Rutter took the runner-up spot behind his Milwaukee Yamaha rival, who made a sensational return following an 18-month spell out of action as he recovered from more surgery on his badly damaged left leg.

The gap between the pair was 2.4 seconds after the race was stopped on lap 13 of 15 when Dean Harrison crashed without serious injury, with Rutter’s hopes of an unprecedented ninth Macau win on the back burner for at least another year.

Speaking afterwards, Rutter revealed the race had been one of the toughest he had ever endured on the Guia street circuit.

“That was definitely one of my toughest rides around here with the heat and the pace of the race. I knew after qualifying that Hutchy was very strong so when Gary took the early lead, I tried as hard as I could to get by him and open up a gap,” said Rutter.

“We were all pretty evenly matched though and I wasn’t surprised when Ian came by. I tried to stay with him but he was able to pull out a gap straightaway and from there on it was very tough.

“I was able to make a bit of time up here and there but lost a bit elsewhere so I kind of knew that’s how the race was going to end,” he added.

“I got held up quite a bit by the backmarkers and had to go down to the first gear and follow them until I could get by but it probably wouldn’t have made a difference.

“Fair play to Ian though, he’s been through a lot these last few years and he deserved the win.

“It’s a shame I couldn’t defend the title for SMT Racing this time around but thanks to Robin [Croft] and the entire team for doing a great job.”

Hutchinson also set the fastest lap of the race to add to his pole position start and race triumph.


Meanwhile, Honda TT Legends star John McGuinness had no answer to the pace of the leaders as he ended the race in fourth place, battling back to overtake Scottish competitor Jimmy Storrar.

McGuinness - whose sole victory at Macau was achieved in 2001 - said: “2001 is a long time ago and I’d have loved nothing more than another win here but I’ve put my heart and soul in and gone round as hard as I could all weekend.

“I got a great start and slotted into third going into Lisboa but before I knew it, Hutchy had gone by and the front three boys were four seconds down the road. Their pace in the first couple of laps was incredibly strong and try as I might, the gap kept creeping up.

“I have to say hats off to Hutchy. He hasn’t been on a bike for a long, long time, so to take the win, pole position and fastest lap in such hot company and on one of the toughest tracks in the world is an unbelievable achievement.”



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