Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati's Michael Rutter is looking ahead to the Showdown and is feeling confident that the upcoming three rounds could exploit the Ducatis strengths ahead of the opening round at Croft next weekend (10/11/12 September).

Rutter currently lies fourth in the standings ahead of the opening two Showdown races, but he is just 15 points adrift of joint championship leaders Ryuichi Kiyonari and Tommy Hill. The Blade admits that Cadwell Park wasn't an easy round for the team but as the season reaches the final countdown he believes they will come back strong for the final seven races.

Rutter said: "It was a tough weekend for everyone in the team to get the bike working well around Cadwell Park but the Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati crew worked well and I'm pretty pleased with the results. We made some changes to the bike in morning warm-up to try and get it to turn faster in the tight Woodlands section and the chicane but it was inconclusive. I was losing so much drive out of Barn but everywhere else the bike was good. I didn't get a great start in the second race; you really need to be up there to stand a chance of a podium finish, but I brought it home fifth again so I'm happy.

"I'm qualified for the final as one of the six Title Fighters and we've got as good a chance of winning the title as any of the other riders. The final three rounds at Croft, Silverstone and Oulton Park are all perfectly suited to the Ducati and are tracks I love to race on so I'm really looking forward to the challenge."

The next round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship is the first round of the Showdown at Croft on 10/11/12 September. For more information visit www.croftcircuit.co.uk or call 01325 721815.