SMT Honda's John McGuinness has set the pace in the opening 2012 Macau Grand Prix free practice session, heading last year's runner-up Martin Jessopp by less than a second with Michael Rutter in third.
McGuinness went round in 2'29.914, which is currently some six seconds slower than the 2011 pole time but the track has had little time to rubber in, so expect time to plummet in first qualifying later on today.
“It was hot, muggy, sweaty out there! I’ve been here many times but I was quite nervous before the start of it. It was good. I hit all the apexes and tried to be nice and smooth and not scare myself. I’m quite surprised to be P1 to be honest. I’m happy with that. So we’ll keep building on that and see what qualifying brings," said McPint.
Jessopp, championing the Riders Ducati, put in a 1'30.682 with Rutter, on the second of Robin Croft's SMT Honda Fireblades, a further three tenths back with Austria Horst Saiger in fourth place.
Quattro Honda's Gary Johnson is fifth and 4.2s in arrears with Luis Carrera, James Hillier and Simon Andrews next along but only a tenth slower than Johnson. Conor Cummins and Jimmy Storrar round out the top ten.
Rookies Lee Johnston, Steve Heneghan and Jamie Hamilton are in 20th, 23rd and 24th places respectively. The two Irishmen both crashed unhurt in the session but Johnston's bike was a mess and it looks unlikely he will be able to get it put back together.
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2012 Macau GP free practice one - conditions dry
1 2 John MCGUINNESS GBR SMT Racing 2:29.914 15 146.96
2 40 Martin JESSOPP GBR Riders Motorcycles.com 2:30.682 16 0.768 146.21
3 1 Michael RUTTER GBR SMT Racing 2:30.940 17 1.026 145.96
4 8 Horst SAIGER AUT Saiger-Racing.com 2:33.481 19 3.567 143.54
5 5 Gary JOHNSON GBR Quattro Plant Motorsports 2:34.122 17 4.208 142.95
6 33 Luis CARREIRA POR Benimoto/Rider/Cetelem 2:34.242 12 4.328 142.84
7 37 James HILLIER GBR Bournemouth Kawasaki Racing 2:34.266 14 4.352 142.81
8 17 Simon ANDREWS GBR Ice Valley by Motorsave Trade 2:34.293 12 4.379 142.79
9 4 Conor CUMMINS IOM Tyco Suzuki 2:34.385 14 4.471 142.70
10 15 James STORRAR GBR DMR 2:34.759 15 4.845 142.36
11 9 James MCBRIDE GBR DMR 2:35.049 17 5.135 142.09
12 13 Riko PENZKOFER GER Penz 13 2:35.350 14 5.436 141.82
13 26 Didier GRAMS GER German Team - Heidger - M/Sport 2:35.705 13 5.791 141.49
14 12 Steve MERCER GBR T + R Motorsport 2:36.414 20 6.500 140.85
15 55 Dan KNEEN IOM Marks Bloom Racing 2:36.933 20 7.019 140.39
16 66 Branko SRDANOV NED Ice Valley by Motorsave Trade 2:37.958 12 8.044 139.48
17 27 Fernando COSTA POR Pon Pone Squadra 2:38.698 14 8.784 138.83
18 20 David JOHNSON AUS Splitlath Redmond 2:39.030 15 9.116 138.54
19 32 Joao FERNANDES MAC Penz 13 2:41.118 17 11.204 136.74
20 84 Lee JOHNSTON GBR RPM Performance 2:41.140 11 11.226 136.72
21 14 Nuno CAETANO POR KS Team of Portugal 2:41.159 16 11.245 136.71
22 18 SOU Sio Hong MAC SOU Sio Hong 2:41.308 20 11.394 136.58
23 54 Steve HENEGHAN IRL Quattro Plant Motorsports 2:45.739 15 15.825 132.93
24 44 Jamie HAMILTON GBR RPM Performance 2:46.190 7 16.276 132.57
25 74 Yoshinari MATSUSHITA JPN Penz 13 2:46.867 8 16.953 132.03
26 113 Rafael PASCHOALIN BRA TT Brazilian Team 2:48.467 11 18.553 130.77
27 16 Stefano BONETTI ITA Speed Motor 2:48.943 3 19.029 130.41
28 47 Brandon CRETU USA Hel Performance 2:50.683 16 20.769 129.08
29 10 Mark MILLER USA Splitlath Redmond 2:51.057 2 21.143 128.79
30 71 Davy MORGAN GBR CSC Racing 2:51.270 16 21.356 128.63
31 11 Stephen THOMPSON GBR T + R Motorsport 13:05.602 2 10:35.688 28.04
