Rutter and Lougher team up for Paton TT Lightweight

TT veterans Michael Rutter and Ian Lougher have teamed up for at attempt at lifting the Lightweight TT crown on Italian café-racer styled Paton machinery. Rutter will ride for Lougher’s team, who takes over management of the project from Olie Lindsell.

The two expert competitors have previous experience working together, running as teamamtes for Jack Valentine’s V&M Yamaha alongside David Jefferies as far back as 2000, and it didn’t take the duo long to reunite.

Lougher commented: “For me as a team owner it’s a great honour to be asked by such a well respected company like Paton to run their S1 650cc Twin at this year’s TT.  I have been a big fan of the Italian manufacturer for a long time, and followed their racing exploits for many years through the two stroke era in 500cc GPs to the present day, where Olie took a fantastic top 6 finish in last year’s race. With so much more development this time around, and with Michael sat in the hot seat, I am sure together we can put Paton back on the rostrum where they belong.”

Rutter added: “Paton is a small passionate Italian company who are steeped in racing history and renowned for building great motorcycles. The bike looks fantastic, and considering how little testing time Olie had on it last year, due to the last minute homologation checks etc, he still ended up 3rd quickest in practice, and was able to bring it home in 6th position in the race, so I can’t wait to ride it.”

Rutter looks set to miss this year’s MCE British Superbike season for the first time since his 500 GP year in 1999, but the West Midlander is set to announce further plans for his TT campaign in the coming weeks.