2022 Isle of Man TT [1/6] | Hickman top as Purslow death overshadows TT

Purslow, 29, from Llanon, Ceredigion in Wales was involved in an incident ahead of the fourth mile marker on the 37.7-mile Mountain Course while lapping on the #70 Never Be Clever Racing Yamaha R6. 

Red flags were deployed at 8:05pm to end the session early. Organisers later confirmed Purslow had succumbed to his injuries, becoming the 152nd person to die at the TT since its inauguration in 1907. Full statement and story HERE.

Prior to the stoppage, the swing of momentum at the top of the timesheets shifted back into Hickman’s favour as he raised the benchmark to 131.957mph on the Gas Monkey FHO BMW M 1000 RR.

However, it remains close at the top, with Dean Harrison chasing Hickman all the way to post a new best of the week of 131.767mph on the DAO Kawasaki, while Davey Todd remains in close contention aboard the Milenco by Padgetts Honda in third place.

In a week that has seen Hickman, Harrison and Todd consistently establish themselves as favourites for the podium in Superbike trim, Conor Cummins on the second of the Padgetts Hondas rallied on Wednesday evening as the latest rider to exceed 130mph, his 130.174mph effort lifting him to a new peak of fourth.

That pushes Michael Dunlop down to fifth place, while John McGuinness holds firm in sixth position on the factory Honda. With two more days of practice qualifying to contest, Jamie Coward (KTS Yamaha), Ian Hutchinson (Milwaukee BMW), James Hillier (127.686mph) and Philip Crowe (Handtrans Haulage/Nigel Appleyard BMW) complete the top ten in terms of personal best laps.

With most leading contenders focusing on the Superbike class on Wednesday, it was left to Dunlop to set the best Superstock time of the evening, while rookie Glenn Irwin continued his momentum with a new personal best of 125.447mph. Hickman, Todd and Coward remain top three overall.

Supersport / Sidecar

There was also no change up top in the truncated Supersport session, meaning Dunlop, Harrison and Johnston comprise an unchanged top three. 

There was a significant move up the order by Paul Jordan, however, the PreZ Racing by Prosper Yamaha R6 lifting himself to fourth place with a new best of 124.041mph, ahead of fifth place Coward.

Elsewhere, the evening’s sessions were kicked off by the Sidecars, who got the chance to get some meaningful running on the board following disruption to the schedule earlier in the week.

Favourites Ben and Tom Birchall consolidated their status as the pair to beat aboard the Haith Honda with a new benchmark of 116.825mph, followed up by Peter Founds and Jevan Walmsley aboard the FHO Honda in second (115.432mph) and Ryan and Callum Crowe aboard the Haven Homes Honda in third (114.598mph).