Michael Dunlop sets early benchmark in first MGP qualifying

Ballymoney man just shy of 124mph in opening session

Michael Dunlop set the first benchmark of the 2023 Manx Grand Prix by topping the timing charts during this afternoon's opening qualifying session.

The Ballymoney man set a pace just shy of 124mph to go nearly 18 seconds clear at the summit of the Classic Superbike times.

Meanwhile, Manxman Jamie Williams was able to set the best pace in an intense three-way battle for supremacy in the first outing for the Senior MGP class whilst Italian, Andrea Majola was the man to beat in the Junior MGP section.

Ian Lougher went on to go fastest in the opening Lightweight MGP outing having secured second place in the class this year, whilst John McGuinness lapped at over 108mph on the Team Winfield Paton for the quickest lap of the Classic Senior.

Another Manx rider also set the standard to beat during the evening with Paul Cassidy the quickest of the Ultra-Lightweight MGP machines.

Having set the early pace on his Team Classic Suzuki machine in 2022, Michael Dunlop set the standard again in the opening qualifying in the Classic Superbikes by posting 123.984mph.

Dunlop's high pace was highlighted more by the fact his nearest challenger - Davo Johnson on board the Alasdair Cowan Racing Kawasaki - was second fastest at 122.002mph, just under 18 seconds away from the best lap time of Dunlop.

Meanwhile, Dean Harrison - back in the Classic Superbike class for the first time since 2018 - slotted in at third on the Key Racing Ducati 5.111 seconds behind Johnson (121.445mph) - defending Classic Superbike champion, Rob Hodson, went fifth fastest overall at 121.137mph.

Elsewhere, a hotly contested three-way battle emerged at the top of the first qualifying for the Senior MGP competitors involving Jamie Williams, Chris Cook and Victor Lopez with less than three seconds separating all of them come the conclusion of first qualifying.

Williams managed the quickest of all at 117.195mph, only a 1.429-second advantage over Cook who clocked 117.05mph - Lopez then followed just 1.098 seconds behind Cook in third (116.94mph).

Into the second part of the afternoon, and the Junior MGP class belonged to Andrea Majola on the opening day who managed to breach the 20-minute barrier to take the fastest in class with a time of 19 minutes 59 seconds (113.277mph).

Elsewhere, John McGuinness went on to claim top spot in the Classic Senior category on the Team Winfield Paton, clocking 108.472mph - his nearest contender, Dominic Herbertson, managed 107.58mph before retiring on his second lap.

In the new-look Lightweight MGP class, Ian Lougher - who took second spot during this contest in 2022 - went on to go quickest in this year's opening practice on the Laylaw Racing machine at 112.635mph with Shaun Anderson less than three seconds back in second (112.198mph).

The next qualifying session is currently scheduled to take place tomorrow night (21 August), roads around the Snaefell Mountain Course are due to shut at 6pm and reopen no later than 9pm.

You can view the full MGP 2023 schedule HERE.