SCOTSMAN Steve Hislop, riding a 500 cc machine for the first time, claimed pole position at the 27th Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix with a scintillating performance yesterday.
Hislop, champion in Macau in 1990, steered his ROC Yamaha 500 round the tricky 3.8-mile Guia circuit in a best time of two minutes, 35.08 seconds as Yamaha snatched the top three spots on the grid for today's two races, which comprise two legs of 15 laps.
''I've never been on a 500 cc bike before and it feels totally different from the bike I'm used to,'' said Hislop, who is making his fourth visit to the Portuguese enclave and usually races 750 cc machines.
''It's the first time ever I've been on a 500 Grand Prix machine and it's the only reason I've come here. I always wanted to ride a 500,'' said Hislop, who borrowed the four-cylinder Yamaha from former world champion Freddie Spencer.
''I'm trying to handle it the best I can and I wouldn't want to go any quicker than I already have. I'm a bit more confident than was I was when I won in 1990 - especially with this new bike,'' he said.
Hislop claimed his second pole position in Macau following his achievement in 1989, when he went on to finish third.
The Scottish rider, winner of nine Isle of Man Tourist Trophy races and a former British 250 cc champion, was 0.76 seconds quicker than teammate Robert Dunlop, the 1989 Macau Grand Prix champion, with newcomer Sean Emmett of England taking third spot on the grid in a time of 2:36.38.
