This evening's Isle of Man TT practice session was red-flagged after the leaders had completed one lap due to a crash at Barregarrow Top.
Laurent Hoffman was the rider involved and he has been taken by airmed to Noble's Hospital with suspected leg injuries. Clerk of the course Gary Thompson made an announcement at 7.35pm saying there would be no further action this evening as rain began to fall heavily
Michael Dunlop and Ian Hutchinson were first away, followed by Guy Martin and James Hillier, with all four on their Superbikes. William Dunlop, Gary Johnson and Michael Rutter also chose their Superbikes but Conor Cummins opted for his Superstock Honda and Bruce Anstey, Keith Amor and Dan Kneen all took out their 600cc machines.
Conditions on the opening lap proved to be fairly good with Michael Dunlop first back past the Grandstand at 128.690mph, just shy of his best lap set yesterday, while Guy Martin was also over 128mph. William Dunlop was next up at 127.911mph with Dean Harrison posting his personal best lap of the week so far at 126.521mph. Michael Rutter, Ian Hutchinson and Dan Stewart were the only other three riders to break the 125mph mark whilst Johnson was out of luck retiring at Douglas Road Corner.
The newcomers again posted good laps with six of them over the 110mph barrier – Peter Hickman (117.895), Martin Jessopp (115.607), Vick de Cooremeter (114.410), Phil Crowe (113.910), Alan Bonner (112.447) and Danny Webb (112.203), with Crowe and Webb both posting personal bests.
Cummins was the quickest Superstock machine at 126.268mph with Anstey posting a speed of 123.127mph to top the Supersport time sheets but with rain falling, particularly from Ramsey onwards, John McGuinness completed a lap at 122.387mph and James Hillier at 121.527mph on their Superbikes, comfortably down on their speeds earlier in the week.
