Stuart Easton will start as the favourite for a fourth Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix victory tomorrow after claiming pole position on Friday. After a three year absence, Easton picked up exactly where he left off in 2010, snatching pole in the closing minutes of today’s second qualifying session from Milwaukee Yamaha’s Michael Rutter.
Easton took three consecutive victories at the Guia circuit between 2008 and 2010 before injuries stepped in his way and the Scotsman is intent on a fourth win tomorrow, although he expects fierce competition from Rutter.
“It’s nice to be back, especially on pole position. That’s what we wanted to do today. Michael never made it easy at all. I felt comfortable on the bike, it’s just a matter of getting used to the circuit again after quite a long spell away. I think (the grip) is slowly getting there for the race tomorrow.”
Rutter, an eight-time Macau GP victor, will line up second on tomorrow’s grid and remains confident for tomorrow’s 12 lap contest despite missing out on pole.
“It’s really important to be on front row, that’s what matters. It would have been nice to have pole position, but I did think Stuart might just sneak past me. Hopefully it’ll be a good race tomorrow. It’s going to be a hard one!”
Lee Johnston will start third on his Pirtek Pro Bolt Honda with 2013 winner Ian Hutchinson fourth having lapped 2.3s slower than his PBM teammate Easton in qualifying. James Storrar will start fifth with Austria’s Horst Saiger the only realistic threat to Britain’s 15 year Macau GP winning streak, starting from sixth spot.
| SUNCITY GROUP MACAU MOTORCYCLE GRAND PRIX – 48th EDITION (QUALIFYING RESULT) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS | RIDER | TEAM | BEST TIME | |
| 1 | 5 |  STUART EASTON |
PBM BY THE VENETIAN HOTEL | 2:25.975 |
| 2 | 2 | MICHAEL RUTTER |
MILWAUKEE YAMAHA | 2:26.478 |
| 3 | 69 | LEE JOHNSTON |
PIRTEK PRO BOLT HONDA | 2:27.096 |
| 4 | 1 | IAN HUTCHINSON |
PBM BY THE VENETIAN HOTEL | 2:28.285 |
| 5 | 15 | JAMES STORRAR |
DMR RACING | 2:28.506 |
| 6 | 3 |  HORST SAIGER |
SAIGER-RACING.COM | 2:28.920 |
| 7 | 7 | GARY JOHNSON |
QUATTRO PLANT/MONEX EUROPE | 2:28.952 |
| 8 | 40 | MARTIN JESSOPP |
RIDERS MOTORCYCLES BMW | 2:29.408 |
| 9 | 13 | STEVE MERCER |
PENZ13.COM BMW MOTORRAD | 2:29.978 |
| 10 | 4 | JOHN McGUINNESS |
PIRTEK PRO BOLT HONDA | 2:29.986 |
| 11 | 26 |  DIDIER GRAMS |
HEIDGER-MOTORSPORT.DE | 2:30.136 |
| 12 | 20 | DANIEL COOPER |
DMR RACING | 2:30.741 |
| 13 | 22 | STEPHEN THOMPSON |
PENZ13.COM BMW MOTORRAD | 2:31.015 |
| 14 | 8 |  ROMAN STAMM |
TEAM BOLLIGER SWITZERLAND | 2:31.189 |
| 15 | 44 | JAMIE HAMILTON |
WILSON CRAIG RACING | 2:31.494 |
| 16 | 60 | PETER HICKMAN |
ICE VALLEY BY MOTORSAVE TRADE | 2:31.952 |
| 17 | 19 |  MARC FISSETTE |
HEIDGER-MOTORSPORT.DE | 2:32.430 |
| 18 | 111 |  BRIAN McCORMACK |
BURROWS ENGINEERING RACING | 2:32.509 |
| 19 | 62 |  ALLAN-JON VENTER |
CF32/MACO RACING TEAM | 2:32.516 |
| 20 | 9 | JAMES McBRIDE |
JV RACING | 2:32.872 |
| 21 | 11 | PAUL SHOESMITH |
ICE VALLEY BY MOTORSAVE TRADE | 2:33.059 |
| 22 | 54 | STEVE HENEGHAN |
QUATTRO PLANT/MONEX EUROPE | 2:34.065 |
| 23 | 10 |  MARK MILLER |
SPLITLATH MOTORSPORTS | 2:34.138 |
| 24 | 71 | DAVY MORGAN |
CMS RACING | 2:35.201 |
| 25 | 88 | BRANDON CRETU |
SPLITLATH MOTORSPORTS | 2:35.407 |
| 26 | 12 |  SANDOR BITTER |
VRS RACING | 2:36.177 |
| 27 | 83 | GRAHAM ENGLISH |
TIVA ENGINEERING LTD | 2:36.262 |
| 28 | 18 |  NUNO CAETANO |
FMP TEAM PORTUGAL | 2:37.563 |
| 29 | 14 | ANDRE PIRES |
CF32/MACO RACING TEAM | 2:38.300 |
| 30 | 65 | MICHAEL SWEENEY |
BURROWS ENGINEERING RACING | 2:38.375 |
| 31 | 31 |  ROBERT DANIEL KRUGER |
TITANIC KAWASAKI BY PENZ13.COM | 2:38.865 |
| MAXIMUM QUALIFYING TIME: 2:40.572 | ||||
