Heavy Rains and High Winds Force Cancellation of Manx Grand Prix Qualifying Session
The Manx Grand Prix faced its first major disruption of 2024 as Monday’s qualifying sessions were canceled due to severe weather conditions on the Isle of Man. Heavy rains and winds reaching up to 50mph were forecast for the day, prompting organizers to pre-emptively call off the evening session at 1:00 pm.
The cancellation follows a difficult opening day on Sunday, marked by two red flag incidents. Tragically, Irish rider Louis O’Regan lost his life in a crash during the Classic Superbike and MGP Senior qualifying. The 43-year-old’s accident occurred at Kate’s Cottage on the mountain section of the course around 4:50 pm. Earlier, Manxman Jamie Williams, a top contender for the Senior Manx Grand Prix race, also crashed at Kate’s Cottage, sustaining hip and shoulder injuries.
Despite the setbacks, Northern Ireland’s Lee Johnston led the Lightweight class leaderboard on Sunday, clocking a speed of 114.181mph on the Reed Racing Honda RS250. He was 3.1 seconds faster than Ian Lougher of Laycock Racing Yamaha, who registered a speed of 113.82mph. Irish rider Mike Browne, also on a Laycock Racing Yamaha, finished the day as the third fastest after a single lap on his TZ250 Yamaha at 112.41mph.
Johnston’s return to the Mountain Course after a two-year hiatus due to injury was met with anticipation. The 35-year-old Co Fermanagh native had suffered a life-threatening crash at the North West 200 last year, which sidelined him for the remainder of the season. Johnston is also competing in the Classic Superbike race on a Reed Racing Honda RC45, though his Sunday run was cut short after stopping in Kirk Michael village.
Michael Dunlop, another high-profile competitor, struggled with machine issues on his MD Racing Ducati 916 Superbike and 250 Honda, failing to complete a full lap on Sunday. The Ballymoney rider will be eager to regain momentum when practice resumes.
Sunday’s Classic Superbike qualifying saw Wigan’s Rob Hodson set the fastest time on the Greenall Racing Kawasaki at 123.453mph. Meanwhile, John McGuinness topped the Classic Senior times, clocking 110.874mph on Roger Winfield’s Paton.
The organizers hope to resume practice on Tuesday, with a statement regarding the schedule expected at 9:00 am. Racing is set to commence on Friday, featuring the Classic Junior Manx Grand Prix and Lightweight MGP races, scheduled for 11:25 am and 1:30 pm, respectively, over three laps of the 37.73-mile course.