The 2010 Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix From The Pit-Lane
Sunday, November 21st, 2010by Barry Russell
Yesterday’s 44th Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix was full of drama. As well as the inevitable battle for the top step of the podium between Michael Rutter and Stuart Easton, there were a lot of other dramas playing out as I watched from the pit garage that AIM Suzuki were sharing with John McGuinness and Cameron Donald.
After the serious business of two practice days, race day seemed like a pageant. The paddock was full of colour, cameras, TV tourists, girls and, I swear, a fair number of revealingly dressed ladyboys. The pit lane was packed with camera wielding visitors and most of the riders were happy to pose for pictures and sign autographs. As the scheduled race time approached, James Hillier sat on a box at the back of the garage, oblivious to the brolly girls squashed in around him and Gary Johnson perched on the pit wall chatting with his parents, who had arrived in Macau the previous evening.
The buzz continued until 10 minutes before the bikes were due to leave pit lane, at which point tension levels went through the roof as riders wriggled into their leathers, engines got fired up and mechanics crouched ready to take off tyre warmers.
As the bikes left for their sighting lap and their mechanics headed off to the grid, it went quiet in the garage and those of us who remained took up positions in front of the timing screen and TV monitor. Gary’s dad went with the AIM crew and took up position to do his son’s pit-board and I chatted to his mum about their forthcoming holiday in Thailand while we waited.
With the riders lining up on the grid under the red lights, the mechanics came clattering back into the garage in time to see the race start. Easton and Rutter immediately got away at the front and Gary and James got themselves into fifth and sixth places, with Gary looking comfortable behind Jeremy Toye and John McGuinness and James a little further back but not under any immediate threat. I glanced to my left and saw Gary’s mum gazing at the monitor, hands clasped in front of her face as though in prayer, right middle finger wrapped around her index finger.
A nasty looking crash on lap six involving impressive Macau newcomer, Chris Peris, caused the race to be red-flagged and the pit garage guests scattered out of the way as the bikes rushed back in to change tyres and get checked over and the riders gulped down energy drinks.
The restart was for a straight nine-lap race. Gary Johnson got away well from the second row, almost squeezing into third at Lisboa, the first corner, but slotting into 4th behind Jeremy Toye. He was struggling for grip with the rear tyre, which let Simon Andrews through, then John McGuinness. By lap four Johnson’s tyre was working better, allowing him to get back in front of McGuinness and he set off after Toye, who had been passed into third by Andrews. At the start of the last lap there was nothing between Toye, Andrews and Johnson for third place, then Johnson pushed too hard going into Lisboa, ran wide and was forced to let the other two get away and finishing fifth, eight seconds behind Andrews and eight seconds in front of John McGuinness.
Stuart Easton had responded magnificently to a mid-race challenge by Michael Rutter to take his third consecutive victory almost 11 seconds ahead of his rival.
Gary parked his bike at the rear of the pit garage for the benefit of guests and photographers and came inside to debrief the team. “I’ve got to admit I was pushing too hard and nearly lost it three times,” he explained. With his leathers in shreds behind his left shoulder, he wasn’t kidding.
James Hillier had struggled with his rear tyre from the restart and pitted at the end of lap eight, by which time the right side of the tyre had disintegrated. He was disappointed, but could not have done anything more. He has clearly got the measure of Macau on his second visit and can take encouragement from having qualified on the second row and outpaced so many much more experienced riders before tyre issues got the better of him.
The party in the paddock kicked off immediately, with San Miguel replacing energy drinks as the crews packed up and crowds thronged around for photos with riders and bikes. Returning from the podium, Jeremy Toye entertained the crowd with a huge burnout behind his garage. As Gary relaxed between photographs with fans and congratulations from riders, sponsors and other team bosses, it became clear that another brilliant performance in this great international road race has moved his stock in the paddock still higher.
- A beautiful fresh Sunday in Hong Kong. View over the harbour from balcony
- These ladies are what nightmares are made of
- Close-ups of the fire-spitting AIM Suzukis
- Close-ups of the fire-spitting AIM Suzukis
- John McGuinness relaxed and chatting over his SMT sorrymate.com Honda before the race:
- Michael Rutter clearly enjoys having his photo taken just before the off
- This lady caused such a riot among photographers that she took shelter in our pit garage
- AIM Suzuki’s James Hillier oblivious to distractions as the clock counts down to the start
- Paddock full of glamour-hungry photographers:
- This Kawasaki mechanic practically velcroed himself to the AIM Suzuki girls, despite “height issues”
- We let East Coast Yamaha mechanic, “Spider” and rider, Michal Dokoupil pose with the AIM Suzuki ladies:
- Family affair: Gary Johnson on pit wall with his parents before the start
- Gary Johnson’s parents amidst the pre-race pit-lane throng
- Gary Johnson with trophy and scuffed leathers
- Gary Johnson’s battle-scarred leathers after brushing the wall in his battle for third place
- Shagged: technical term for the tyre that forced James Hillier’s retirement
- Looks like wildlife in the BMW garage next door:
- Gary Johnson and dad exchange words before sighting lap. Dad did Gaz’s pit signals
- Third placed Jeremy Toye entertains the paddock crowd with massive burnout
- AIM Suzuki’s Gary Johnson and James Hillier after race
Hey thanks, Morgan! Still got some pics and vids to sort out xx
Fab coverage. Followed live on twitter. Thanks @BarryGRussell muchos love from @morganwild Xxxxx