TT 2024: As he stood on the Supersport podium, Michael looked heavenwards. His father and brother would be so proud

The 35-year-old admitted the weight of expectation on his shoulders affected him at the beginning of the four-lap race, with Dunlop lying third behind English rivals Dean Harrison and Davey Todd after the first lap, albeit only three seconds off the lead.

Once he settled into his rhythm on the second lap, the 130mph lap record holder began to make inroads on his trusty MD Racing Yamaha R6, which he switched back to during practice week after riding a Triumph 765 in the first qualifying sessions.

Dunlop had forged ahead at Ballaugh Bridge and once he had his nose in front it was game over.

Michael Dunlop looks heavenwards after winning the opening Supersport race at the Isle of Man TT to equal his uncle Joey's record of 26 victories

The Ballymoney man began to assert his authority and continued to extend his advantage as he upped the ante, posting the fastest lap of the race at 129.214mph to secure the milestone 26th TT victory that put him level with Ulster sporting legend Joey, 24 years after ‘Yer Maun’ had claimed a treble at his final TT in 2000, weeks before he lost his life in a racing accident at Tallinn in Estonia.

Dunlop – who beat 28-year-old rising star Todd (Powertoolmate Ducati) by 8.574s with Honda UK’s Harrison 22.381s further in arrears – was visibly overcome with emotion in the winner’s enclosure after being rapturously cheered on his way there by a huge crowd gathered along the pit return lane.

Joey’s famous record, which many once believed would never be matched, was now shared by his nephew, who has reached the landmark at the relatively young TT age of 35.

From his first victory around the 37.73-mile Mountain Course at the Manx Grand Prix in the Newcomers C race on a 125cc Honda under the expert eye of his father Robert as a fresh-faced 17-year-old, Dunlop embarked on a journey that would take him to the pinnacle of road racing greatness.

Michael Dunlop on his MD Racing Yamaha at St Ninian's in the opening Monster Energy Supersport race at the Isle of Man TT

Had it not been for Sunday’s Superbike heartbreak, when the visor on his Arai helmet had not been clipped in properly during his second pit-stop as he led the race by 25 seconds, Dunlop would surely have chalked up win number 27.

He was forced to stop at the top of Bray Hill, take off his helmet and gloves and attach the visor himself, costing him well over 50 seconds before he was able to set off again on his Hawk Racing Honda.

Losing in such a cruel manner will have hurt, but Dunlop will be ready to put the unfortunate episode behind him when he lines up on Glencrutchery Road once more for Tuesday’s first Superstock and Supertwin races.

It feels inevitable that he will win again this week to set a new record of TT victories and Dunlop’s blistering lap record on the last lap of the Superbike race at 135.970mph was a final act of defiance as he finished the drama-filled 226-mile in fourth place.

Following his victory on Saturday, Dunlop was humble as he reflected on his momentous achievement and paid a respectful tribute to his uncle Joey.

“Obviously from being one behind I’m technically the most successful rider of all time around the Isle of Man TT, joint with Joey, so it’s something special,” he said.

“It’s different eras, different games – I’ve always said that – but just to be in that same sentence is an honour for me.

“I don’t contrast myself as being good as Joey because obviously Joey was a different time and a different era, but it’s an honour to definitely be on the same amount of wins.”

It was a historic moment for Dunlop, who has paid a high price for his place in motorcycle road racing’s most celebrated dynasty, which has now achieved a staggering collective total of 57 TT wins – 26 each for Michael and Joey and five for Michael’s father Robert, whose TT career was limited after he was restricted by his injuries to riding the smallest 125cc machines following a serious crash at Ballaugh village in 1994.

Robert tragically died in an accident during practice for the North West 200 in 2008, with Michael – aged only 19 – arriving on the scene in a matter of moments.

He famously won the 250cc race less than 48 hours later and dedicated the victory to his dad’s memory.

Tragically, the heartache of another crushing loss was visited upon his doorstep once again when his older brother William was killed in an accident during practice for the Skerries 100 road races near Dublin in July 2018, only a few weeks before his 33rd birthday.

Understandably, a question mark hung over Michael’s future but he returned in 2019 and summed up his decision to continue in the sport by stating: “It’s what the Dunlops do."

Then aged 30, he aded: “The Dunlop name has always been big into motorbikes and I can’t get away from it.

"It’s been good on one hand and not so good on the other, but we’ve always been road racers and I’ve come back again, and I want to be faster and fitter than I ever was.”

As he stood on the top step of the Supersport podium on Saturday in front of the TT Grandstand, Michael looked heavenwards.

His father and his brother would be so proud of him.