MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship contender Michael Rutter is targeting a record seventh race win at the Macau Grand Prix and got his event off to a flying start by dominating the opening free practice session on the RidersMotorcycles.com Ducati.

Rutter finished second in the race last year to BSB rival Stuart Easton headed off American Jeremy Toye and the returning Ian Hutchinson on the Swan Yamaha who was third fastest. Gary Johnson who lines up for the IGT Suzuki by TAS team was fifth fastest ahead of fellow British riders John McGuinness on the Roadhouse SMT Honda and Martin Jessopp.

The opening qualifying session was postponed due to the conditions until tomorrow morning.

Macau Grand Prix, free practice result:

Michael Rutter (Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati) 2m:27.618s
Jeremy Toye (IGT Kawasaki Racing team) 2m:28.887s
Ian Hutchinson (Swan Yamaha) 2m:29.658s
Michael Barnes (Attack Performance Kawasaki) 2m:30.491s
Gary Johnson (IGT Suzuki by TAS) 2m:30.671S




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Today's qualification session (Friday), was called off due to so many of the F3 and WTCC drivers running themselves into the surrounding barriers.

It is possible that if the track can remain dry for any length of time tomorrow morning (Saturday), that a qualification session could go ahead at the early hour of 07:15 tomorrow (Sat) and that the race could actually go ahead as per its scheduled start of 15:30. (Local times).

Due to continuous rain the GP organisers have had no option but to call off the re-scheduled qualifying session today as the conditions are just far too dangerous out there on the street circuit.

Fingers crossed that qualifying will go ahead at 16:30 local time.

The event regulations state that bikes will not run in the rain, and anyway, there aren't many teams who have brought wet tyres with them.

The only practice that the riders have had so far is just one hour in the dry on Thursday morning, where Michael Rutter led the way in front of Jeremy Toye and Ian Hutchinson.

If qualifying today does not go ahead, then it is possible that the race grid will be formed from the Thursday practice times.

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Rutter Takes Pole

Six-time winner at Macau, Michael Rutter, took pole position for tomorrow’s shortened 12-lap City of Dreams Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix – 45th Edition.

The 39-year-old Briton, aboard the RidersMotorcycles Ducati 2100 took pole with a lap of 2:23.794, just eight hundredths of a second off his scorching 2010 qualifying time.

Second fastest was John McGuinness on the Roadhouse SMT Honda 1000. The fellow Briton, who last took victory on the 6.2km Guia Circuit ten years’ ago, was more than three seconds slower than Rutter. Ian Hutchinson, continuing his strong return to competition, was third fastest on the Swan Yamaha 1000.

The fastest of the record five American entries was Jeremy Toye, third at Macau last year, on the IGT Kawasaki Racing Team1000 machine, who was 6th quickest, followed by Michael Barnes on the Attack Performance Kawasaki 1000.

Despite his convincing session, Rutter, who is gunning for a record-setting seventh win at Macau, played down its significance. “Even though my time was similar to last year, it means nothing. We have to wait until tomorrow and the race to see if I really can win,” he said.


McGuinness was plagued by traffic during the session, but was satisfied to be starting alongside Rutter on the grid having been unable to better his rival’s best time. “Every time I got close, Rutter did a better time,” he said.

All the riders were pleased to get the 45-minute qualifying session underway after rain had disrupted the race programme on Friday and Saturday morning. The City of Dreams Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix – 45th Edition will be run on Sunday afternoon, with a 30 minute morning warm-up session scheduled.

Macau Grand Prix, Top 5 Qualifying.

Michael Rutter (RidersMotorcycles.com Ducati) 2:23.794s
John McGuinness (Roadhouse SMT Honda) +3.157s
Ian Hutchinson (Swan Yamaha) +4.117s
Martin Jessopp (RidersMotorcycles.com Ducati) +4.197s
Gary Johnson (IGT Suzuki by TAS) +4.220s


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Rutter takes seventh win and breaks Haslam record

Michael Rutter made Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix history today by taking a seventh victory on the famous Guia street circuit, bettering the existing record he had shared with fellow legend Ron Haslam since 2005.

Second was Rutter’s team mate Martin Jessopp, with Ian Hutchinson on the Swan Yamaha 1000 making a remarkable return to competition by taking third for an all-British podium. American Jeremy Toye was fourth with the IGT Kawasaki Racing Team.

