The Rutter connection

The bike that Michael Rutter contests in the Classictt races for Belgium-based Red Fox Grinta is identical in appearance to the machine his fathertony took to third place in both the 1984 Formula ONETT Race andtt Formula Oneworld Championship. Rutter has always run the bike in the same livery that his dad competed in, complete with matching leathers. Owned by Jan devos, Red Fox Grinta has been competing and winning in Supersport, Superbike, Battle of thetwins, Supertwins and Endurance racing for 20 years, with all of their bikes built and developed in their own workshop. Tony Rutter had a strong association with Ducati in the 1980s, taking four successive World Formula Two Championships from 19811984 but he also had success on the larger 750cc version, particularly in 1984 when he was only beaten by the works Hondas of Joey Dunlop and Roger Marshall in the six-lap TT Formula One Race. He lapped at an impressive 111.35mph that year and went on to take fourth at the Ulster GP and Vila Real, Portugal, fifth at Zolder, Belgium and seventh at the Dutch TT to claim third overall in the World Championship. Rutter said: “I love the Classic TT it’s a real pleasure to ride the Red Fox bikes.they really are machines that stand out from the crowd and the guys do an amazing job both in terms of their presentation and attention to detail.”