Grand Prix road closure extended after red flag

The first qualifying session for the 2024 Manx Grand Prix was red flagged twice

Roads around the Isle of Man’s Mountain Course remained closed for an hour later than scheduled after the first Manx Grand Prix qualifying session was cut short following a red flag incident.

Race organisers said the clerk of the course had been granted an extension to keep the closure in place until 19:00.

Police said the A18 Mountain Road would stay closed between the Bungalow and the Creg-Naa-Baa for a "significant period".

The session was red flagged for a second time at about 16:50, with race organisers announcing it would not be restarted.

Red flags can be shown when there has been a crash or the track conditions are too poor for the race to continue.

Roads around the 37.73-mile (60km) circuit closed to traffic at 12:45 and had been due to reopen no later than 18:00.

The first session of the 2024 event saw newcomers take part in a guided control speed lap of the course.

The session was red flagged for the first time shortly before 14:30 at the end of the opening lap of qualifying.

Organisers announced a rider had been taken to hospital with hip and shoulder injuries following an incident at Kate’s Cottage on the mountain section of the course.

Qualifying was restarted at about 15:20 with all classes scheduled to be given practice laps, before a second red flag curtailed the tail end of the session.

Further qualifying sessions for the event are scheduled to take place each evening until Thursday, with racing set to begin on Friday.

Unlike during the TT in June, the mountain section of the A3 remains two-way at all times outside racing periods during the Manx Grand Prix.