SunCity Group Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix – 51st Edition
Guia Street Circuit
Macau, China
November 17, 2017
Combined Qualifying Results (as provided by the Macau Grand Prix Committee):
1. Glenn Irwin, UK (Duc Panigale R), 2:23.081
2. Peter Hickman, UK (BMW S1000RR), 2:24.891
3. Michael Rutter, UK (BMW S1000RR), 2:24.973
4. Conor Cummins, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), 2:25.555
5. Martin Jessopp, UK (BMW S1000RR), 2:26.056
6. David Johnson (BMW S1000RR), 2:26.468
7. Lee Johnston (BMW HP4), 2:26.941
8. Horst Saiger, Austria (Kaw ZX-10RR), 2:26.999
9. Derek Sheils, Ireland (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:27.053
10. Gary Johnson, UK (Kaw ZX-10RR), 2:27.159
11. Dan Kneen, UK (BMW S1000RR), 2:27.181
12. Didier Grams, Germany (BMW S1000RR), 2:27.321
13. Danny Webb, UK (BMW HP4), 2:27.781
14. Dan Cooper, UK (BMW S1000RR), 2:28.578
15. Daniel Hegarty, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), 2:29.017
16. Ivan Lintin, UK (Kaw ZX-10RR), 2:29.052
17. Sam West, UK (BMW S1000RR), 2:29.454
18. Dean Harrison, UK (Kaw ZX-10RR), 2:29.500
19. Marek Cerveny, Czech Republic (BMW S1000RR), 2:29.660
20. Ben Wylie, UK (Bim BB3), 2:30.254
21. Michael Sweeney, Ireland (BMW HP4), 2:31.312
22. Allan-Jon Venter, South Africa (Yam YZF-R1), 2:31.387
23. Andre Pires, Portugal (Kaw ZX-10R), 2:32.167
24. Alessandro Polita, Italy (BMW HP4), 2:32.271
25. Petr Biciste, Czech Republic (BW S1000RR), 2:32.367
26. Steve Heneghan, Ireland (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:32.450
27. Davy Morgan, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), 2:35.508
110% of Fast Time 2:23.081 = 2:37.389
28. Xavier Denis, France (Kaw ZX-10RR), 2:37.547
More, from a press release issued by Macau Grand Prix Press Office:
Session: Suncity Group Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix – 51st Edition –
Qualifying 2
Weather: Clear and sunny
Date: November 17, 2017
Irwin Storms to Record Pole
In the second and definitive qualifying session for the Suncity Group Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix – 51st Edition, Glenn Irwin (TAK CHUN Racing by PBM/Penz13 Ducati) once again tore up the record books, charging into pole position ahead of 2015 and 2016 winner Peter Hickman (SMT/Bathams by MGM Macau BMW), the gap between them 1.8 seconds.
Irwin’s lap time of 2m23.081 shattered the previous qualifying lap record of 2m23.714 set by Michael Rutter (SMT/Bathams by MGM Macau BMW) back in 2010, and was also below the race record of 2m23.616 set by Stuart Easton the same year, and makes Irwin the first rider from Northern Ireland to start the race from pole position since Phillip McCallen in 1996.
Once again Irwin seemed to find the empty racetrack so vital to fast laps around the 6.2km Guia Circuit – the long middle sector (3.14km) makes up more than half the distance and a clear run through here is essential for a good time. Irwin’s 1m30.730 on his best – and best-looking – lap was the decisive factor.
Traffic through the hills was one of the things that hampered Hickman and several other riders as well, including Martin Jessopp (Riders Motorcycles BMW) and Rutter. The eight-time Macao winner had a few issues during the session and never found the space to stretch the bike to its full potential. Third place puts him on the front row of the grid for a race that nobody expects to run at the same pace, and which Hickman especially hopes will be decided by tyres as much as anything else.
Conor Cummins (Padgett’s Motorcycles Honda) made a late bid for the top three but when the flag dropped at the end of the session the Manxman was fourth, with Jessopp fifth ahead of Australian David Johnson (Four Anjels Racing BMW).
After two troubled sessions yesterday Lee Johnston (RST Racing BMW) produced a good time to be seventh, and Horst Saiger (Saiger-Racing Kawasaki) took eighth. Derek Sheils showed the same early form as he had in the previous two sessions, but the Cookstown Burrows Engineering Racing Suzuki was no match for Irwin’s Ducati and the BMW brigade, and he ended the session ninth, just ahead of Gary Johnson (Briggs Equipment Kawasaki) in tenth place.
The forecast for Saturday hints at rain in Macao but, whatever the weather, it’s going to be stormy on track when the Suncity Group Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix – 51st Edition gets under way.
