Arrowsmith Grabs Maiden Manx GP Victory in a Supertwin Showdown
2025 Supertwin Manx Grand Prix
The Supertwin race on Day 6 of the 2025 Manx Grand Prix provided the kind of drama and emotion that the Mountain Course is famous for. Under clear skies and ideal racing conditions, the three-lap contest quickly turned into a fierce battle between Lewis Arrowsmith and Michael Gahan, before fate played its part on the final lap.
From the drop of the flag, the pace was ferocious. By Glen Helen on lap one, Arrowsmith had carved out a three-second advantage over Jamie Williams, who himself was locked in a tight scrap with Michael Gahan, separated by just two-tenths of a second. Behind them came Rees in fourth, Shann in fifth, and Liam Chawke completing the early top six. Among the newcomers, Eddy Wormald slotted into ninth as the field settled into rhythm.
The lead, however, was anything but stable. By the time the riders reached Ramsey, Gahan had nosed ahead by the slimmest of margins—just a quarter of a second—from Arrowsmith, with Williams dropping to third a further 1.6 seconds back. Gahan looked determined, stretching his advantage to just over a second by the Bungalow, but the run to the pits swung momentum back in Arrowsmith’s favour. Thanks to the fastest stop of the day—31.25 seconds—he emerged from the Grandstand pit lane a fraction ahead. For context, the Mountain Course pit entry slopes downhill, meaning riders must be extremely cautious not to exceed the 60 km/h (37 mph) limit on the way in. Even minor infractions can cost dearly.
Lap two saw Arrowsmith capitalize on that rapid service, stretching his lead to 5.5 seconds at Glen Helen. Gahan chased in second, while local favourite Williams sat six seconds further adrift. Shann was beginning to build momentum, hunting down Williams for the final podium place, but Chawke was right on his tail, less than half a second back. By Ramsey, Gahan trimmed the deficit to 3.6 seconds, and Chawke slipped into fourth at Shann’s expense.
When the field crossed the line to start the third and final lap, Arrowsmith had stretched the gap once more, this time to 6.7 seconds. Shann had indeed found his rhythm and muscled into third, pushing Williams to fourth. Chawke sat close behind in fifth, with Caomhan Canny holding sixth. Meanwhile, the battle for top newcomer honours was shaping up: ILR Paton rider Eddy Wormald held tenth, just six seconds clear of local man Grant Thomson.
The final lap delivered the kind of drama only the TT and MGP can conjure. Gahan launched a blistering charge, halving Arrowsmith’s advantage to 3.1 seconds by Ballaugh. At Ramsey Hairpin, the gap shrank again—to just 1.88 seconds. It was clear that Gahan was pushing all-out for what would have been his first victory on the Mountain Course. By the Bungalow, he was breathing down Arrowsmith’s neck, a mere 0.74 seconds separating the Aprilia-mounted duo, both lapping at over 115 mph. But heartbreak struck only a few miles from the finish: Gahan coasted to a stop at Keppel Gate, mechanical gremlins ending his charge in sight of the chequered flag.
That left the path clear for Lewis Arrowsmith to finally take his maiden Manx Grand Prix win, improving on a previous best of 11th in 2023. His final lap was clocked at an impressive 115.357 mph (19:37.45).
Behind him, 2024 newcomer Toby Shann secured second with a 115.276 mph lap (19:38.28), while Jamie Williams benefited from Gahan’s retirement to claim third at 115.332 mph (19:37.70). Chawke took fourth with a 114 mph average, Canny claimed fifth with another strong 115 mph lap, and debutant Harley Rushton rounded out the top six. Rushton also set the fastest lap of the week in the Supertwin class, a blistering 115.400 mph (19:37.01), which now stands as the new lap record for the category introduced in 2025.
The winners’ enclosure was a mixture of disbelief, elation, and relief. Arrowsmith, almost overwhelmed, celebrated with a burnout before describing his feelings: “I just tried to push from the start. It spurred me on chasing Andy Farrell. I’m buzzing—this whole year has been about this race. I just love riding the twin around here.” Shann admitted he was forced to nurse a misfiring machine for much of the race yet still delivered a remarkable runner-up finish. For Williams, the podium carried huge personal weight, the Manxman describing it as: “This is where dreams are made.”
Among the newcomers, Wormald claimed top honours with eighth overall, setting a strong 114.27 mph lap (19:48.638). Thomson came home second among the first-timers, placing tenth with a spirited 113 mph effort on the last lap. Local man Luke Blevins endured frustration, black-flagged on lap three at Ballacraine due to a loose belly pan, shortly after notching a promising 103 mph from a standing start.
All told, the Supertwin opener delivered the perfect start to the 2025 Manx Grand Prix, held during the event’s 102nd anniversary. High-speed duels, heartbreak for Gahan, and a fairy-tale maiden win for Arrowsmith—this was the Mountain Course at its unpredictable best.
Images: MANX MOTOR CYCLE CLUB
