Motorcycles and news

The 33-year-old British racer stayed top of the practice leaderboard despite being unable to go faster on his Stobart Motorsport Honda 1000 in the second and deciding qualifying session.

“We decided to keep old race tyres and have a full tank of gas just to see how the bike would go in race trim rather than try to improve on the quick lap I did yesterday” said a delighted Rutter.

The opposition got closer to the pole-setter. Steve Plater, making his first ever appearance on a Superbike at the Far East Classic grabbed second position on the AIM Racing Yamaha with a lap just eight tenths of a second slower than Rutter’s Friday’s quickest.

Another British rider, John McGuinness, on a second Stobart Motorsport Honda, runner-up to Rutter in the race for the last four years was third fastest after taking just over two seconds off his lap time.

The Stobart Motorsport team run by Paul Bird came close to an impressive clean sweep of the top three places, until Ian Hutchinson, who had been second fastest up until that point ran on at the Melco Hairpin, rammed the track barrier and did a spectacular handstand over the handlebars.

The British rider was unhurt in the gymnastic display, but was unable to go any quicker after a visit to the pits, allowing Plater and McGuinness to overtake him.

Guy Martin, Plater’s team mate, was fifth fastest and Scot Stuart Easton, the fourth member of the Stobart Motorsport squad, was sixth fastest.

American Jeremy Toye (Lee’s Cycle Racing Suzuki 1000) was seventh best despite feeling unwell with a heavy cold.

Steve Allan, last year’s winner of the Supersport 600 Class was fastest in the smaller class on the MSS Discovery Racing Kawasaki four seconds faster than his Scottish team mate Callum Ramsay but was disappointed to have lapped three seconds slower than he did last year.

Hong Kong’s Cheung Wai On was an impressive third quickest in the Supersport category on his privately-owned Yamaha R6 despite having problems with both gearing and suspension.

First Qualifying: Rutter throws down gauntlet in opening round

Michael Rutter issued a warning to his rivals by taking provisional pole in the first qualifying session for Saturday’s 40th running of the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix.

The 33-year-old British racer came within a fraction of his own qualifying lap record to top the time sheet in the one hour session on his Stobart Motorsports Honda 1000.

Rutter, who is aiming to be the first man ever to win the Far East Classic seven times, showed that the opposition will have to raise their game if they wish to beat him by being 2.2 seconds faster than anyone else during the timed 60-minute session round the 6.12km Guia Circuit.

Another British racer, Ian Hutchinson, also on a Stobart Motorsports Honda 1000, was second fastest.

Hutchinson, signed by the Honda factory to spearhead their pure road racing efforts in Britain next season, is making his debut on a Superbike after finishing second in the Supersport 600 Class here last year.

Steve Plater made it three British riders at the top of the qualifying leaderboard on board the AIM Racing Yamaha 1000.

Jeremy Toye, the 35-year-old American on the Lee’s Cycles Racing Suzuki 1000, pulled off a major surprise by setting fourth fastest time and grabbing a place on the provisional front row of the grid for the 15-lap race.

John McGuinness, the Isle of Man TT lap record holder and the man thought most likely to be Rutter’s greatest threat, was only fifth fastest, over three seconds slower than Rutter.

Scot Steve Allan, winner of the Supersport 600 Class last year, was 11th overall and quickest in the Supersport category on the MSS Discovery Racing Kawasaki 600. Second fastest was fellow Scot Callum Ramsay on another MSS Discovery Racing Kawasaki with Hong Kong racer Cheung Wai On third best on his debut ride on a privately-owned Yamaha R6.