More, from a press release issued by Be Wiser Ducati:
Irwin On Pole Ahead Of Macau Grand Prix
Paul Bird Motorsport rider Glenn Irwin laid down the gauntlet to the opposition in determined style when he qualified on pole position for tomorrow morning’s Sun City Group Macau Grand Prix 51st Edition.
On only his second visit to the 6.12km Circuito Da Guia having come so close to a podium on his debut last year, the 27 year old from Carrickfergus in County Antrim topped the opening free practice session on the factory-supported Be Wiser Ducati Panigale R which is branded as TAK CHUN Racing by PBM/Penz13 Ducati whilst out in the Far East.
Irwin continued his domination throughout qualifying with a lap time of 2m 23.081 to shatter the previous best qualifying lap of Michael Rutter set in in 2010 and was indeed over half a second under Stuart Easton’s existing lap record set on Paul Bird’s Kawasaki in 2010. Eventually emerging over 1.8 seconds ahead of winner for the past two years Peter Hickman, Irwin is the first rider from Northern Ireland to start the race from pole position since Phillip McCallen in 1996.
Team-mate for the week, Manxman Dan Kneen, struggled in the early stages with set up on his first ride aboard the Be Wiser Ducati Panigale R but the 30 year old from Braddan eventually upped his pace and will start the 12-lap race from 11th on the grid.
Although the weather forecast isn’t favourable, the race is scheduled to start on Saturday at 15.40 local time (07.40 GMT) with live streaming available online although no TV coverage is scheduled in the UK.
Glenn Irwin: “For the main qualifying session, the team worked hard overnight even though we had a nice advantage after the opening one and it meant I turned up with another setting in the bank which proved to be better once again. I am really happy, I have learnt so much about riding the Superbike that will help me for next season. But for now, we need to concentrate on this race and I’m feeling confident as this week, I believe, is the best I have ever ridden a motorcycle. It’s awesome.”
Meanwhile team owner Paul Bird is watching his team’s progress from afar as the Cumbrian businessman is in the Caribbean where, this weekend, he is contesting the shakedown event in readiness for next weekend’s Barbados Winter Rally in the Dom Buckley Motorsport/IRS-prepared Ford Focus WRC08, with backing from Frank Bird Poultry, Be Wiser Insurance, Hager, WIX Filters, Silkolene and Loco Energy Drink.
More, from a press release issued by RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki:
Johnson qualifies tenth quickest for Macau Grand Prix
Gary Johnson and the Briggs Equipment Kawasaki ZX-10R will line up on the fourth row of the grid for Saturday’s 51st Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix after the Lincolnshire rider qualified in tenth place.
Rain earlier in the week gave way to warm, dry weather on Thursday and it was an early start to proceedings for Gary and the team with the opening one-hour practice session getting underway at 7.30am. Making full use of the track time, Gary eased his way back into the challenging 3.8-mile Guia circuit after a year away and with 16 laps completed during the session, a solid time of 2m31.608s placed him tenth quickest.
As track conditions improved during the day, so too did the times and nearly the entire field went quicker in the first qualifying session later in the afternoon. Slightly shorter at 45 minutes, Gary put in 13 laps on the Kawasaki ZX-10R this time and improved his lap time by almost three seconds, a time of 2m28.889s putting him ninth on the leaderboard.
Riding the bike campaigned during the season by Jake Dixon in the British Superbike Championship, the second and final qualifying session took place at 7.30am on Friday and all 28 riders were out on track early as they sought to secure the best grid position possible. Gary was out at the front with Michael Rutter and with grip levels having improved further, the whole field reduced their lap times in what was another extremely competitive session.
With 14 laps completed during the 45-minutes, Gary took almost two seconds off his lap time with his best lap of 2m27.159s coming on the 11th lap but such was the closeness of the times, he was only one second adrift of fifth place. As it is though, the 36-year old had to be content with tenth place overall and a fourth row start so he’ll be looking to make a good start and move up himself up the order in tomorrow’s race.
Gary Johnson: “I’ve been having a really good Macau Grand Prix and have been working really hard with all the team, adjusting the bike to the demands of a road race as it’s highlighted a few issues as expected. It’s been very positive throughout but, unfortunately, in qualifying, I got held up on my fast laps and my position of P10 doesn’t reflect how well myself and the bike are working. After qualifying we’ve highlighted some areas where we can make further improvements to the bike so we’re really looking forward to the warm up session in the morning – hopefully, we’ll be have some strong pace and be able to show what we’re capable of in the race. A massive thank you to all the team, we’ve gelled instantly so a good start to the race will set us up nicely!”