BMW-mounted Brits dominate Macau Grand Prix

Three British riders all on German machinery crowded the 2015 Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix podium with Peter Hickman (BMW) crossing the line first to take his maiden Macau GP victory ahead of Martin Jessopp (BMW) and Michael Rutter (BMW).

While Rutter took the holeshot, it was pole-sitter Jessopp who looked set to take the victory in the 12-lap race, eking out a 2.3-second lead after only two laps. But it was determined Hickman who caught his countryman with four laps to go, quickly putting a one-second gap between himself and Jessopp after one lap.

The final podium spot was another battle of the Brits with Gary Johnson (BMW), Rutter, Ian Hutchinson (Kawasaki), John McGuinness (Honda) and Conor Cummins (Honda) all vying for the last step on the box, but it was veteran Rutter who eventually got the upper hand. Only two seconds separated the next four places with McGuinness ahead of Gary Johnson, Ian Hutchinson and Conor Cummins.

McGuinness and Cummins will be in Australia soon, representing the UK team in the Internationasl Challenge at

Austrian rider Horst Saiger (Kawasaki) rode a lonely race to eighth place ahead of Ireland’s Lee Johnston (BMW) in ninth and Australia’s David ‘Davo’ Johnson (BMW) rounding out the top 10. Davo qualified in 13th place and looked set for a ninth-place finish until the gear lever broke on his BMW S 1000 RR on the first turn of the final lap.

“I was stuck in fifth gear for the entire lap … I was lucky to keep tenth,” he said. The Aussie finished the notoriously dangerous road race just 54.8 seconds behind race winner Peter Hickman.