Englishman Mike Rutter will be gunning for a hat-trick of titles in today's Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix as he attempts to secure the Ducati factory's first win in the 36-year history of the race on the twisting 3.8-mile Guia circuit.
The 29-year-old from Leicestershire will be out to write one for the record books following the fastest-ever qualifying lap that earned him pole position.
'I don't know what it is, but Ducati has never won in Macau before. I suppose it's just one of those things. My Ducati is going well at the moment and if everything goes right, we're going to win this for them,' said Rutter, Macau winner in 1998 and 2000, who will be riding a Ducati Manchester 998cc bike.
'It's going to be hard. We've got a good field behind us, so it could be anyone's race. Yes, it does put pressure on me. There are quite a few people with a chance of winning.'
Rutter, this year's British Superbike Championship runner-up, threw down the gauntlet to his opposition as he steered his bike around the circuit in 2:28.286 in the second and final timed session, outgunning defending champion John McGuinness for pole position.
McGuinness, astride a Honda Zong Shen Racing 954cc bike, completed the session 2.323 seconds slower than Rutter as the 15-lap Far East Classic shaped up to be one of the most intriguing in years.
