A new opportunity: Tarran Mackenzie (31) to become a BMW works rider in the 2027 BSB

With a victory in the 2023 Supersport World Championship and a fourth-place finish – his best result in Superbike – achieved at the 2026 season opener at Phillip Island, Tarran Mackenzie bid farewell to the production-based world championship. This year’s championship could have been his most successful to date, but following a crash at his home race at Donington Park, the 31-year-old did not return to his Optical Express Ducati.

“2026 was my best year so far, even though I was only able to compete in seven race weekends,” said Mackenzie regretfully. “It’s a real shame that the season ended so abruptly, just as we were making such good progress.”

It was clear early on that Mackenzie would be moving to the British Superbike series for 2027. As the 2021 BSB champion (with Yamaha), the Scot has a strong reputation in the national championship and has found a promising team in Scars Racing. The team, owned by Dale McElveen and Leigh Finlay, won the Supersport class this year with Ducati and Luke Stapleford, and is moving into the Superbike category with BMW for the coming season. Scars receives official support from BMW Motorrad Motorsport.

“Thanks to Dale and Leigh, I have the fantastic opportunity to return to the BSB with Scars Racing BMW. The official support from the manufacturer is a major plus, and given the new regulations, we should have a really good season ahead of us,” says the son of 500cc icon Niall Mackenzie with conviction. “I’ve been working hard since my injury and am now ready to race again. We’ve put together a good testing programme with the team, and I’m looking forward to getting on the BMW and seeing where we stand. It’s a championship I grew up with and one in which I’ve enjoyed a lot of success in the past. There are some very exciting times ahead.”

Mackenzie’s team-mate will be 25-year-old Rory Skinner.