THE Manx Grand Prix started yesterday evening (Saturday) after a short weather delay.
Roads closed around the course at 5.20pm but mist on the mountain and a rain shower meant that the first bikes left the startline on Glencrutchery Road shortly after 6.30pm in an untimed practice.
The 41 newcomers to the Mountain Course were the first on the track.
They undertook a speed controlled "sighting"’ lap under the direction of travelling marshals Dick Cassidy, Tony Duncan and Dean Harrison.
Also out on the lap were rider liaison officer Johnny Barton, multiple TT winner Chris Palmer, Carolyn Sells - the first female winner on the Mountain Course - and experienced TT and MGP competitors Mark Parrett and Nigel Beattie.
The Senior, Junior and Lightweight session got underway, once all of the newcomers were through Sulby, at 6.50pm.
This session started from pit lane and the riders were led off by number 26, Tadcaster’s Neil Vicars and 27 Brian Purdy from Onchan, Isle of Man.
Oldham’s Phil McGurk (3) on a Honda CBR 600 was first back to the Grandstand at around 7.10pm.
The Classic and Post Classic session began shortly before 7.15pm and notable riders included Olie Linsdell on an SZ750 Yamaha. TT riders Mark Buckley, Davy Morgan, Maria Costello and Roy Richardson were also out on the course for the first time since June.
In total 265 bikes went out with 41 newcomers, 22 Post Classic, 27 in the Senior Classic, 26 in the Junior Classic class, 64 in the Junior, 18 Senior machines and 67 in the Lightweight and Ultra Lightweight class. The session was flagged shortly before the scheduled end at 8.05pm.
Finland’s Osmo Partti was reported OK following an accident at Sulby Bridge and Colin Martin from Rayleigh was conscious and taken by Airmed to Nobles Hospital following an incident at Cruickshanks.
The first timed practice at this year’s Manx Grand Prix will take place tomorrow (Monday) evening and is scheduled to start at 6.20pm for Senior, Junior and Lightweight machines and 7.05pm for Classic, Post Classic and Ultra Lightweight bikes.
The second session will also feature the newcomers.
