In a dramatic 47th Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix, 34-year-old Yorkshireman Ian Hutchinson (Milwaukee Yamaha) made the most extraordinary entry of all in his own outstanding career and in the record-books of a race steeped in history and legend, ending an 18-month layoff caused by injury with an extraordinary flourish.

A slow start from pole saw him fourth into Lisboa, but he immediately set about recovering his position, picking off John McGuinness (Honda TT Legends) and Gary Johnson (Quattro Plant Motorsports Honda) before getting Michael Rutter in his sights – and he wasted no time taking the lead with a firm pass into R Bend, and immediately opening a gap.

“It’s probably one of the most special wins I’ve ever had with what’s gone on in the last few years, but hopefully now I can move on to carrying on back where I left off three years ago,” said Hutchinson. “I had about 10 plans of what to do whatever situation happened before the race, and I didn’t really have a plan for the one that did happen but I knew that once Michael got past Gary I needed to get past Gary and to go with it. I got past on the same lap and worked away. I’d rather have stayed behind Michael for a few more laps to be honest as the laps just got faster. I took the lead and just put the hammer down for a few laps to see where we were at. Michael came with me and I didn’t really expect to pull away from him massively, and I think he was a little bit unlucky with the backmarkers.”


Caught up in traffic on the final lap of a race cut short when Dean Harrison (RC Express Racing by MSS Performance) took a tumble and left his Kawasaki on the racing line on the approach to Maternity, Rutter was denied a record-setting ninth victory from the seat of the SMT Honda he won with a year ago, but could not deny Hutchinson his moment.

Said Rutter: “It’s definitely one of toughest races [I’ve had] here. I tried as hard as I could. I led for a bit and tried to make a bit of a gap, but wasn’t surprised when he came past. I thought I’d just try and hang on the back of him and he just pulled a massive gap. I thought ‘this is going to be a bit of a fun race’, and I’d get my head down and try and start catching him. I made up a bit of ground but to be fair to Ian, he looked dead smooth. I made a bit and lost a bit and tried as hard as I could.”

Also ending the race with a smile was Gary Johnson taking his first Macau podium after being the surprise early leader, a brilliant start giving him the chance to pounce on McGuinness.

McGuinness made an excellent start to lead into Lisboa but ended the race in fourth place, and there were plenty of other notable performances further down the field – Lee Johnston consolidated his position as fastest newcomer in qualifying to be the highest-placed debutant in the race, ninth on the East Coast Racing Honda, Steven Thompson (T&R Suzuki) claiming the top ten finish he came here for, and IRRC Champion Didier Grams turning a ninth place on the grid into a strong eighth place.

But all the headlines this weekend are going to be about one man. An amazing return to form for a rider who has fought an eighteen-month battle against injury and the attendant personal demons, and got back on a race bike looking like a man who got off it just a few days ago.

Ian Hutchinson is universally popular and this extraordinary reward for personal fortitude will be welcomed and admired by all.



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