DUCATI DOMINATE IN CLASSIC TT RETURN
ISLE OF MAN TT – It was a Ducati 1-2-3 in the Formula 1 Classic class. Both Davey Todd and Mike Browne lapped in excess of 124mph during TT trials!
The first qualifying session of the awaited return of the Classic TT got underway on Wednesday evening. With cool but dry conditions, it was Rob Hodson who set the quickest lap of the night at 125.810mph in the TT. Indeed, it was a Ducati 1-2-3 in the Formula 1 Classic class. Davey Todd and Mike Browne both lapped in excess of 124mph.
Elsewhere, Adam McLean topped the Historic Senior leaderboard with a lap of 111.001mph. Jamie Coward (102.935mph) and Dan Sayle (115.183mph) led the way in the Historic Junior and Lightweight Classic categories, respectively, during the TT.
Formula 1 Classic and Lightweight Classic
The Formula 1 Classic and Lightweight Classic machines were first onto the Mountain Course, part of the TT event. Nathan Harrison led the field away on the Greenall Racing Kawasaki. He was quickly joined on the road by team-mates Coward and Brian McCormack. Along with them were Browne on the Key Racing Ducati and Craig Neve on the CallMac Construction Kawasaki, making his return from injury.
It was the Ducati duo of Browne and Todd (Prosperity Racing) who set the early pace. Browne, having taken the lead on the road, was first to complete a lap at 124.461mph. Harrison’s opening effort of 122.446mph placed him fifth, behind Todd (123.858mph), Hodson (123.162mph) and Ian Hutchinson (122.727mph).
Michael Dunlop on his first outing of the WizNorton machine clocked 117.705mph to place 12th fastest.
Browne retired at Ballig Bridge on his second lap, with Coward also stopping early at Ballacraine. Hodson, however, was flying on the SMT by Key Racing Ducati. His second lap was a blistering 125.810mph – the quickest of the night at the TT. It was a statement of intent. Todd improved to 124.853mph for second quickest. Neve raised his speed to 122.167mph.
Hutchinson and Paul Jordan also hit trouble on their second laps. But Harrison improved to 123.147mph, which moved him to fourth overall behind Hodson, Todd and Browne. Hutchinson, Neve, Jordan, Coward, Barry Furber and Michael Sweeney rounded out the top ten.
Lightweight Classic
Dan Sayle was the benchmark in the Lightweight category with a lap of 115.183mph, ahead of Dunlop (113.492mph) and Stuart Hall (112.160mph). The trio returned in the second session. They were joined this time by the Historic Senior and Historic Junior machines at the TT.
Historic Senior
McLean set the standard on the Flitwick Motorcycles Royal Enfield with an impressively paced lap of 111.001mph. He topped the Historic Senior leaderboard.
John McGuinness followed on the Winfield Paton at 108.817mph. He just edged Shaun Anderson on the Buegger Racing Paton (108.418mph) and Dean Harrison on the Ted Woof/Craven Classic machine, also at 108.184mph.
Joe Yeardsley (107.856mph), Alan Oversby (105.513mph) and Maria Costello (95.899mph) filled the next positions. However, Mike Browne later moved into sixth with a late lap of 104.433mph, pushing Costello down a spot.
Historic Junior
Harley Rushton initially topped the class at 95.627mph, followed by Maurizio Bottalico (95.062mph) and Will Loder (94.541mph). However, all three were soon pushed down by Coward. The 2019 race winner lapped at 101.529mph on the Ted Woof/Craven Classic Honda.
He was soon upstaged by team-mate Dean Harrison, who briefly moved to the top with 101.711mph. However, Coward responded with a second lap of 102.935mph, ending the session as the fastest in the Historic Junior class for the TT. Loder also improved, moving into third with a lap of 98.155mph.
Final Lightweight Standings
Sayle’s earlier 115.183mph lap was enough to maintain his spot at the top of the Lightweight leaderboard. However, Browne slotted into second with 114.068mph, pushing Dunlop down to third. The top six was completed by Hall, Michal Dokoupil, and Owen Monaghan, the latter the fastest of the 400cc entrants in the TT.