Williams Claims Maiden Supersport MGP Victory After Intense Four-Lap Battle
2025 Supersport Manx Grand Prix
After the excitement of the Supertwin opener earlier in the day, attention turned to the first of the “big bike” races: the four-lap Supersport contest. With conditions again near perfect on the Mountain Course, the stage was set for another thriller – and it certainly delivered.
Jamie Williams, who had topped practice all week, was first down Bray Hill, followed by Chris Cook. Andy Farrell, a two-time Manx Grand Prix winner and one of the pre-race favourites, suffered a frustrating issue at the line but eventually got underway. Just behind him was Adrian Harrison, brother of TT star Dean, who wasted no time in giving chase.
At Glen Helen on lap one it was Johnny Stewart who stamped his authority early, leading the pack with fellow 2024 standout newcomer Toby Shann in second. Shann, already buoyed by a Supertwin podium earlier in the day, was eager to back it up with another strong showing. Cook held third, followed by Caomhan Canny in fourth, Williams in fifth, and Don Gilbert in sixth. The pace was ferocious – just six seconds covered the top 15 riders at this stage.
By Ballaugh, Cook had taken over the lead, posting the fastest sector time of the week between Glen Helen and Ballaugh. Williams was beginning to move through the order, climbing into third by Ramsey and showing his intent. As the first lap ended, the top three all smashed through the 119mph barrier. Cook clocked 119.222mph (18:59.28), Williams 119.204mph (18:59.45), and Shann 119.123mph (19:00.23). Canny ran fourth, Ryan Whitehall moved into fifth, and Gilbert rounded out the top six. Liam Chawke’s day ended prematurely when a gearbox issue forced him to retire.
Lap two unfolded in similar fashion until the Bungalow, where Whitehall surged into third ahead of Shann. By Cronk ny Mona, Williams had finally nosed ahead of Cook, leading by just 0.736 seconds as the field prepared for their mandatory pit stops.
Williams set the tone with a landmark lap of 120.005mph (18:51.85), making him the 31st rider to join the prestigious “Tommy Club” – reserved for those who lap the Mountain Course at 120mph or more in Manx GP competition. He led Cook, who posted 119.789mph (18:53.89), by 1.8 seconds, with Canny right in contention at 119.732mph (18:54.43). Newcomer Grant Thomson impressed by holding eighth with a 118.758mph lap (19:03.73), while fellow first-timer Eddy Wormald ran 14th on his Yamaha R6. The speed trap at Sulby confirmed just how quick the Supersport machines were running – Graham McAleese topped the chart at 165.331mph, also aboard an R6.
Pit stops proved decisive, as always. Wormald’s crew nailed the fastest service of the day at just 44.85 seconds. By comparison, Williams lost time with a 55.1s stop, Cook’s lasted 57.4s, Canny clocked 51.9s, and Whitehall 54.0s. Those small margins meant positions shuffled dramatically. Farrell, unfortunately, was forced to retire in the pits, bringing his race to a premature end.
As lap three began, less than nine seconds covered the top five. Canny benefited from his rapid stop, emerging in second at Glen Helen just 2.1 seconds behind Williams. The pressure mounted with every sector: by Ramsey, the gap was cut to 0.947s; by the Bungalow, it was down to only 0.402s. Meanwhile, Thomson continued to shine, still the top newcomer in seventh.
The fight for the podium intensified as Whitehall closed right onto Cook’s tail, only 0.089s adrift at Cronk ny Mona. At the end of lap three, Williams had eked out a slim cushion – 1.41s clear of Canny. Whitehall trailed 7.8s further back, with Cook still fourth, Michael Gahan climbing into fifth, and Shann holding sixth. Thomson kept newcomer honours alive in seventh, ahead of Gilbert. McAleese once again lit up the Sulby trap at 164.4mph, with Williams next-fastest at 163.28mph aboard the NCE Racing Honda.
The final lap carried all the tension of a true Manx GP classic. Local rider Williams, who first made his debut on the Mountain Course back in 2016, was hunting down his long-awaited maiden victory – one that would cement his place in the history books before stepping up to the Isle of Man TT in 2026. At Ballaugh, he stretched his lead to 2.56s over Canny, with Whitehall still third a further 4.5s down. Heartbreak then struck for leading newcomer Grant Thomson, who was forced to retire at Ballacraine.
By Ramsey, Williams had pushed the gap to 3.3s, and at the Bungalow he delivered his fastest sector of the week, extending the margin to 6.2s. From there, there was no denying him.
Crossing the line with a personal best of 120.524mph (18:46.98), Jamie Williams finally clinched his first Manx Grand Prix victory in emphatic style. Canny secured a career-best second with a lap of 119.996mph (18:52.22). Remarkably, Whitehall, Cook, and Gahan all smashed the 120mph barrier to join the Tommy Club – Whitehall 120.583mph (18:46.42), Cook 120.005mph (18:51.85), and Gahan an incredible 120.664mph (18:45.66), which also set the new Supersport class lap record. Shann, already on the Supertwin podium earlier, rounded out the top six.
In the winners’ enclosure, the scenes were emotional. Williams celebrated with a smoky burnout before slumping over the tank of his Honda, overcome with relief. “It’s hard to put into words how much this means,” he said. “This time last year I was in Aintree Hospital, now I’m in the Tommy Club.” For Williams, the victory was more than just a trophy – it was the culmination of years of effort and a comeback story for the ages.
Canny and Shann, both 2024 newcomers, joined him on the podium in what was one of the most emotional post-race ceremonies of recent years. With both the Supertwin and Supersport races producing thrilling, wheel-to-wheel drama, the 2025 Manx Grand Prix had already lived up to its billing.
The Supersport race also marked history: Michael Gahan’s blistering lap of 120.664mph now stands as the benchmark, the first-ever Supersport lap record in the newly-formed 2025 class.
With Sunday designated as a rest day, riders and teams will regroup, re-tune machines, and prepare for more racing on Bank Holiday Monday. Two more coveted places in the Tommy Club are still up for grabs – and if the opening races are anything to go by, fans can expect even more fireworks on the Mountain Course.
Images MANX MOTOR CYCLE CLUB
