Shropshire race ace Rutter on rostrum again at Macau GP
Shropshire race ace Michael Rutter secured a podium for a fifth straight year after battling his way to a solid third place at the Macau GP.
The Bridgnorth-based rider took his record number of top-three finishes to 16 at the race in China. Rutter, who has a record eight wins at the 12-lap Guia circuit, finished second the previous two years.
The 42-year-old was full of confidence after qualifying second on board his Penz13.com BMW Motorrad behind team-mate Martin Jessop.
But the pace of Jessop and winner Peter Hickman proved too much around the 3.8-mile road circuit on Saturday.
Rutter said: "I went off the line and the traction control light immediately came on, which basically meant that everything shut down.
"I had to learn how to ride the bike again because it kept wheeling everywhere and I dropped back to fifth.
"However, I was able to be a bit smoother on the throttle because the traction control light saved the back tyre a bit and I managed to get myself back up to third.
"The result was what I expected, to be fair, as Peter and Martin have been riding their bikes all year in BSB (British Superbikes) and it was always going to be a tough ask to beat those two."
Rutter had been on the pace all weekend and led into the first corner only for the electronics problem to push him back.
He had to battle with Ian Hutchinson, team-mate Gary Johnson, John McGuinness and Stuart Easton before clinching the final rostrum spot.
