Dunlop poised for World Supersport bow with PTR Honda

Isle of Man TT hot-shot Michael Dunlop is poised to make a sensational debut in the World Supersport Championship with PTR Honda this year.

Dunlop won four races at the TT and finished second in the Senior race to make the 2013 festival his own.

The 24-year-old from Northern Ireland linked up with Simon Buckmaster's PTR outfit to clinch a Supersport double on the Mountain Course and a World Supersport outing is in prospect for the Ballymoney road racer before the end of the season.

Dunlop has impressed in the Endurance World Championship on the Honda TT Legends machine, lapping faster than his team-mates and seasoned short circuit riders Michael Rutter and Simon Andrews to prove he is no slouch on the purpose-built tracks.

Now a seven-time TT winner, Dunlop said: "It's not out of the question that I might go to a world round this season.

"As far as road racing is concerned I really don't know where I'm going and I really don't know where I'm going as far as short circuits are concerned either," he said.

"Simon [Buckmaster] has said that he'd try and get me to a World Supersport round before the year is over.

"It's nice to see that finally people are taking notice of me," he told the Belfast News Letter.

"I'm really looking forward to whatever my next race is but at the minute we'll just see what doors open for me and go from there."

PTR boss Buckmaster described Dunlop and his MD Racing team as 'a joy to work with' and said the potential for Dunlop's World Supersport debut was 'something to watch out for'.

"From our side we cannot praise the commitment and focus of Michael Dunlop enough," said Buckmaster.

"He, Gary Ryan and the rest of the MD racing boys were a joy to work with.

"I have known Michael for a while now after he rode our bike in the 2011 Sunflower races at Bishopscourt, where we could already see the massive potential he had to move to the next level. "We are proud to have been part of his 2013 TT effort.

"People have said that Michael is hard work to have in a team but I have to say I do not agree now I know this man," he added.

"I find him to be a nice but determined and focused man surrounded by loyal people in Gary Ryan and the other boys from MD Racing.

"In his own words he is just a normal young guy doing what he loves to do.

"A few things to watch out for as this year goes on is there may even be an appearance from Michael Dunlop at a World Supersport event - watch this space.

"Together with Gary Ryan we will try and make that happen and I am sure many of you will come along to see just what he can do.

"I have every faith in him, he is not just a road racer, this is a talented rider with good feel for a bike."