Peter Hickman posted the fastest time in the Superbike class on Thursday evening during practice for the Isle of Man TT wꦡith a lap of 132.81mph, a new personal best lap for the Smiths Racing BMW rider.

The overnight rain and morning mist had long gone by the time the session got un﷽derway at 6.20pm and clear skies and sunshine were again the order of the day although damp patches remained on the exit of Ramsey Hairpin, the Nook and Governor’s Bridge.

Hickman was first to complete a lap at 131.113mph and he’d opened up a la🧸rge gap on the road over Michael Rutter, who lapped at 127.475mph on the Bathams BMW.

Dean Harrison (Silicone Kawasaki) and Michael Dunlop (Tyco BMW) were both over the 130mph mark though, lapping at 130.612mph and 130.606mph respectively. Australia♓n rider Josh Brookes also had a good ope🥂ning lap on the Norton at 129.174mph.

Hick꧙man and Rutter both elected to go straight through with Harrison and Dunlop pulling in to change machines. Hickman was taking full advantage of the clear road in front him with his second lap - an excellent 132.81mph - an unofficial personal best and the second fastest lap of the week to date.

Rutter was a retirement though, stopping at Cruickshanks although he did manage to g🥃et back to register another qualifying lap.

Harrison was also over 130mph second time around - this time on his Superstock mount, whi▨le Conor Cummins again impressed on his Padgett’s Honda Superbike at 131.18mph.

Da🌄vid Johnson (129.63) and James Hillier (128.06) also had strong second♔ laps as did newcomer Davey Todd, who set his best lap of the week at 123.995mph. Fellow newcomer David Jackson was also above 120mph for the first time but Adam Lyon retired at Cronk-y-Voddy.

As the session wore on, spℱeeds were reduced d♚ue to an incident involving Chris Petty at St Ninian’s, which left debris in the road.

Hickman went to the top of the Superstock times brief♔ly with a lap of 128.38mph. However, this was ultimately bettered by David Johnson w🌊ho posted a lap of 129.20mph.

Late laps on the Superbikes came from Cummins (130.59mph) and Dunlop (130.959mph) and although not many of the top group went out on their Supersport machines, Ivan Lintin put in the quickest lap of the night at 123.22mph, which put him ahead of Ja🎶mie Coward (Prez Racing Yamaha), who lapped at 12ꦰ3.208mph and Lee Johnston (123.02mph).

Yorkshireman Petty was taken by ambulance to Nobles Hospital where he was repor🌞ted to have sustained a fractured ankle.

In the Sidecar clas🍰s, Ben and Tom Birchall led the way with the fastest lap of the evening at 116.554mph.