Easton Comes Back From Three-Year Absence To Take Pole Position At Macau GP

Easton Comes Back From Three-Year Absence To Take Pole Position At Macau GP

© 2014, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Suncity Group Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix – 48th Edition

Guia Street Circuit

Macau, China

November 14, 2014

Qualifying Session Two Results:

1. Stuart Easton, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), 2:25.975

2. Michael Rutter, UK (Yam YZF-R1), 2:26.478

3. Lee Johnston, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), 2:27.096

4. Ian Hutchinson, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), 2:28.285

5. James Storrar, UK (BMW S1000RR), 2:28.506

6. Horst Saiger, Austria (Kaw ZX-10R), 2:28.920

7. Gary Johnson, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), 2:28.952

8. Martin Jessopp, UK (BMW S1000RR), 2:29.408

9. Steve Mercer, UK (BMW S1000RR), 2:29.978

10. John McGuinness, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), 2:29.986

11. Didier Grams, Germany (BMW S1000RR), 2:30.136

12. Daniel Cooper, UK (BMW S1000RR), 2:30.741

13. Stephen Thompson, UK (BMW S1000RR), 2:31.015

14. Roman Stamm, Switzerland (Kaw ZX-10R), 2:31.189

15. Marc Fissette, Belgium (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:32.430

16. Brian McCormack, Ireland (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:32.509

17. Allan-Jon Venter, South Africa (Yam YZF-R1), 2:32.516

18. James McBride, UK (Yam YZF-R1), 2:32.872

19. Paul Shoesmith, UK (BMW S1000RR), 2:33.059

20. Steve Heneghan, Ireland (Kaw ZX-10R), 2:34.065

21. Mark Miller, USA (EBR 1190RS), 2:34.138

22. Davy Morgan, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), 2:35.201

23. Brandon Cretu, USA (EBR 1190RS), 2:35.407

24. Sandor Bitter, Hungary (Hon CBR1000RR), 2:36.177

25. Graham English, UK (BMW S1000RR), 2:36.262

26. Nuno Caetano, Portugal (Kaw ZX-10R), 2:37.563

27. Michael Sweeney, Ireland (Kaw ZX-10R), 2:38.530

28. Dan Kruger, Canada (Kaw ZX-10R), 2:39.948

29. Jamie Hamilton, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), no time recorded

30. Peter Hickman, UK (BMW S1000RR), no time recorded

31. Andre Pires, Portugal (Yam YZF-R1), no time recorded

Combined Qualifying Results:

1. Stuart Easton, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), 2:25.975

2. Michael Rutter, UK (Yam YZF-R1), 2:26.478

3. Lee Johnston, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), 2:27.096

4. Ian Hutchinson, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), 2:28.285

5. James Storrar, UK (BMW S1000RR), 2:28.506

6. Horst Saiger, Austria (Kaw ZX-10R), 2:28.920

7. Gary Johnson, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), 2:28.952

8. Martin Jessopp, UK (BMW S1000RR), 2:29.408

9. Steve Mercer, UK (BMW S1000RR), 2:29.978

10. John McGuinness, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), 2:29.986

11. Didier Grams, Germany (BMW S1000RR), 2:30.136

12. Daniel Cooper, UK (BMW S1000RR), 2:30.741

13. Stephen Thompson, UK (BMW S1000RR), 2:31.015

14. Roman Stamm, Switzerland (Kaw ZX-10R), 2:31.189

15. Jamie Hamilton, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), 2:31.494

16. Peter Hickman, UK (BMW S1000RR), 2:31.952

17. Marc Fissette, Belgium (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:32.430

18. Brian McCormack, Ireland (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:32.509

19. Allan-Jon Venter, South Africa (Yam YZF-R1), 2:32.516

20. James McBride, UK (Yam YZF-R1), 2:32.872

21. Paul Shoesmith, UK (BMW S1000RR), 2:33.059

22. Steve Heneghan, Ireland (Kaw ZX-10R), 2:34.065

23. Mark Miller, USA (EBR 1190RS), 2:34.138

24. Davy Morgan, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), 2:35.201

25. Brandon Cretu, USA (EBR 1190RS), 2:35.407

26. Sandor Bitter, Hungary (Hon CBR1000RR), 2:36.177

27. Graham English, UK (BMW S1000RR), 2:36.262

28. Nuno Caetano, Portugal (Kaw ZX-10R), 2:37.563

29. Andre Pires, Portugal (Yam YZF-R1), 2:38.300

30. Michael Sweeney, Ireland (Kaw ZX-10R), 2:38.375

31. Dan Kruger, Canada (Kaw ZX-10R), 2:38.865 

More, from a press release issued by Macau Grand Prix Press Office:

Easton Secures Pole after Epic Battle with Rutter

Thirty-one–year-old Stuart Easton (PBM by the Venetian Hotel Kawasaki) stormed to the top of the timesheets with a time of 2.25.975 seconds in a perfectly-judged late charge that left his rivals no chance to respond as the second qualifying session at the Suncity Group Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix – 48th Edition came to a close.

Now the triple winner and lap record holder is perfectly positioned to mark his comeback after a three-year absence with a historic fourth victory: “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. Think [the grip] is slowly getting there for the race tomorrow.”

Michael Rutter, 42, on the Milwaukee Yamaha, is chasing an astonishing ninth win on the 6.2km Guia Circuit and looked set for another pole start until the final few minutes of the second qualifying, but ended second fastest on 2.26.478, half a second off Easton’s pace but a second clear of third. Commented Rutter: “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!”

In third quickest place after the early-morning session ended was Northern Ireland’s Lee Johnston (PIRTEK PRO BOLT HONDA), the 25-year-old making his third visit to Macau and looking for a big-bike win at a major international event to put the seal on another strong season on the roads.

Fourth fastest after two sessions was last year’s winner Ian Hutchinson, on the second of the Paul Bird machines. His time was 2.28.285, a couple of seconds shy of pole, giving him plenty to think about before tomorrow’s race: “[It’s my] first time on that bike. We’ve tried to use as much track time as possible to make changes, and every time we’ve gone back out we’ve improved it, but we’re kind of running out of time. We’ve definitely made a big step forward today, so we’ll just keep chipping away.”

With ten riders lapping below 2 minutes 30 seconds in this morning’s much faster session, the scene is set for a classic 12 laps on the Guia Circuit. The Suncity Group Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix – 48th Edition is scheduled to begin at 15.30 local time on Saturday, November 15th

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