Manx Grand Prix: Mike Browne takes victory in Lightweight race

Mike Browne said he felt lucky to take the win after suffering issues in Ramsey

Mike Browne secured victory in a dramatic Manx Grand Prix Lightweight race on the Isle of Man.

The 32-year-old from Cork finished the two-lap race on the Mountain Course in 38 minutes and 43.355 seconds.

Welshman Ian Lougher gave the Laylaw Racing team a one-two, finishing 43.8 seconds back to secure second place in the rescheduled race.

Wakefield's Stuart Hall made up the top three 53.9 seconds behind Lougher, making it a Yamaha dominated podium.

The race was shortened from four laps to two after disruption to racing on Friday

Disruption to Friday's opening day of racing at the 2022 event meant the delayed Lightweight race was shortened from four laps to two of the 37.75-mile circuit.

After Browne took an early lead, Lincolnshire's James Hind, who led the pace in qualifying for the 250cc class, leapfrogged him on lap one, breaking the lap record by 0.261 seconds on the opening lap with a speed of 117.592mph on his Yamaha TZ250.

At the end of the lap, he was followed by Browne 18 seconds behind on the same machinery, with Hexham's Dominic Herbertson a further 17 seconds back, and Ian Lougher in fourth.

But it was all change on lap two when Herbertson retired at the 33rd milestone, followed by disappointment for Hind, who stopped between Brandish and Hillberry on the approach to the chequered flag.

That gave Browne the lead back and elevated Lougher, who was ahead on the road on his Yamaha TZ250 in the time trial race, to second place, opening the door for privateer Hall to take third, also on a Yamaha.

Mike Browne was joined on the podium by Ian Lougher and Stuart Hall

Speaking to Manx Radio, Browne said he felt "lucky" to have taken the win.

"I was breaking down from Ramsey over the mountain on the last lap, so I'm just delighted to get to the finish," he said.

"Lougher passed me and then once I got in his slipstream and kept it up the revs she stayed going, but I thought it was over at Ramsey."

Rhys Hardisty, Chris Moore, Phil Harvey, Michael Sweeney, Richard Wilson, Gareth Arnold and Tom Snow made up the top 10.

But there was disappointment for Manxman Dan Sayle, who retired at Black Dub, and for Northern Ireland's Michael Dunlop, who retired at the end of lap one, after both showed strong performances in the opening stages of the race.

The Manx Grand Prix is making a return after a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.