Macau: Irwin takes pole with record pace

Glenn Irwin will start on pole position for this year’s Macau Grand Prix from pole position after shattering Stuart Easton’s long-standing lap record in qualifying.

The Be Wiser Ducati rider’s time of 2’23.081 was sixth tenths under Easton’s 2010 record putting the young Ulsterman in a strong place ahead of tomorrow’s race. Of course, the lap record doesn’t stand as it wasn’t set under race conditions. 

However, it won’t be easy with winner of the last two events next to him on the second row. Peter Hickman might have been 1.8 seconds back from Irwin, but the Louth racer has been unbeatable at Macau for the last two years.

Michael Rutter joins the duo on the front row on the second SMT/Bathams BMW.

Conor Cummins continued to round out his tough 2017 season on a positive note qualifying fourth for Padgetts Honda riding the old Honda Fireblade, ahead of Riders Motorcycles BMW’s Martin Jessopp.

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Aussie David Johnson was the first non-Brit on the timesheet in sixth for Four Anjels BMW ahead of Lee Johnston and Horst Saiger.

Derek Sheils will start ninth ahead of Briggs Equipment Kawasaki’s Gary Johnson.

The race gets underway at 07:40 UK time tomorrow morning and you can watch all the action here. 

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