Manx Grand Prix: Lee Johnston makes successful road racing comeback to lead Lightweight times on 250 Honda
Lee Johnston made an impressive return to the Mountain Course on the Isle of Man as the Northern Ireland rider led the times in the Lightweight class on the opening day of the 2024 Manx Grand Prix yesterday.
Johnston was ruled out for most of last season after suffering serious injuries in a crash at the North West 200.
The Fermanagh man, who lives in Halifax, was preparing to make his comeback this year when he broke his leg in a crash during pre-season testing in Spain.
Johnston missed the North West 200 and Isle of Man TT for a second successive year, but recovered sufficiently to compete in the Manx Grand Prix.
He recently returned to action in the British Supersport Championship and although Johnston was feeling understandably rusty on his Mountain Course return, the 35-year-old topped the early leaderboard in the Lightweight session on his Reed Racing Honda RS250 after completing two laps.
Veteran Ian Lougher was second fastest on the Laycock Racing Yamaha at 113.882mph with team-mate Mike Browne – bidding for a third successive win in the race – in third with a lap at 112.41mph from a standing start.
Johnston, who is also set to ride a Reed Racing Honda RC45 in the Classic Superbike race, said: “We broke down on the RC45 literally on the first lap at Kirk Michael and then we got two laps in on the little 250.
“It was really, really good and it feels amazing to be back. I feel somewhat rusty if I’m totally honest, just gauging things, and obviously this is a totally different bike as well, but it was so good.
“For once with the 250 it’s the sort of bike that is actually the right size for me – all the other bikes are a bit big.
“It was really nice to get back on it and I’ve obviously been back in the British championship, but coming here it’s a completely different animal,” added Johnston, who won the Lightweight race at the Classic TT in 2018.
“I’m really enjoying it and I hope to get a few laps in the rest of the week.”
Michael Dunlop stopped at Quarterbridge on his first lap on his MD Racing Honda 250 while fellow Ulsterman Paul Jordan also encountered problems.
In the Classic Superbike qualifying session, former winner Rob Hodson set the pace at 123.453mph on the Greenall Racing Kawasaki before the session was stopped due to a red flag incident with around 10 minutes remaining. No further details were provided, although the organisers confirmed that the session would not be restarted.
The Clerk of the Course was also granted an extension to keep all roads around the Mountain Course closed until 7pm.
Cork man Browne was second fastest in Classic Superbike qualifying on the Key Racing Ducati 916 at 123.387mph, only six tenths down on Hodson, with Dominic Herbertson in third (122.907mph) on the BHR Racing Kawasaki.
Derek Sheils slotted into fourth on another of the Greenall Racing Kawasaki bikes, lapping at 121.83mph.
Dunlop, who has switched to a Ducati 916 after a long association with Team Classic Suzuki, stopped at Crosby in the opening qualifying session, which was red-flagged after one lap when Manx rider Jamie Williams crashed at Kate’s Cottage, sustaining hip and shoulder injuries.