2021 British Superbike Champion Tarran Mackenzie is set to make his much-anticipated return to the BSB grid for the 2027 season after finalizing his plans alongside his father, Niall. The 30-year-old rider has signed with a brand-new BMW squad established by Dale McElveen, Managing Director of Milwaukee UK and Ireland, alongside partner and Technical Director Leigh Finley. The fresh team will secure official number-one BMW manufacturer status, with Rory Skinner locked in as Mackenzie's teammate for the upcoming campaign.
This major career move officially concludes Mackenzie's chapter in the WorldSBK paddock, where he raced for the MGM Ducati outfit through the latter half of 2025 and the entirety of 2026. Throughout his stint with the German squad, Mackenzie collected 13 top-ten finishes, highlighted by impressive fourth and fifth-place results during the main races at Phillip Island and Misano. Unfortunately, his 2026 season was cut short following a heavy crash during FP2 at Donington Park back in July, forcing Loris Baz to step in as his replacement for the remaining rounds.
Mackenzie's absence from the final rounds at Estoril and Jerez marks the end of his world championship journey. His departure deals a heavy blow to MGM Ducati's future operations in the series. While Mackenzie brought primary sponsor Optical Express to the team for 2026, the continuation of that financial backing without his presence remains highly unlikely. Team boss Michael Galinski previously noted that a final decision regarding their WorldSBK participation would be made by November.
All current signs point toward an exit from the world championship. MGM staff members have reportedly spent weeks inquiring about alternative employment opportunities for next season, while Galinski has already accepted a technical and regulatory management role in the German IDM championship for 2027. Meanwhile, discussions are ongoing regarding Go Eleven potentially acquiring one of MGM's Ducati Panigale V4R machines, spare parts, and air freight containers as the Italian squad evaluates expanding to a two-bike lineup.
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