Rutter dynasty recognised on TT Mountain Course
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.
Michael Rutter 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.
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.”
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