British Superbike News

Michael Rutter on the podium

Riders Motorcycles.com’s Michael Rutter continued to show some great form aboard the Ducati at Cadwell Park at the weekend, finishing third and fourth in the two MCE sponsored BSB races on Sunday after qualifying in third on the grid.

Rutter left Cadwell Park sitting fourth in the championship race, but 56 points behind current leader Tommy Hill. He finished third in the first race, after battling with race winner Ryuichi Kiyonari early on, but was then passed by Michael Laverty in the closing stages.

Rutter said: “I rode the best I could. I knew I didn’t have the pace of Kiyo and then I got arm pump. I’ve never had it before but we did the morning warm-up with a heavy throttle setting and I think that set it off.”

He then battled with Laverty again in race two but when the Suzuki rider missed the chicane it upset the Ducati rider’s rhythm and Tommy Hill sneaked by for the final podium spot.

“I was just trying to go inside Laverty when he went off and Tommy got by.  But I’m happy with the weekend. Third and fourth, and going home in one piece. Can’t be bad,” said Rutter.

Team mate Martin Jessop finished with an eighth and ninth, but was hampered by excessive traction control in race one and an appalling start to race two. He is currently ninth in the overall standings.

Jessopp said: “In the first race I got a good start but we had some traction control issues and that held me back. Then in the second one I got a terrible start. It was frustrating because I felt I had the pace of the front runners but I  had to make some harsh moves to get through the pack and by then it was too late to close the gap to the leaders.”