Rutter Closes in on Top 6 Ahead of BSB Show Down
The Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati team returned to the podium at Brands Hatch last weekend as Michael Rutter took a strong second place in the first of the three MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship races to close in on the top six in the overall standings.
In the opening race of the weekend the changing conditions meant a gamble on tyre choice and Rutter opted for slick tyres that allowed him to carve his way up through the field to secure second place and close on the top six in the standings. In race two Rutter was running in third place over the opening laps and ended the race in fifth which he repeated in race three to close to within five points of Ryuichi Kiyonari in sixth place in the overall championship standings with three rounds remaining ahead of the Showdown. Martin Jessopp meanwhile had his strongest qualifying to date in sixth, but opting for the wrong tyre choplaceice in race two saw him miss out on a points scoring finish. In race two he fought back to take ninth place, but was unfortunate in the final race to suffer a problem with the foot peg that forced him to retire.
Rutter said: “I am really happy with the weekend. In race one I just gambled on slicks and it paid off for me. I was just going to go out and see how it goes and luckily for me it stopped raining and began to dry out. I could see Josh Brookes was pushing really hard in the first laps and I didn’t want to risk crashing so I just went at my own pace and I had a few moments but it was great to finish on the podium again for the Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati team. I couldn’t have done any more in the two races on Sunday and now we are much closer to the top six after that race.”
Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati team owner Phil Jessopp concluded:
“The whole team did a brilliant job all weekend and it is great for Michael that he was able to have a podium and a further two strong races which has put him back where he needs to be and in a position to challenge for a position in the Showdown. Martin had his best qualifying session to date and it had been a positive weekend for him, apart from the disappointment of the third race. The whole Rapid Solicitors- Bathams Ducati team are now looking forward to Cadwell Park to try and take the fight to the other riders to secure that place in the top six.”
Source: Riders Motorcycles
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