MGP: Herbertson and Majola impress in Friday afternoon qualifying

Afternoon action on the Mountain Course

Race report from Manx Grand Prix:

The 2024 Manx Grand Prix qualifying continued on Friday afternoon and whilst Dominic Herbertson was quickest in the session, lapping at 122.600mph in the Classic Superbike class on the BHR Racing Kawasaki, Andrea Majola continued to lead the way in the Junior class on the VAS Engine Racing Paton, the Italian lapping at 112.500mph.

Heavy overnight rain led to the planned morning session being cancelled to allow the Mountain Course to dry sufficiently for practice to take place and although damp patches remained and the strong winds continued, the Classic Senior, Classic Junior and Lightweight session eventually got underway at 1.45pm.

Stuart Hall (Whippet Racing Yamaha) was the first to complete the lap at a speed of 108.177mph but it was Michael Dunlop (MD Racing Honda) who led the way, the 29-time Isle of Man TT winner completing his first lap of the week at 108.945mph. Lee Johnston (Reed Racing Honda) was third with a speed of 107.183mph with the evergreen Alan Oversby (Pipe Werx/Tony Leach Joinery Kawasaki Joinery) the quickest 400cc machine at 106.899mph.

Conditions were improving all the time though and Hall’s second lap of 111.535mph saw him overhaul Dunlop to move to the top of the leaderboard. A late lap by Michael Evans (108.868mph) saw him relegate Johnston to fourth and Owen Monaghan (OM Racing Kawasaki) was another improver, his lap of 105.045mph making him the second quickest 400cc runner.

John McGuinness (Winfield Paton) was fastest first time around in the Classic Senior class at 107.921mph and he was followed by Mike Browne (Eureka Racing Norton) at 106.436mph and Shaun Anderson (Beugger Paton), the Ulsterman lapping at 105.537mph. Meanwhile, Evans (Ken Rutter Honda) was quickest in the Classic Junior at 99.337mph, which put him just ahead of Paul Jordan (Davies Motorsport Honda) who posted a speed of 98.928mph.

Browne was slower on his second lap but both Anderson and Herbertson (Melbray London Norton) improved at 108.410mph and 104.105mph respectively, Anderson’s lap sending him to the top of the leaderboard. Newcomer Harley Rushton (Chris Hughes Racing Honda) was also going well at 95.277mph and it was a similar story in the Classic Junior class where Jordan’s second lap of 101.223mph made him quickest on the afternoon.

After a non-racing medical urgency caused a short delay, the second session for the Classic Superbike, Senior and Junior classes started at 3.07pm with Herbertson quickest on the opening lap at 120.638mph. That put him ahead of Brian McCormack (119.429mph), Craig Neve (119.197mph), Michael Rutter (118.870mph), Derek Sheils (118.451mph) and Michael Sweeney (118.085mph).

Herbertson upped his pace second time around to 122.600mph which was enough to see him top the leaderboard whilst behind him, Sheils (120.441mph), Neve (119.976mph), Amalric Blanc (118.568mph) and Barry Furber (117.369mph) all improved on their second lap.

In the Senior class, Chris Cook set the initial pace on his Kawasaki at 14.654mph and that put him ahead of Julien Cregniot (114.053mph), Maurizio Bottalico (113.383mph), Michael Gahan (113.132mph), Sam Johnson (112.920mph) and Gerald Dath (112.707mph).

Cook maintained his place at the top of the timesheets on his second lap with a speed of 115.615mph as Gahan (114.725mph), Dan Sayle (114.447mph), Dath (114.231mph), Johnson (113.674mph) and Andy Skov (112.400mph) also upped their pace. Newcomers Johnny Stewart (110.928mph) and Caomhan Canny (110.225mph) also broke the 110mph barrier.

Meanwhile, Daniel Ingham (Castings Technology Aprilia) led the way in the Junior class after the opening lap, his speed of 110.599mph seeing him just edge out Liam Chawke (110.161mph) and Jacque Foley (109.983mph) as Stewart (106.734mph) again impressed in fourth.

They were all upstaged by Majola though, the Paton rider again proving he’ll be the man to beat come race day. He held onto the top spot from fellow countryman Bottalico (112.004mph) as Ingham (111.196mph), Cregniot (111.171mph), Chawke and Foley completed the top six.