Exactly three years ago to this day, the second qualifying session for the 52nd annual Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix took place.
My report from 2018 covering world’s fastest road racer, five times TT winner Peter Hickman’s successful run to overall qualifying victory, reads as follows:
Setting a quite pulsating pace on route to banking pole position for the 52nd Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix, Senior TT champ Peter Hickman reigned supreme in today’s second qualifying session on the unrelenting, technical Macau street course.
Hickman who looked in impressive form during Q1, steadily chipped away with his pace throughout the recent 52 minute qualifying session, which saw him ultimately set a best lap time of 2 minutes 23.904 seconds.
1.14 seconds behind the on top form Hickman was Aspire Ho/Bathams Racing team mate Michael Rutter (2.25.356), who continues to look more and more competitive aboard the exotic RC213V-S Honda.
Third fastest was Be Wiser Ducati’s Martin Jessopp (2.25.356), just 0.312 of a second behind former event team mate Rutter.
Lee Hardy Racing’s Gary Johnson (2.25.733), under 0.4 of a second behind Jessopp on the timing sheets, marked himself out as unquestionably a strong contender for a rostrum finish on Saturday.
Fifth quickest behind twice TT winner Johnson was IRRC Superbike champion Danny Webb (2.26.352), who continues to quietly impress with his guile, pace, race craft.
There was hardly anything in it lap time wise between sixth, seventh, eighth fastest respectively Horst Saiger (2.27.247), David Johnson (2.27.545) and John McGuinness (2.27.601), whilst ninth quickest Derek Sheils (2.27.814) also kept close proximity with the extremely closely matched trio.
Finalising the overall ten quickest qualifiers was PRL Racing’s Sam West (2.28.690), who held off the challenge of lead newcomer Davey Todd (2.29.423), to scoop tenth place on the time sheets.
Also on this day:
2019 – Michael Rutter was declared Macau GP Champion for the ninth time. Third place finisher David Johnson claimed his second International road race podium finish.
2008 – Jimmie Johnson wins his third Nascar Sprint Cup title.
1916 – Last Vanderbilt Cup race won by Dario Resta.
Photo credit: ID/Sports Bureau of Macao SAR Government
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou