Michael Dunlop was born half a century too late. In an age when many professional motorcycle racers spend their days away from racetracks training and tweeting, the 25-times Isle of Man TT winner still builds his own bikes, from the crankshaft up, drives his own race truck and enjoys social media as much as he enjoys a bad dose of the flu.
Dunlop doesn’t fit the 21st Century racer stereotype, but he would have fitted right in with the Continental Circus. Back in the 1960s British racers sallied forth each summer to crisscross Europe, contesting grands prix and spending their spare weekends racing around different towns, which turned their streets into racetracks once a year and paid handsome cash prizes to attract star riders.
That kind of lifestyle would have been perfect for Dunlop: fettle your Norton Manx, race around the streets, collect a wedge of francs, liras or pesetas at the post-race dinner, pack your van with a hangover the next morning and head off to the next race – always your own man, nobody telling you what to do and no tiresome media conferences or sponsor events to attend.
Like the one we’re at. There are a dozen journalists from all over Europe, sitting with Dunlop around a big
