Manx Grand Prix: Contingency qualifying session added following disruption

Qualifying for the Manx Grand Prix is set to continue until Friday

An extra afternoon qualifying session on Thursday has been added to the Manx Grand Prix schedule.

The change follows the cancellation of Wednesday evening's practice laps because of expected rain and hill fog.

As a result of the "deteriorating weather forecast" a contingency session on Thursday would be utilised, clerk of the course Gary Thompson said.

Roads around the course will now be closed between 12:30 and 16:30 BST, before shutting again at 18:00.

While Wednesday afternoon's contingency session went ahead as planned, Tuesday evening's session had been abandoned following a fatal crash in Kirk Michael involving Ian Bainbridge.

That followed the scrapping of Monday's session because of low cloud on the Mountain section of the 37.75-mile (60km) course, before Tuesday's.

Sunday afternoon's opening session was also temporarily suspended while officials dealt with a crash in which Gary Vines sustained fatal injuries, before being curtailed because of a non-racing medical emergency.

Qualifying for the Manx Grand Prix is due to continue until Friday, with the main competition set to run from 25 to 28 August.