Man TT finally got underway: the much-anticipated RST x D3O Superbike TT. Serving as the season opener after a slow start to TT Week, the race lived up to its billing with a nail-biting finish. Davey Todd (Monster Energy by 8TEN Racing BMW Motorrad) edged out Michael Dunlop (MD Racing BMW Motorrad) by just 1.296 seconds to claim a dramatic win—his third TT career victory. Dean Harrison (Honda Racing) completed the podium with a consistent ride in third.
Todd Takes the Fight to the Wire – Outpaces Dunlop by 1.296s in a Four-Lap Thriller
The opening race of the 2025 TT, the Superbike TT, turned into an intense four-lap battle. Starting at noon after delays caused by diesel spills on the course, Todd took an early lead at Glen Helen, narrowly ahead of Harrison by just 0.044 seconds. Dunlop followed in third, 2.8 seconds back. The top six also included Nathan Harrison (H&H Motorcycles Honda), Mike Browne (KTS Racing by Stanley Stewart BMW), and James Hind (North Lincs Components Honda). Veterans like John McGuinness, Conor Cummins, and Josh Brookes found themselves outside the top ten early on.
Todd extended his lead to nearly 6 seconds by Ramsey, while Dunlop began closing in on Harrison. At the end of lap one, Todd clocked 134.275mph, building a 7.8-second advantage. Dunlop posted 133.236mph, and Harrison followed closely at 133.051mph. Nathan Harrison made his first entry into the “130mph Club” with a 131.270mph lap. Browne and Dom Herbertson also surpassed the 130mph mark.
Mid-Race Push: Dunlop Responds, Todd Holds Steady
Lap two saw Dunlop respond with the fastest split at Glen Helen, trimming Todd’s lead to 5.9 seconds. Although Todd rebounded slightly at Ballaugh, Harrison began to lose time. Meanwhile, Herbertson and David Johnson (Platinum Club Racing Kawasaki) moved up to fifth and sixth respectively. Todd retained control by the end of lap two, clocking 133.874mph, while Dunlop narrowly outpaced him at 133.967mph, shrinking the gap to 7.1 seconds.
Todd’s lead briefly slipped during the pit stop, dropping to just 1.8 seconds at Glen Crutchery Road on lap three. Glen Helen saw the margin tighten further to 1.5 seconds, but he bounced back at Ballaugh to regain a 3-second buffer. A wide line at Parliament Square cut the advantage again at Ramsey Hairpin to 1.9 seconds.
As the battle intensified, the duo traded seconds through the Mountain section, and Todd began the final lap with a 1.9-second lead. Harrison remained in a lonely third, 25 seconds back, with Nathan Harrison in fourth, followed by Johnson and Hillier. Josh Brookes and John McGuinness were hot on their heels, while Ian Hutchinson retired in the pits.
Final Lap Fireworks: Todd and Dunlop Trade Blows, Finish Within a Second
The final lap kicked off with Todd’s lead shaved to just 0.2 seconds at Glen Helen. Dunlop surged ahead mid-lap by overtaking Harrison on the road, briefly taking the net lead. But Todd struck back at Ballaugh, reestablishing a 2.2-second lead. The gap seesawed at Ramsey Hairpin (1.9s) and Bungalow (2.2s), but Todd sealed the deal with a 135.327mph final lap. Dunlop posted the fastest lap of the race at 135.416mph, but it wasn’t enough—he missed out by just 1.296 seconds.
Harrison secured third for his 31st career TT podium, while Nathan Harrison finished fourth with 131.113mph. Johnson (131.097mph) and Hillier (131.285mph) completed the top six. McGuinness claimed seventh, ahead of Brookes in eighth. Michael Evans, racing for Dafabet Racing Honda, recorded a personal best of 129.594mph to take ninth, and Paul Jordan (Jackson Racing) rounded out the top ten.
Notably, Amaury Blinque (12th) set a personal best of 127.726mph, retaining his status as the fastest French rider on the Mountain Course.