Peter Hickman produces an astonishing record final lap to win the Senior TT at the Isle of Man TT to pip race-long leader Dean Harrison in one of the closest races ever seen.

Riding the Smiths Racing BMW, Hickman announced his arrival as a genuine front-runner with his first victory in Monday’s Superstock race, but he saved his best for last as he wrapped up the two-week event with a display that will go down in history as the fastest ever seen in the world.

With a final lap of 135.492mph, Hickman posted the quickest lap ever seen to overtake Harrison, who rather unluckily had led the race from the very start only to be passed in the final run down the mountain. Harrison, who won the Supersport race two on Wednesday, came home second just 2.061s behind Hickman, with Isle of Man native Conor Cummins a distant third as he came home 1:42.494mins behind the eventual winner.

Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Show all 23 1 /23 Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Practice Dan Kneen, rider for Tyco BMW Motorrad, died in practice for the Isle of Man TT on Wednesday www.iomtt.com Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Practice Dan Kneen suffered a fatal accident at Churchtown on Wednesday Tyco BMW Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Superbike TT Michael Dunlop on the Tyco BMW during the 2018 RST Superbike TT at the Isle of Man www.iomtt.com Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Superbike TT Dean Harrison retired at Sulby Crossroads while leading the Superbike TT www.iomtt.com Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Superbike TT Conor Cummins moved up to second following Dean Harrison's retirement www.iomtt.com Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Supersport TT Race One Michael Dunlop set off 10 second behind Dean Harrison but caught him by lap three www.iomtt.com Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Supersport TT Race One Dunlop was the only front-runner to change his rear tyre after lap two www.iomtt.com Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Supersport TT Race One Michael Dunlop claimed his second victory of the 2018 Isle of Man TT in the first Supersport race www.iomtt.com Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Supersport TT Race One Dean Harrison bounced back from Saturday's disappointment to claim second www.iomtt.com Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Supersport TT Race One Adam Lyon suffered a fatal accident at Casey's during the first Supersport Isle of Man TT race, aged 26 www.iomtt.com Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Superstock TT Race Peter Hickman clinched victory on his Superstock Smiths Racing BMW at the 2018 Isle of Man TT www.iomtt.com Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Superstock TT Race Hickman smashed the superstock lap record with an average speed of 134.077mph www.iomtt.com Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Superstock TT Race Hickman rode the lap of his life to seal victory in the Superstock race www.iomtt.com Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Superstock TT Race Michael Dunlop closed the gap to just 0.146s but had to make-do with second www.iomtt.com Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Superstock TT Race Dean Harrison fell away to come home in third place www.iomtt.com Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Supersport TT Race 2 Dean Harrison secured his second win at the Isle of Man TT in the Supersport race two www.iomtt.com Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Supersport TT Race 2 Michael Dunlop was hit with a 30-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane www.iomtt.com Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Supersport TT Race 2 Peter Hickman took his third podium finish of the week in the second Supersport race www.iomtt.com Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Senior TT James Hillier's Kawasaki laid down oil on the circuit as he retired on lap one www.iomtt.com Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Senior TT Michael Dunlop endured a difficult day with his Tyco BMW well off the pace www.iomtt.com Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Senior TT Harrison gained time on Hickman in both pit stops www.iomtt.com Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Senior TT Dean Harrison led from the very start of the Senior TT www.iomtt.com Isle of Man TT 2018 in pictures Senior TT Peter Hickman broke the outright lap record with his fourth lap of 134.456mph www.iomtt.com

Hickman’s achievement is all the more incredible given that a mechanical failure for James Hillier on the opening lap left oil down on the Barregarrow section of the course, with yellow flags remaining out on the course for the remaining five laps. Hickman, from Burton-on-Trent, was also held up by backmarkers over the first half of his final lap, but smashed sector record after sector record to snatch victory on the line.

Peter Hickman twice broke the outright lap record in the Senior TT (www.iomtt.com)

“What a tough race,” said a beaming Hickman afterwards. “Dean was absolutely on it, massive credit to him. He was leading pretty much the whole race and I was losing time but then gaining over the mountain. Just wow, mega.

“[It’s] Unbelievable, the Smiths Racing BMW SS1000RR is just working absolutely mega. It’s a bit uncomfortable over the first two sectors but the second half of the lap it’s just sweet as a nut. I knew it would come down to seconds.

Harrison gained time on Hickman in both pit stops (www.iomtt.com)

“I passed them [backmarkers] as cleanly as I could and I got held up at Kirkmichael. That’s one of the fastest sections of the track, I’m a tall guy so I can get through there side to side and I lost my advantage.”

But producing the lap of his life, Hickman rallied from 5.742s behind at Ballaugh Bridge to overtake Harrison, who himself broke the lap record with his final lap of 134.918mph, eclipsing the 134.432mph that he set in last Saturday’s Superbike TT and the 134.456mph that Hickman set on the second lap on Friday.

James Hillier's Kawasaki laid down oil on the circuit as he retired on lap one (www.iomtt.com)

“It’s just disappointing on the last lap to get stuck behind so many slow riders,” Harrison said. “You’ve got to give them respect and pass them cleanly but I lost four seconds to Sulby.”

One rider who was expected to contend at the front was Michael Dunlop, but the 18-time TT winner struggled from the very start, losing 10 seconds on the run to Ramsey and fell away rapidly, finishing more than 48 seconds behind third-placed Cummins.

Dean Harrison led from the very start of the Senior TT before finishing second (www.iomtt.com)

Josh Brookes, riding the Chrome-laden Norton, finished in a career-best fifth place, with the RAF Regular & Reserves Kawasaki of Gary Johnson sixth and the Riders Motorcycles BMW of Martin Jessopp seventh. Jamie Coward, newcomer Davey Todd and Brian McCormack completed the top 10.

Peter Hickman celebrates with fans after winning the Senior TT (www.iomtt.com)

Peter Hickman celebrates winning the Isle of Man Senior TT (www.iomtt.com)

Dean Harrison sprays Peter Hickman with champagne after the Senior TT (www.iomtt.com)

Hillier failed to complete half-a-lap before his Kawasaki engine expired, while 16-time TT winner Ian Hutchinson retired at the end of his fourth lap as he continued to struggle with the leg injury that he suffered at last year’s TT. Hutchinson broke his femur in a crash that resulted in him having his ankle bone removed and made to grow 40mm of new bone, with the ‘Bingley Bullet’ only getting back onto a motorbike two weeks before the TT.

Michael Dunlop endured a difficult day with his Tyco BMW well off the pace (www.iomtt.com)

“38 days since my frame came off, I’ve done a test day at Mallory, 2 days racing at Mallory, a test day at Cadwell, 2 days practice at the northwest 200 and a day racing there, then 39 laps of the TT circuit,” he wrote on Twitter. “21 days out of the last 38 I’ve rode a race bike, no results but I made it.

“Massive, massive thank you to my surgeon @mkrkovic and my team @HondaRacingCBR and @PadgettsRacing1 for getting me here and trusting me to ride and @MonsterEnergyUK @rst_motodirect @WhyArai and all my sponsors for supporting me and sorry to fans if I’ve been a bit short.”

Results

1. Peter Hickman 1:43:08.065

2. Dean Harrison +2.061

3. Conor Cummins +1:42.494mins

4. Michael Dunlop +2:37.25mins

5. Josh Brookes +3:01:839mins

6. Gary Johnson +3:58.753mins

7. Martin Jessopp +4:50.343mins

8. Jamie Coward +5:19.722mins

9. Davey Todd +5:51.994mins