- Third Irish Motorcyclist of the Year award
- Extension of TT record to 33 victories
- Joey Dunlop Trophy at the 2025 Irish Motorbike Awards
Michael Dunlop has further cemented his position as a defining figure in modern road racing. At the 2025 Irish Motorbike Awards in Belfast, the Northern Irishman was named Irish Motorcyclist of the Year for the third time in his career and once again received the Joey Dunlop Trophy. The honor follows a season in which Dunlop achieved numerous sporting highlights both on the Isle of Man and on Irish road courses.
PICTURE BY STEPHEN DAVISON
Success at the Tourist Trophy and historic records
Once again, Dunlop’s performance at the Tourist Trophy is at the heart of the award. The rider from Ballymoney celebrated four more victories in 2025, bringing his total number of TT wins to 33. Two victories in the Supersport class and two in the Supertwin category cemented his status as the most successful rider in the history of the event, which has been held since 1907.
In the previous season, Michael Dunlop had already surpassed his uncle Joey Dunlop’s long-standing record of 26 victories. In 2025, he reached another historic milestone when he also achieved the most podium finishes by a single rider at the TT, overtaking John McGuinness, who had previously collected 47 podium finishes.
Successes on Irish road courses
In addition to the Tourist Trophy, Dunlop’s record on Irish road racing tracks also played a key role in the selection. Particularly noteworthy is his performance at the North West 200, where he won three races after nine years without a victory. He won in the Supersport and Superstock classes as well as in the second Superbike race, securing a hat trick on the 8.97-mile Triangle course.
He also achieved double victories at the national events Cookstown 100 and Tandragee 100. A hard-fought Superbike victory at the North West 200 was also named Race of the Year by the Irish Motorbike Awards jury.
Award at the Irish Motorbike Awards
The awards ceremony took place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belfast and was sold out. Dunlop prevailed in a strong field of competitors, which included Jonathan Rea, Casey O’Gorman, Rhys Irwin, Jack Kennedy, and other renowned riders. For Dunlop, it was his third Irish Motorcyclist of the Year award following his successes in previous years.
In addition to his sporting recognition, Dunlop was also honored with an MBE for his services to motorsport in the same year. He received the award as part of King Charles III’s Birthday Honours.
Joey 25 celebration also honored
In addition to Dunlop’s personal success, the “Joey 25” commemorative event was also named Motorcycle Event of the Year at the awards. The event took place on May 24, 2025, in Ballymoney and commemorated the life and career of Joey Dunlop, who died in a racing accident in Estonia in 2000, 25 years after his death.
Isle of Man TT, Tourist Trophy, Douglas.1st June 2024.
(L to r) Davey Todd, Ducati, Powertoolmate Ducati, Saltburn, England (2nd) winner Michael Dunlop, Yamaha, MD Racing, Ballymoney, N. Ireland Ricky Carmichael, and Dean Harrison, Honda, Honda Racing UK, Bradford
Other honors of the evening
Other award winners included Jonathan Rea, who received a Special Recognition Award for his six Superbike World Championship titles. Davey Todd was named King of the Roads, while Rhys Irwin and Carl Phillips were honored as Short Circuit Rider of the Year on British and Irish circuits, respectively.
Michael Dunlop’s re-election as Irish Motorcyclist of the Year underlines his special position in international road racing. The combination of consistent TT successes, victories in Irish classics, and international recognition continues to make him the central reference in road racing.
What does this mean for road racing fans?
Michael Dunlop’s re-election as Irish Motorcyclist of the Year is above all a sign of continuity in international road racing. It shows that the major road races continue to be characterized by clear sporting benchmarks and that historic achievements are not just short-term anomalies. For fans, this means a rare phase in which records are not only maintained but actively extended. At the same time, the award underscores the importance of traditional events such as the Tourist Trophy and the North West 200, which retain their significance even in a changing motorsport landscape. The current dominance of one rider makes comparisons with earlier eras tangible and ensures that current seasons are perceived more strongly in their historical context.
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