Michael Rutter has spoken of his disappointment after seeing his British Superbike Championship hopes dashed at Cadwell Park.
The Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati rider entered the Bank Holiday meeting just five points behind Ryuichi Kiyonari and looked well placed to overhaul him in race one, running in third place. However, a collision with Josh Brookes took him out of the running and the 39 year old would also fail to score in both of Monday's races.
But the crash in race one was clearly the defining moment in the weekend and Rutter later gave his side of the story.
“I didn't get a bad start to the weekend in free practice but then in qualifying three we had a problem with our gearbox and then it was a massive rush for the team to get the Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati ready for the first race and they did a great job. My aim was obviously to finish ahead of Ryuichi Kiyonari and everything was going to plan until race one! I had a good start and passed Josh Brookes into Park. I wanted to keep both Josh and Kiyo behind me and I was defending my line but Josh had other ideas and everyone knows what happened next! It was gutting not to have been able to make the top six and now I just need to get fit so we can try and put the Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati back on the podium before the end of the season.”
By contrast, teammate Martin Jessopp had, by his own admission, his best weekend of the season. The Yeovil rider finished in the top eight in all three races, amassing a total of 26 points and hopes to see the upturn in form continue for the rest of the season.
“It was a good weekend, my best of the year really and it is all coming together for me and the Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati now. Practice and qualifying were again where we needed to be. In the first race to come from where I qualified to finish seventh was a good result, but in the second race I didn't get the start I needed but I made my way through but then the next group of riders had that gap over me. I am really happy with the progress we have made this weekend as we tried lots of changes and now we look to improving again in the final rounds.”
