The life and TT racing achievements of the Rutter family will be honoured at the 2024 Isle of Man TT Races, with a celebratory parade lap and the naming of a corner of the TT Mountain Course as ‘Rutters’’.

2024 will see Michael Rutter mark 30 years since his TT debut and almost 60 years since that of his late father, Tony. With 7 race victories apiece and a total of 38 podiums and 170 TT race starts between them, the father and son duo’s achievements will be immortalised as the section formerly known as ‘Glen Helen 1’ is renamed in their collective honour.

The Rutter Legacy Lap will take place on Wednesday 5th June with respects paid to Tony by Michael riding one of his father’s original Ducati’s, and a Yamaha TZ350 and a second Ducati – with which Tony became synonymous with – ridden by his contemporaries.

Michael’s achievements will be celebrated by Phillip McCallen, Ian Simpson and John McGuinness MBE riding bikes from across Rutter Jnr’s career, with McGuinness having the privilege of piloting the Honda RC213V-S MotoGP-derived racer that Michael has delighted fans with in recent years.

JUNIOR

It was 1994 when a then 22-year old Michael Rutter made his TT debut as team-mate to Robert Dunlop in the Medd Racing team.

He stood on the TT podium for the first time just two years later, finishing second to Phillip McCallen in the opening Formula 1 Race and, after two more podiums the following year, he took his first victory in the 1998 Junior Race, beating team-mate Ian Simpson by less than 7-seconds.

After a 7-year absence from the Island to focus on short-circuit racing, Michael has been ever-present at the TT since 2007. Taking five further victories across the Lightweight and TT Zero classes in that time, he continues to compete at the very sharp end well into a fourth decade.

SENIOR

Tony Rutter’s TT career spanned a total of 26 years from 1965 to 1991, and in that time he firmly established himself as one of Britain’s finest racers. As well as the TT, he won multiple races at the North West 200, Ulster Grand Prix and in various British Championship classes, and claimed four consecutive Formula Two World Championship titles.

TT wins came in the Junior and Formula Two classes, taking four wins for Ducati between 1981 and 1985 to make him the most successful TT rider for the Italian manufacturer.

After taking three podiums at the TT in 1985, including victory in the Formula Two Race and second to Joey Dunlop in the Formula One Race, his career was effectively ended by injuries sustained in a crash at Montjuic Park, Spain a month later. And whilst he was unable to get back to his previous heights, he returned to the TT in 1987 with his final outing coming four years later.

RUTTERS’

Michael Rutter: “It’s a real shock to have this honour bestowed upon the family but, for me, it’s more of an honour and tribute to my Dad as I see him having achieved more than me in his racing career.”

“Sadly, we lost him during the pandemic and as a result he didn’t get the tribute or send-off he deserved. Having this corner named Rutters’ goes a good way to compensating for that and I know he’ll be looking down smiling, especially as Glen Helen 1 is such a brilliant corner. Dad never said a lot, but I know he’d have loved it – he’ll be looking down smiling for sure.”

“He loved the TT and although he probably should have retired after his accident, competing again on the Mountain Course was what he wanted the most. He raced there for a long time and achieved so much on all kinds of bikes, so he deserves it, and I’m incredibly proud to see the family name honoured in this way.”

After a successful first outing as a two-rider team in 2023, Bathams Racing will return to the Isle of Man TT Races this year with an unchanged line up in Michael Rutter and Craig Neve.

30 years after his TT debut in 1994, Rutter will contest the RST Superbike and Milwaukee Senior TT Races on board a BMW M 1000 RR, and line up for the first Metzeler Supertwin and second Entire Cover insurance Supertwin Races with his Yamaha R7.

Neve, meanwhile, has deservedly earned a second year with the team after securing career-best results in 2023. The Lincolnshire rider took 11th in last year’s Senior TT on his Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade, setting a new personal best lap of 130.863mph in the process and he continues with the same machine at this year’s event.

Neve also remains with the same machinery for the Monster Energy Supersport Races, riding the Triumph Speed Triple 765 RS which gave him 8th and 11th- place finishes last year; the former his first top-10 finish and his best result to date at the TT. Just like the other classes, Neve set a new personal best lap in the middleweight division at an average speed of 125.307mph.

Craig Neve: “Joining Bathams Racing last year was fantastic for me. Having Michael as my team-mate was priceless when it came to getting a good set-up with bikes which, at the time, were brand new to me, and it ultimately helped me crack the 130mph barrier. I’ve already had him on the bike in winter testing to try some more ideas out and both his input and feedback have been brilliant.”

“Last year was difficult at times with the new bike, but it ended on a real high with a couple of 130mph laps, and my first top ten finish at the TT, so sticking with Bathams Racing is a no brainer for me. I’m absolutely buzzing and can’t wait to get going, so hopefully we can pick up from where we left off last year”. 

Michael Rutter: “When we expanded the team last year with Craig, we wanted to bring in an up-and-coming rider and help develop them, and that’s exactly what happened. Last year we achieved everything we hoped we would with Craig, so it was an easy decision to carry on that commitment with him as we feel there’s more to come from both him and the bikes.”

“He's had me out testing some ideas that he’s had for his bikes, and I think we’ve found something that’ll help him a lot this year. I must say a huge thanks to our sponsors who share our desire to compete at a high level and develop young riders, so thanks to Bathams Ales, Keltruck, EBC Group, Level, NicWood Logistics, AJN Steelstock and Worcester Presses for continuing with this project.”