IAN Hutchinson has praised his pit crew and new Dunlop tyres after notching a 15th victory at the Isle of Man TT races.

The 'Bingley Bullet' was on top of the podium after a thrilling RST Superbike race, holding off Peter Hickman.

Hutchinson was ten seconds ahead at the final pit stop but, after being slowed by backmarkers, that deficit was cut to 1.6 seconds on the final lap, although the Tyco BMW rider's margin of victory in the end was five seconds.

It was Hickman's maiden TT podium, while early race leader Dean Harrison of Bradford finished third.

"It has just been the strangest practice week as we have struggled for laps and then got loads of laps in on Saturday," said Hutchinson.

"We made some small changes and I was fourth at Glen Helen, which I was expecting.

"Dean was leading from the start and setting a great pace but the lead was changing all the time and I didn't know what to expect as I felt that I didn't have a bike that I could push for a win for.

"But it is six laps, it is the TT, I have another race on Friday to prepare for and I just kept digging in.

"The lads have been brilliant with the pit stops. We were practising them at 9am.

"The switch to Dunlop was my call and they (the team) went with it and a massive thanks to them for trusting me.

"I got slowed by a backmarker at a crash (at Greeba Castle) and he (Davey Lambert) was in the road for four laps."

Harrison, although delighted to finish third after a difficult practice week, admitted that he let the crash affect him.

"I thought it looked serious and I kept thinking about it for a few laps, which you should never do, but it slowed me down," he said.

"I kept missing the apexes and the more frustrated you get, the more mistakes you make.

"I needed to take a step back to go two forwards. It was my own fault. It was like musical chairs – but I am over the moon to get third.

"I led the race until the first pit stop but I struggled from lap three onwards with some issues that we need to sort out for Friday."