The 32 riders of the Suncity Group Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix – 49th Edition took up their traditional role to be first on the Guia Circuit at the start of four days of practice, qualifying and racing. It was an intriguing first outing with John McGuinness (Honda) taking a commanding lead at the top of the times from the outset, a position he maintained until the very last lap, by which time he had got well into the high twenties, at 2.29.021.

With his bike safely on stands in the pits, Horst Saiger made a late bid for the top of the leaderboard and almost bumped McGuinness but the clock stopped at 2.29.452.

A lap earlier Michael Rutter had gone quickest in the first and second sectors, a massive advantage in the long and tricky second sector making him a sure-fire bet for the top spot, but Rutter rolled it off and cruised into a stealthy second, his 2.29.142 a long way short of what it might have been and setting up an interesting battle for pole when qualifying begins.

Both of the riders who created sensations here in the past couple of years, Stuart Easton and Ian Hutchinson, took the session steadily, but qualifying is the one that counts.

But bragging rights in the first practice went to Martin Jessopp whose 2.28.970 in the very last seconds of the session served as a clear reminder that he’s one of several riders capable of winning this race on Saturday.