Retro Rewind: Ian Hutchinson defies odds to claim his first victory at the 2013 Macau Grand Prix

Riding for Shaun Muir’s Milwaukee Yamaha team, Hutchinson chose the event in southern China for his racing comeback after a frustrating 18 months on the sidelines.

The ‘Bingley Bullet’ described his victory around the formidable 3.8-mile Guia street course as one of the most special wins of his career after Hutchinson went to hell and back after a career-threatening crash at the end of his record-breaking 2010 season.

He famously became the only rider in history to win five races in a week at the Isle of Man TT on Clive Padgett’s Honda machines during an unforgettable season on the roads for the English rider, but a freak accident in a crash at a British championship round at Silverstone at the end of the year Hutchinson facing the prospect of losing his left leg.

Against overwhelming odds, he refused to throw in the towel and battled his way back to return to the top step at the TT again in 2015.

However, his emotional victory at Macau at the end of 2013 was a pivotal moment in Hutchinson’s journey back from the brink of retirement.

Here, we look back on the 2013 Macau Grand Prix, when Hutchinson took everyone by surprise as he romped to victory on the Milwaukee Yamaha YZF-R1.

The 34-year-old had secured pole position and slotted into third behind early leader Gary Johnson (Quattro Plant Kawasaki) and Rutter.

When Rutter took the lead at Melco Hairpin on the second lap, Hutchinson wasted no time in passing Johnson to take up the chase.

The pair broke away and on lap five, Hutchinson took over at the front from eight-time winner Rutter and gradually pulled away. He went on to wrap up the win by 2.4 seconds after the race was stopped on lap 13 of 15 when newcomer Dean Harrison crashed on the RC Express Kawasaki. Johnson sealed the final podium place with McGuinness taking fourth from Jimmy Storrar.

Martin Jessopp – runner-up at Macau in 2011 and 2012 – completed the top six on the Riders BMW S1000RR.

A choked-up Hutchinson said: “It’s probably one of the most special wins I’ve ever had with what’s gone on in the last few years.

“But hopefully now I can move on to carrying on back where I left off three years ago.

“I knew that once Michael got past Gary I needed to go with him,” he added. “I got past on the same lap and worked away.”

Morecambe man McGuinness led briefly on the opening lap but it was Johnson who hit the front as the leaders arrived at Lisboa for the first time from Rutter and Hutchinson.

Rutter moved into the lead at Melco hairpin on the next lap but Hutchinson, determined not to allow Rutter time to make a break, quickly followed suit.

He lined up Rutter for a pass at the R-Bend on lap five as the pair put daylight between themselves and Johnson in third.

Hutchy fired in a series of fast laps to open an advantage of 2.3 seconds and although Rutter reduced the gap to 1.8 seconds on lap nine, the Milwaukee Yamaha rider upped the ante again to re-establish a cushion of more than two seconds.

Slower riders came into play on lap 12, effectively ending Rutter’s challenge, but the race was stopped on the next lap after Harrison’s crash.

Hutchinson – who also set the fastest lap – added: “I took the lead and put the hammer down for a few laps to see where we were at.

“Michael came with me and I didn’t really expect to pull away from him massively. I think he was a little bit unlucky with the backmarkers.”

Runner-up Rutter, the most successful rider ever at Macau, said he would have to wait a little longer to add to his record tally of eight wins at the iconic race.

“That was definitely one of my toughest rides around here with the heat and the pace of the race,” he said.

“I knew after qualifying that Hutchy was very strong so when Gary took the early lead, I tried as hard as I could to get by him and open up a gap.

“We were all pretty evenly matched though and I wasn’t surprised when Ian came by. I tried to stay with him but he was able to pull out a gap straightaway and from there on it was very tough.

“Fair play to Ian though, he’s been through a lot these last few years and he deserved the win."

Lee Johnston was the leading Northern Ireland rider on the East Coast Honda, finishing eighth on his second visit to Macau.

Stephen Thompson was ninth on John Burrows’ Suzuki, with Jamie Hamilton from Ballyclare finishing 13th on the VRS Honda.