Morecambe's John McGuinness takes sixth in Superbike TT opener

The 23-time winner had lapped at 131.003mph during qualifying to record the sixth fastest time and hopes were high of finishing inside the top six in Sunday’s six-lap race.

An opening lap of 130.442mph around the 37,73-mile Mountain Course put the Honda Racing rider in seventh place, one spot behind fellow Honda rider Jamie Coward

And a second lap speed of 130.298mph consolidated his position as he made his first pit stop for fuel and a new rear tyre.

An excellent stop by the team got him out in double-quick time and when Davey Todd pulled in to retire at the end of lap three, he was elevated up the order to sixth.

Although Coward had pulled away, John was comfortably clear of seventh-placed Josh Brookes and another 130mph-plus lap on the fourth lap helped him on his way to sealing sixth place and another top six finish in his 105th TT start.

The race was won by Honda rider Michael Dunlop, who drew level with John’s tally of 23 wins, as he beat Peter Hickman by 8.2s. Hickman set the fastest lap of the race at 135.455mph, just 0.047s outside his own outright lap record.

McGuinness said: “Sixth and a top-six finish is a solid start to race week and so far, I’ve started and finished every session which speaks volumes of how the bike’s performing.

"I enjoyed qualifying and went quicker than I’ve gone in a long while and although I couldn’t quite get close to a 131mph lap in today’s Superbike race, to put in three 130mph-plus laps is still very pleasing.”

“I rode as hard as I could and although I haven’t got the pace of the leaders, I hit every apex and thoroughly enjoyed the entire 226-mile race. Conditions have been the best they’ve been for years, we had two great pit stops and I feel like I’m riding better than I have done for a while so I’m happy with a top-sixfinish.”