Rutter, aboard the RidersMotorcycles.com Ducati 1200 proved why he is the greatest rider the event has ever known in the 10-lap race, winning by a margin of 4.772 seconds and setting the fastest lap of the race.

Although Rutter had the advantage of pole position, it was Hutchinson who stormed off the grid and into the lead off the start, followed by Rutter, John McGuinness on the Roadhouse SMT Honda 1000 and Jessopp. McGuinness got by Rutter in the run down to Lisboa, with Jessopp following suit.

While Hutchinson set about pulling away from the pack, Jessopp, McGuinness and Rutter were engaged in a three-way battle, with McGuinness dropping back to fourth by the end of the second lap. Rutter was on a charge though, and up to second a lap later having passed Jessopp at Lisboa, and taking the charge to the race leader.

Closing up to Hutchinson on lap 4, Rutter made his move at Lisboa to take the lead. As Rutter set about putting some track between him and his rivals, Jessopp passed Hutchinson to go second.

To rapturous cheers from the Macau crowds, Rutter crossed the line to take the flag and etch his name in the Grand Prix history books once again. However, it was team mate Jessopp who Rutter praised at the post-race press conference, after light-heartedly assuring the assembled media his first call would be to Ron Haslam: “Martin has been there all year – he’s come along and learned a lot. It’s been a brilliant season.”

Jessopp was equally delighted to be sharing the podium with two great names: “The last two years I’ve been learning from Michael. I hit the wall pretty hard on lap 1, so I settled down after that. I think Michael was playing with us for the first couple of laps.”

For Hutchison, who this time last year was in intensive care after an accident in the UK, it was great to be back racing. He was also full of praise for the organisation’s decision to reschedule the races following bad weather on Saturday: “It was a great decision by the organisers to keep everyone safe,” he said.


2011 Macau Grand Prix - Dry Conditions

1 2 Michael RUTTER GBR RidersMotorcycles.com 24:32.817 10 149.59
2 40 Martin JESSOPP GBR RidersMotorcycles.com 24:37.589 10 4.772 149.10
3 7 Ian HUTCHINSON GBR Swan Yamaha 24:39.664 10 6.847 148.89
4 57 Jeremy TOYE USA IGT Kawasaki Racing Team 24:42.491 10 9.674 148.61
5 69 Gary JOHNSON GBR IGT Suzuki by TAS 24:46.930 10 14.113 148.17
6 4 John MCGUINNESS GBR Roadhouse SMT Honda 24:47.131 10 14.314 148.15
7 15 James STORRAR GBR IseeMacau.com BMW by DMR 25:04.866 10 32.049 146.40
8 34 Michael BARNES USA Attack Performance Kawasaki 25:09.711 10 36.894 145.93
9 5 Bruce ANSTEY NZL Padgettsmotorcycles.com 25:12.201 10 39.384 145.69
10 17 Steve MERCER GBR Jentin Racing 25:14.530 10 41.713 145.47
11 37 James HILLIER GBR Mocha Club Bournemouth Kawasaki 25:16.160 10 43.343 145.31
12 3 Michael DUNLOP GBR IGT Kawasaki Racing Team 25:24.906 10 52.089 144.48
13 6 William DUNLOP GBR Wilson Craig Racing 25:37.868 10 1:05.051 143.26
14 26 Didier GRAMS GER Heidger-RTG-Suzuki Muller 25:41.860 10 1:09.043 142.89
15 20 Sean DWYER USA Locust-Lee's Cycle 25:43.885 10 1:11.068 142.70
16 11 Stephen THOMPSON GBR Roadhouse T & R Motorsport 25:46.603 10 1:13.786 142.45
17 99 Paul SHOESMITH GBR PB Motorsport 25:46.981 10 1:14.164 142.41
18 10 Mark MILLER USA Splitlath Motorsport 25:53.128 10 1:20.311 141.85
19 9 James MCBRIDE GBR PB Motorsport 26:17.638 10 1:44.821 139.65
20 23 Michal DOKOUPIL CZE IseeMacau.com BMW by DMR 26:37.148 10 2:04.331 137.94
Not Classified
22 Chris CLARK USA Yes-Pcs-Graves Yamaha 22:06.234 8 D.N.F. 132.90
12 Horst SAIGER AUT Penz13.com 3:11.002 1 D.N.F. 115.35