British Supersport: Statement concerning Ian Hutchinson's Oulton Park jump start

Following post race comments concerning race winner Ian Hutchinson’s alleged jump start in the British Supersport race at Oulton Park on Sunday and why there was no imposition of a jump start penalty, Race Director Stuart Higgs  has issued the following statement.

1. Immediately after the start of every race, the Judicial Clerk of the Course reviews it using the Jump Start CCTV system located in Race Control.

This is an independent two-camera system installed at every event which gives an overhead view of the grid incorporating a view of the start lights and allows the start to be played back frame-by-frame.

2. The Supersport race start was reviewed using this system and although movement
was detected, it was not 100 per cent clear from the particular camera angle that the front spindle of #88 (Hutchinson’s Bike Animal Honda) had crossed the line of grid marking.

3. As it was not conclusive the Judicial Clerk advised the Race Director that it was a clean start.

This is then published as a statement by the Race Director on the timing and data screens as “No Jump Starts” this is a matter of fact and concludes the process of reviewing the start.

4. A side-on view shown later on the broadcast feed (without the view of the start lights) also shows movement by #88 and indicates with more clarity the amount.

This view was only made available after the “No Jump Starts” statement was pronounced.

Following the race, no official protest was lodged against the decision of an official or the race result within the prescribed time limit (30 minutes).

MCRCB Events Limited will, with immediate effect research and implement further technology based systems to monitor the race starts and ensure that as far as possible any potential for error is removed.

The text of the relevant regulations will also be amended with immediate effect to mirror the corresponding FIM regulation which defines anticipation of the start as “the motorcycle moving forward when the red lights are on.”