Michael in action at Killalane in Spetember

Tyco BMW has dismissed speculation that Michael Dunlop is set to replace his brother William in the team in 2016.

Dunlop parted company from the Northern Ireland outfit after two years in a ‘mutual’ agreement announced on Tuesday and is set to link up with Chris Dowd’s CD Racing concern full-time next year to ride a Yamaha YZF-R1 Superbike, prepared by expert engineer Marcus Eschenbacher.

His younger brother has been linked with a string of teams for next season, including a return to Honda in a possible three-man line-up with John McGuinness and Conor Cummins, but Moneymore team TAS Racing can be dismissed from the equation after confirming on social media on Wednesday that rumours of a potential deal with the 26-year-old were completely unfounded.

A tweet from the team’s official account stated: ‘That won’t happen’, in reference to the possibility of the 11-times Isle of Man TT winner becoming a Tyco BMW rider next year.

While sources suggest Dunlop is Honda-bound in a return to the team in which he clinched his maiden Superbike TT success in 2013, the Ballymoney man also has an option among others to continue racing BMW machinery for the Hawk Racing/Buildbase squad.

Following his controversial split from Milwaukee Yamaha at the TT, Dunlop reunited with the Buildbase team and signed off with a 132.515mph lap in the Senior to make him the second fastest TT rider ever behind McGuinness (132.701mph).

Kyle White