Michael Dunlop shattered the outright lap record at the North West 200 to win the opening Super💎bike race on the Hawk Racing BMW.

The race was halted on🌱 lap four when Bruce Anstey came off the Padgetts Valvoline Honda at Church corner, fortunately escaping injury.

Anstey, who had been challenging for the top three, had earlier set a new top speed record on the Firebꦿlade of a staggering 209.8mph on the run to Coleraine.

Dunlop, second fastest behind Alastair Seeley in qualifying, was back in sixth on the opening lap🌊 but came through on the S1000RR to slot into second place behind Tyco BMW's Ian Hutchinson by the end of lap two.

Pole man Seওeley blew h🌸is chances when he ran on at University on lap one, dropping back to 19th place on the Briggs BMW.

Behind Hutchinson and Dunlop, Lee Johnston on the East Coast/Burdens BMW, Anstey, P🉐eter Hickman (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) and Michael Rutter on the Bathams SMT BMW were in hot🔯 pursuit.

Dunlop was setting a scorching pace and obliterated the lap record on lap three,🌞 setting a new benchmark of 123.207mph to take over from Josh Brookes as the fastest rider ever around the 8.9-mile Triangle course.

The 11-time Isle of Man TT winner had now established a comfortable cushion over Rutter, who came th♊rough to second place following Anstey's spill.

Hickman, making his second appearance at the North Wes🔥t after missing the event through injury last year, was into third place ahead of Hutchinson, who dropped 🧔back with a gear selection problem on the S1000RR.

However, the result was counted back a lap due to the red-flag incident in🌸volving Kiwi Anstey, with Hutchinson taking the runner-up spot ahea✨d of Rutter.

Hickman was fourth 🔯from Lee Johnston and Ho🔯nda Racing pair John McGuinness and Conor Cummins in sixth and seventh respectively.

Seeley fought his way back to take eighth, 23 seconds🐎 behind race winner Dunlop.