PRACTICE/QUALIFYING REPORT
MEDIABOX
Williams sets fastest lap of the week as newcomers and contenders shine in final qualifying.
MGP DAY 5
The final qualifying session of the week got underway today in the best conditions so far, with cooler temperatures and very little wind across the Mountain Course. It was another mixed session for both Classic TT and Manx Grand Prix competitors. Roads closed at 12:30, and the session began at 13:00. Most of the MGP riders opted to go out on their Supersport bikes first to get a few more laps in, followed by laps on the Supertwin's if they had machines in both classes.
The paddock and grandstand were the busiest they had been all week as crowds flocked to find seats. It was clearly a great decision by the organisers to have the grandstand available free of charge for the entire two-week event.
SUPERSPORT/SENIOR
Local Douglas rider Jamie Williams set a blistering pace on lap 1 with a lap of 119.444mph (18:57.16) on the JLG/NCE Racing Honda 600, the fastest qualifying lap of the week. Even more impressively, this came from a standing start. Jamie came in after that lap and parked the Honda, saying he has a great bike for tomorrow’s race.
Second fastest was a name we haven’t mentioned so far this week, Don Gilbert from Horsham, who made his MGP debut in 2015 set a lap time of 118.972mph (19:01.68) on the Don Racing Honda, which firmly makes Don a podium contender for the first Supersport race tomorrow.
2024 newcomer Toby Shann from York, who was the first newcomer home in last year’s Junior race, took third today with his fastest ever Mountain Course lap – 118.559mph (19:05.65). Michael Gahan was fourth, Johnny Stewart fifth (both also in the 118mph club), with Andy Farrell in sixth at 117mph.
Other notable performances included Liam Chawke, who set his fastest lap of the week at 116.769mph (19:23.21) on his second lap. Northern Ireland’s Graham McAleese (No. 21) also broke into the 117mph bracket, showing remarkable consistency with two laps at exactly the same speed of 117.68mph: Lap 1 from a standing start was 19:14.186 and Lap 2 was 19:14.198.
Fastest through the Sulby Speed Trap was McAleese on his Yamaha R6, clocking 168.233mph. Second was newcomer Lee Hara (No. 65), also on an R6, at 164.601mph.
The fastest newcomers of today’s session were Eddy Wormald (No. 70), whose off yesterday at Cruickshanks clearly didn’t slow him down. He finished 16th with a lap of 114.35mph (19:47.82). Second fastest newcomer was Hara at 114.245mph (19:48.91), both showing strong progress in the Supersport class.
SUPERTWIN/JUNIOR
The first Supertwin away was No. 11, Royal Enfield engineer Owen Monaghan from Ilkeston, on an Aprilia RS660. He was followed by front runner Lewis Arrowsmith (No. 4) from Preston, newcomer David Glossop from Wilmslow, and the ever-improving 2024 Classic TT winner Harley Rushton on his MGP debut.
Lewis Arrowsmith topped the Supertwin timesheets with the fastest lap of the week at 113.793mph (19:53.64) from a standing start, on his Aprilia RS660. Both Michael Gahan and Andy Farrell were on course for the first 114mph laps of the week but rolled off towards the end, still posting impressive times, Gahan at 113.503mph (19:56.68) and Farrell at 113.406mph (19:57.71). Caomhan Canny was fourth with a 113mph lap, while PBM Motorsport Tyre Technician, Harley Rushton impressed again with 112.763mph (20:04.54). It’s extremely close at the sharp end of the Supertwin/Junior MGP class.
Jamie Williams broke down at Ballacraine on his first Supertwin lap and Graham McAleese had an off at the Gooseneck however the rider was perfectly OK and made his own way back to the paddock.
Cowton Racing’s newcomer William Grant from Scarborough (No. 47) had an issue at the start of the session when fluid was seen leaking from his motorcycle. After checks, it was confirmed to be just water. Speaking to Manx Radio afterwards, Grant said the week so far had been the most fun he’d had in his 22 years.
Local rider Jamie Williams, from Douglas is one of the favourites for the
Supersport race. Today Jamie once again posted a lap time just short of that Tommy Club marker which he has been so close to in previous years. Currently the Tommy Clucas Club has 30 members and there are 6 spots remaining, the exclusive club was formed in memory of local competitor Tommy Clucas from Peel, after he set the first 120mph lap in the 2004 Junior Manx Grand Prix.
The weather looks good for the weekend ahead and tomorrow at 10:15am its the first race of the the 2025 MGP with the 3 Lap Supertwin Manx Grand Prix, followed by the 4 lap Supersport Manx Grand Prix at 13:00pm
Tomorrow we go racing!
Mediabox with photos and PDF results are available above, or you can view individual results from today, along with grid start lists, on our 2025 RESULTS PAGE
END.
WORDS : Lee & Carol Bartram | Photos : LUCAS CROYDON / TONy GOLDSMITH
WORDS : Lee & Carol Bartram | Photos : LUCAS CROYDON / TONy GOLDSMITH