Manx Grand Prix: Northern Ireland's Kevin Lavery seals sensational podium on Mountain Course debut as Scot Johnny Stewart wins Sportbike race

Lavery, riding the LMLR/KMR Kawasaki prepared by Ryan Farquhar, also lapped under the old Sportbike lap record with a final lap of 116.340mph as he cemented third position in the 113.19-mile race.

Scottish rider Johnny Stewart, fastest in qualifying, sealed a dominant victory on the J Stewart Garages Aprilia by more than 22 seconds from Eddy Wormald (Flitwick Motorcycles/SMV Yamaha R7) and raised the lap record to 116.844s.

Skerries man Andy Farrell (Electric Van Company by Steadplan Aprilia) was fourth after being overhauled by Lavery, while Limavady’s Graham McAleese took fifth on the FAO Racing/PMCG & DMAC Aprilia ahead of Dan Sayle (RPM Motorcycles/Barnes Racing Aprilia).

Coleraine’s Lee Hara, also a newcomer to the Mountain Course, finished ninth on the GW Auto Repairs Aprilia.

In perfect conditions on the Isle of Man, Stewart set the early pace on the first lap and was three seconds up on Wormald at Glen Helen, with Farrell 2.4s further adrift.

Debutant Lavery made a fast start and was only 0.394s down on Farrell.

Stewart had extended his advantage to 8.5s over Wormald by Ramsey Hairpin, while Lavery was on the move and was now up to third, 2.690s adrift of Wormald.

Farrell was just under one second back in fourth with Dan Sayle (RPM Motorcycles/Barnes Racing Aprilia) and McAleese the top six.

Stewart’s opening lap was 115.793mph as he slowed for his compulsory pit-stop, which was a new MGP Sportbike lap record. That gave him a lead of 10.617s over Wormald, who lapped at 114.654mph.

Farrell (114.168mph) had reclaimed third and was six seconds behind Wormald on corrected time, with Lavery only 2.914s further in arrears following an opening speed of 113.889mph.

McAleese (113.676mph) was fifth, 2.234s behind Lavery after the first lap.

Wormald was fastest through the Sulby speed trap on lap one at 155mph on the Yamaha R7.

At Ballaugh on the second lap, Stewart’s advantage was 5.891s over Wormald, who had clawed back vital seconds during the pit stop.

Farrell was 6.6s back in third, with Lavery 3.872s adrift in fourth and only 2.756s ahead of fellow Northern Ireland rider McAleese.

Stewart had re-established a 10-second lead over Wormald at Ramsey Hairpin, reclaiming the time he lost during the pit stop, to put him firmly back in control.

The official timing system went down during the latter part of the second lap, leaving riders, teams, officials and fans in the dark regarding any changes in the order as riders began the third and final lap.

Once the issue was fixed, Stewart was confirmed in the lead at Glen Helen by 9.480s over Wormald, with Farrell 9.56s back in third but only 1.582s up on Lavery.

However, Lavery was on a charge and moved into third place on the times at Ballaugh, 1.452s ahead of Farrell.

Stewart increased his lead further to 13.234s over Wormald, who was 9.637s ahead of Lavery.

Into Ramsey Hairpin for the last time and Lavery in third was now almost six seconds clear of Farrell and closing the deficit on Wormald in second position, 4.882 down. Stewart had built up a comfortable cushion of 18.847s.

Scotsman Stewart wrapped up the win by 22.456s from Wormald, setting a new MGP Sportbike lap record at 116.844mph on the final lap.

With Lavery running number 57, there was a long wait to confirm third place before the elated newcomer crossed the line to seal the final podium spot by 3.683s from Farrell.

Lavery, with a final lap of 116.340mph – which was under the old lap record – was 4.542s adrift of Wormald in second place. Stewart also bettered the race record by a huge 31 seconds.

McAleese finished fifth with Sayle in sixth.

Irishman Liam Chawke was seventh on the Jack Reid Cars/KMR Kawasaki, while newcomer Lee Hara from Coleraine was ninth on the GW Auto Repairs Aprilia behind Owen Monaghan.