Dean Harrison Says Ducati Panigale V2 Is In Different Stratosphere

dean harrison said Michael Dunlop’s Ducati Panigale V2 was in a “different stratosphere” on the straights after the North West 200 Supersport race was stopped by a red flag as the pair were about to begin the final lap. Harrison felt he had Dunlop covered in the turns, but the Honda rider said the gap in straight-line speed changed the shape of the race.

Harrison On The Final Lap

“Honestly, I felt comfortable where I was, I was sat there,” Harrison said after the Supersport race. He said he got right close to Dunlop on that lap and had planned “to have a bit of a go somewhere,” but the red flag cut the run short.

That left his attack unfinished. Harrison said he was stronger on the brakes, in the slipstream, and from Church Corner to Juniper Chicane, and that he could pull Dunlop into Black Hill and get right onto the back of him before making his move.

Ducati Speed Against Honda Top End

“The Ducati’s in a different stratosphere when it comes to speed,” Harrison said. He added that his Honda CBR600RR could not live with Dunlop’s machine on the straights, even though he believed he could claw time back under braking and through the corners.

The two riders were the class of the Supersport field at the North West 200 road races from 6–9 May, and the only middleweight race of the event ended before the final lap could play out. Harrison said his plan was to use Dunlop’s slipstream to Juniper and then have a go, but the interruption stopped that gamble before it started.

Dunlop Keeps Raising The Pace

Dunlop said he felt good on the Ducati and kept upping the pace as the race developed. He said the bike was doing everything he wanted it to do and that he felt really comfortable with it, while also noting that he could see Harrison was hanging on.

He added that Harrison’s riding was “super-fast at the minute” and said the Ducati had the punch off the corner, even though the Honda should have had the top end. Dunlop also said he upped the game again on the last lap, making it interesting to see what the lap time would have been. Dunlop is now a nine-time North West 200 winner.