Phillip McCallen: ‘Michael Dunlop must race short circuits’

Phillip McCallen is an 11 times NW200 winner, 11 times TT winner and 14 times UP winner.

He’s also a TV pundit and MCN asked him to give us his views on Michael Dunlop…

“I’ve been watching Michael Dunlop for a few years now and he’s doing a good job considering he is only 22.

“You have to remember than Michael has been fighting just fractions of a second off Ian Hutchinson’s laps times at the TT and the Ulster and he doesn’t do the short circuit racing that Hutchy does all year.

“The thing that really transformed my career was racing in the World Thunderbike series in 1995 (similar to 600 supersport but as a Grand Prix supporting class). 

“I didn’t get great results for various reasons but I did qualify top three and when I went home to race in the British championship in 1996 I was really competitive.

“Short circuit racing teaches you to slide both ends of the bike and while you might not take it to that extreme on the roads, it does help you sharpen up. And when you turn up at the big road races, you’ve got that added level of confidence.

“I think for Michael to go the next level and win international road races, he has to start doing short circuits.

“Finding the budget to do that isn’t going to be easy, but the more mileage he gets on a bike, the more results he’ll get and the more money he’ll attract.

“If you take Hutchy, he’s 100% committed to racing and that’s what it takes to win at any level.

“I used to get good money racing at home but it got to the point where I knew I had to go short circuit racing and it was a case of working hard to find that outside backing.

“I didn’t go until I was 30 so Michael’s got time on his ride, but the sooner he makes the move, the sooner he’ll become the superstar we all think he can be.”