William Dunlop (motorcyclist)

British motorcycle racer

William Dunlop

Dunlop at the North West 200

Nationality

Northern Irish

Born

(1985-07-23)23 July 1985

Died

7 July 2018(2018-07-07) (aged 32)

Motorcycle racing career statistics

250cc World Championship

Active years

2009

Manufacturers

Honda

Starts	Wins	Podiums	Poles	F. laps	Points
1	0	0	0	0	0

Isle of Man TT career

TTs contested

9 (2006–2007, 2009–2017)

TT wins

TT podiums

William Dunlop (23 July 1985 – 7 July 2018) was a professional motorcycle racer from Northern Ireland. Part of a motorcycle racing dynasty, William was the elder brother of Michael Dunlop; both were sons of the late Robert Dunlop, and nephews of the late Joey Dunlop. He died as a result of a crash at a racing event in the Republic of Ireland.

Career

William started racing 125 cc bikes in 2000 when he was 15 years old. During his racing career, he accumulated 108 Irish National Road Race wins.

He also achieved numerous victories at two of Ireland's prestigious road racing events, the North West 200 (4) and the Ulster Grand Prix (7). His best results at the Isle of Man TT saw him securing the third tier on the podium on four occasions with his best result being the runner up position in the 2016 TT Zero.

Until late 2015, Dunlop had raced for Tyco BMW Motorrad Racing campaigning the BMW S1000RR and a Suzuki GSX-R600. The 2016 season saw him competing at the main International Road Races aboard Yamaha YZF-R1 and Yamaha YZF-R6 in the Superbike and Supersport categories.

Dunlop campaigned a Kawasaki ZX-10R Superstock machine, provided by a different team, during selected rounds of the British Championship.

Dunlop competed in eleven TT race seasons between 2006 and 2017, with a second place and four third places being his best results, in the 125 cc, SuperSport and Classic races. He won two races at the North West 200 with his first victory being in the 2009 250 cc event. 2009 also saw Dunlop take part in the last ever 250cc Grand Prix race at Valencia finishing 18th on a P J Flynn Bigman Racing Honda.

2014

Dunlop crashed his Tyco Suzuki Superbike in the final race of the week at the 2014 Isle of Man TT, during the Senior TT event. He led the race on time briefly during the first lap, but ran wide through the Graham Memorial corner on the mountain section on the third lap, running off the road up against the adjacent embankment, resulting in two fractures to his left leg.

2015

Dunlop won two races at a rain-soaked Tandragee 100. In the Supersport Class, Dunlop put in a very convincing performance on board the CD Racing Yamaha YZF-R6 and rounded the meeting off by taking victory in the Senior Open Race on the TAS BMW S1000RR.

Death

Dunlop sustained fatal head injuries as a result of a crash during practice for the 2018 Skerries 100 Road Races in County Dublin. His Yamaha YZF-R1 bike spilled oil from the engine sump onto the back wheel, and as a result, Dunlop lost control and crashed into a ditch and trees at the Sam's Tunnel part of the circuit.

On 26 February 2022, a statue of William Dunlop was added to the Memorial Garden in Ballymoney, where there were memorials to his father Robert and uncle Joey.

Career statistics

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

By season

Season	Class	Motorcycle	Team	Number	Race	Win	Podium	Pole	FLap	Pts	Plcd
2009	250cc	Honda	Bigman Racing	33	1	0	0	0	0	0	NC
Total					1	0	0	0	0	0

Races by year

Year	Class	Bike	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	Pos	Points
2009	250cc	Honda	QAT	JPN	SPA	FRA	ITA	CAT	NED	GER	GBR	CZE	INP	RSM	POR	AUS	MAL	VAL 18	NC	0

Complete TT record

2018	Superbike TT DNF
2017	Superbike TT 9	Supersport 1 TT 4	Superstock TT 7	Senior TT 10
2016	Superbike TT DNF	Supersport 1 TT 7	Superstock TT 8	Supersport 2 TT DNF	TT Zero 2	Senior TT DNF
2015	Superbike TT 5	Supersport TT 1 DNF
2014	Superbike TT 6	Supersport TT 1 5	Superstock TT DNF	Supersport TT 2 3	Senior TT DNF
2013	Superbike TT 9	Supersport TT 1 3	Supersport TT 2 4	Superstock TT 9	Senior TT 7
2012	Superbike TT 6	Supersport TT 1 3	Superstock TT DNF	Supersport TT 2 DNF	Lightweight TT 6	Senior TT Cancelled
2011	Superbike TT 7	Superstock TT 5	Supersport TT 2 DNF	Senior TT 8
2010	Superbike TT DNF	Supersport TT 1 6	Superstock TT 16	Supersport TT 2 7	Senior TT DNF
2009	Ultra Lightweight 125 TT 4	Lightweight 250 TT DNF	Superstock TT 11	Supersport TT 1 9	Supersport TT 2 DNF	Superbike TT 12	Senior TT DNF
2007	Supersport TT DNF	Senior TT 34
2006	Supersport TT 26	Senior TT 35