It all started back in 2009 with a pint, a passion, and a local legend: Michael Rutter. We backed him at the Isle of Man TT on a privately entered Suzuki — he came 7th in the Senior TT, and just like that, the racing bug bit hard.
From there, things picked up speed. Bathams have backed Rutter across the British Superbike Championship, Northwest 200, Macau GP and the TT ever since, and in 2018, we made it official. Bathams Racing was born.
Just down the road from the brewery, our very own race team roared to life, run by Rutter himself. That first season? Full throttle. The wins, the wiring, the logistics, the lot. And it didn’t take long for the podiums to roll in.
We welcomed rising star Taylor Mackenzie at the tail end of 2018, and he made his presence known — a win and two podiums in his first three races, including our first ever “double podium” with Rutter right behind him. We also brought 14-year-old Harris Beech into the Bathams fold, racing in the Junior Supersport class (think future TT champion in the making).
What do we race on? The beast that is the BMW S1000RR. 200bhp. Capable of 200mph. It’s everything you’d expect from a bike worthy of a Bathams badge.
2019 was our best year yet. Taylor racked up four wins and nine podiums in the National Superstock 1000, just missing the title but landing second overall — our highest finish to date. Meanwhile, Rutter cleaned up on the road racing circuit: podiums at the Northwest 200, five top finishes at the TT, and a win in the TT Zero on the Mugen electric machine.
Oh — and his 9th career victory at the Macau GP, just casually.
2020 looked set to be even bigger. Official BMW backing. New bike. New rider: two-time champion Richard Cooper. Then the world shut down. No TT. No Northwest 200. No Macau. And to top it off, Cooper broke his leg in his debut race. Racing giveth, racing taketh away.
But there were still moments to remember, like Rutter swapping the team’s iconic black and gold for his late dad’s red and blue leathers at Brands Hatch, a tribute to the legendary Tony Rutter. Eight TT wins, four world titles, and apparently, a soft spot for a pint of Bathams. He passed away in March 2020, and this lap was for him.
By 2021, road racing was off the cards again. But Taylor returned, hungry for the Superstock title, and Rutter stepped in to lead development on BMW’s new M1000RR.
From pub cellars to pit lanes, Bathams Racing is about more than just speed, it’s about family, legacy and going full throttle with heart.
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The 2022 season was defined by a series of reliability issues, but also fantastic results that saw Taylor remain in the title fight to the end of the season when he announced his retirement from the sport.
2022 – 2024 saw the team return to the roads with Rutter once again spearheading Bathams Racing at the Northwest 200, Isle of Man TT, Macau GP and Classic TT races – Something of return to the teams’ origins. Rutter also had a corner named after him and his father on the TT course to mark his 30th anniversary of racing at the iconic TT Mountain course in 2023 which is as well as being the highest honour in road racing, puts Rutter in a very very exclusive club of racers to have been recognised with such a gesture.
During this period, with one eye on the future, Bathams Racing took on younger riders who had shown promise and potential in road racing. Craig Neve and Jamie Cringle both competed in the black and gold of the team and under the wing of Rutter.
2025 was to be the biggest evolution of the team with the arrival of joint title sponsor AJN Steelstock who are a perfect fit for the team due their sheer love of motorbikes, racing, family, nurturing young talent and of course…………beer!
Sticking with BMW machinery, Bathams AJN Racing embarked on by far its most ambitious program of racing yet, by taking on the very highest level of domestic racing there is, the British Superbike Championship with the hugely popular and talented Storm Stacey AND the Northwest 200 and Isle of Man TT races with Rutter and Neve.
The road racing part of the campaign in 2025 proved to be bruising both figuratively and literally with Neve suffering an accident at the Northwest 200 which ruled him out of the TT, and Rutter also experiencing a heavy crash in the final stages of the supertwin race.
In contrast, Bathams AJN Racing enjoyed a fairytale debut season in BSB with Storm finishing the championship in 10th position, by far the highest placed BMW and regularly in the top 5 and always with the “Storm” flag raised above the Bathams brewery on Delph Road on race days.
The season was such a success for everyone that renewing the vows between Bathams, AJN and Storm for 2026 was an easy decision, but this time with a difference…………Ducati machinery.
From pub cellars to pit lanes, Bathams Racing is about more than just speed, it’s about family, legacy and going full throttle with heart.
– originally written by local author John Richards in 1993. It’s worth a look, and we’re proud to keep his work alive.
Serving proper beer since 1877.
Still family-run.
Still local.
Still Bathams.
Copyright © 2025 Bathams Brewery. Built in the Black Country with pride.
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