It's Dunlop's ninth win at the North West 200.

Race winner Michael Dunlop: "It was good. I take my hat off to the boys, it's a lovely wee bike. It's a nice way to start off. It was a shame about the red flag. I felt good and kept upping the pace and the bike was doing everything I wanted to do. I felt really comfortable with it. I saw Dean was hanging on and he's obviously riding super fast at the moment.

"It's nice to add another one to the collection. I knew this week was going to be difficult with the late changes, but to win around here is lovely."

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Josh Brookes, who has finished in third: "I'm a surprise arrival at the podium. I traded places with Alastair Seeley for the rest of the lap and I was in the position to take third from the previous lap."

Dean Harrison, who finished in second place: "Honestly, I felt comfortable and I was close to him. My plan was to have a bit of a go but the red flag came out. The Ducati is in a different stratosphere on speed but I pulled him in on the brakes.

"I didn't know I had broken the lap record. Another podium and a lap record, so it isn't too bad."

A result has been declared after four laps, so Michael Dunlop will be the winner ahead of Dean Harrison, who again comes up short of a win.

It looks like Josh Brookes will be third.

This is as close as Harrison has been but he just can't get near enough to make a move into Portrush.

It's a familiar story as Harrison gets right on Dunlop in the first part of the lap but that Ducati has so much grunt and is able to pull clear by the time they reach University.

It's Dunlop by just 0.292 seconds over Harrison, who sets a new lap record.

Jordan is seven seconds back and just 0.602 ahead of Cooper.

A shout out for Carl Phillips, who is running in eighth.

Paul Jordan has moved into third place by Metropole but this is anyone's with Cooper, Brookes and Seeley all in the mix.

Harrison is still there but Dunlop has so much drive out of the corners.

Can he get close enough for his first win?

And Cooper immediately drafts back onto the podium. Great racing.

Seeley is back into third with a neat move on Cooper into York.

Here comes Harrison! He has a look into Juniper but Dunlop has him covered.

The gap is under half a second.

Cooper is now third but five seconds back, with Seeley, Jordan and Brookes in hot pursuit.

Seeley has dropped right back into the chasing pack. He must have made a mistake.

It's Dunlop from Harrison out front, and the Honda man is right on the back of the home favourite.

Dunlop still leads into University. He's not been challenged, but Harrison and Seeley are keeping touch.

It's Dunlop by 0.646 over Harrison and Seeley.

Jordan is next up but two seconds back after he was caught up in Cooper's mistake.

Cooper is fifth and Josh Brookes is in sixth.

Dunlop's Ducati is so good in a straight line and he's clear into Metropole.

The trio behind the leaders have dropped back but aren't out of this one just yet.

Dunlop stretches his legs out of Mill Road but the gaggle of riders behind won't let him go.

Harrison is second with Seeley third.

Cooper ran wide coming through University and holds Jordan and Brookes up.

It's Dunlop from Seeley, Harrison, Jordan, Cooper and Brookes.

Only 0.383 between the top two and you could throw your hat over the rest.