Some great records including a title in British Supersport in 2016 and becoming British Superbike Champion in 2021, plus 13 races in Moto2 World Championship (2017) and more recently a victory in the Supersport World Championship. This is what Tarran Mackenzie can boast to date, as he is currently competing in the Superbike World Championship with the Petronas MIE Honda Racing Team.
However, Mackenzie’s career has been full of ups and downs and some stages include the difficulties he had in Moto2 (15th place at Motegi as best result), the injuries that prevented him from retaining the title in BSB in 2022 and also the current situation, which sees him trying his hand at WorldSBK with a Honda package HRC is even struggling with. “Taz” has however shown that the speed is still there and in his favour there is the above-mentioned victory in Supersport with the same team (Race 2 at Most in 2023) and the fact that he managed to bring home some points and compete with other riders and teams at Assen (where he finished the two “long” races in 14th and 11th place).
Palmen in Motorradsport had the opportunity to interview Tarran Mackenzie and talk about this season, some of his past experiences and also the future.
Taz, how do you evaluate your 2024 campaign so far?
Not so bad. The start of the year was a little bit difficult in Phillip Island, since I didn’t really do any testing before going to Australia and with the delays in the delivery of the tyres, we only got one day of testing there. Then, after Phillip Island we changed the crew chief to Mick Shanley, which has been a big step in the right direction, and since Barcelona we have just been improving each round. In Assen it was good to score 14th and then 11th place in the dry. That was really good.
You definitely were in the mix in Assen.
Yeah, in the mix and in the points, and it felt good. After that we had a couple of tests: in Cremona it went quite good, in Misano I struggled and then in the Misano round I struggled again. I was looking forward to my home round in Donington: I struggled a little bit in qualifying after a good Friday, but felt like I could have had a better race there. Unfortunately, I crashed on the first lap and then had the concussion and then couldn’t race the next day and then couldn’t race in Most and Portimão. So, up until Donington I think it’s been pretty good.
And what is your goal for this season?
The main goal is just to keep scoring points, also because there are many riders that finish on the podium or have been competitive in the past, and if you have a slight bad race then you’re out of the points. It’s very competitive so it’s not easy for anybody, but I think the points are a realistic goal at the moment.
You were BSB champion in 2021 and you had good performance in the same series in 2022, despite all your injuries. After that, you moved to World Supersport and World Superbike and it was way more difficult apart from the win you got last year in Most. As a rider who used to be on top in the British Championship and is now struggling in WorldSBK, how do you live such situation and how do you find a way to continue and keep giving your 100%?
At the moment we’re in a difficult situation, but I’m new to this project and the steps I’ve made are not so bad, so I think in the future, just the way I’m riding now and the mentality, I think in the future will go a long way. But when you look at the previous BSB champions like Neil Hodgson, Leon Camier, Alex Lowes, Shane Byrne and many guys, they were quite young and moved on after winning the championship. Me, I didn’t get to move on. At that point I really wanted to be in World Superbike and I couldn’t be, so I stayed in BSB and had three big injuries: two broken ankles, a broken shoulder, a dislocated shoulder and a broken femur, all in one year. It was too much for me. In between recovering I could still be competitive, but it was difficult mentally, so at the end of that year I just wanted any option to get out of BSB and Midori was the one that gave me that option.
What do you think about your 2023 campaign in World Supersport with Petronas MIE Honda Racing Team?
It was difficult last year with the CBR600, but we made the best out of it. I could score some points and win a race, and in the wet I could still be competitive and just show people here that even though I’m not on the most competitive bike, I can still be quite fast. In BSB maybe some people couldn’t see that, but coming here was a big thing that people could see who I was really. And then I could do Suzuka 8 Hours and show people that I can ride a Superbike also. Coming here, the goal was always to be in World Superbike, so that was the deal with Midori and it felt great. The only issue is that Honda are in a difficult situation with everybody, even in HRC, so I think we’re doing an OK job and to be battling with some experienced guys like in Assen, I think it showed my level. However, we are now struggling with the package, so we just have to make the best out of it like we do, keep working hard and hopefully it will come good at some point.
Talking about your experience on the world stage, you were also racing in Moto2 back in 2017. What can you say about that season?
The whole thing was strange, because I did one year in British Supersport and in 2016 the goal, as a rookie, was to just try and be competitive and the following year fight for the championship. The thing is that I ended up winning the championship in my first year as a rookie, so it kind of messed the plans up that we had. So, in 2017 I continued again in British Supersport with a Yamaha team, to then move to Superbike in 2018, but after doing the first three rounds and winning all six races, I felt a little bit like winning BSS and not moving on. I was still winning quite comfortably and I needed a challenge, then the Moto2 thing came up and was a massive step. Honestly, I wasn’t experienced enough to be there, but it pulled me on as a rider and scored some points in the rain in Japan, so that side of it was good. There was a lot of crashes, a lot of difficult times, but in that moment I didn’t realise that the experience was actually bringing my riding on and making me a better rider. And then when I came back to BSB, to the team that I left with Yamaha, I really had a lot of experience and did quite a good job in my first year as a rookie in BSB and that wouldn’t have been the case if I hadn’t done Moto2. So, at the time Moto2 was tough, but then looking back it was the best thing that I did.
And about the future instead, what is your goal for the next years?
Just to stay here and keep working with MIE. Nothing’s signed yet, but hopefully we can sort it soon. Like I said, it’s not easy at the moment with the package, but I think we’re doing a good job and I think we can improve it again for next year. I will have more experience and better understand what I actually need from the bike, so that can help too. Moreover, I think continuity and being with the same crew and same people is an important thing moving forward. Arriving to the first round in Superbike next year, it would already be a lot easier than it was this year, so straight away I would be in a better place. For me, I think it’s important just to carry on being in this paddock and being here.
Would you accept also a return to BSB?
In the long term for sure I could go back to BSB, but I don’t want to, I want to stay here.
In conclusion, who do you want to say “thank you” to for what you’ve experienced in the past years and what you’re experiencing now and in the future?
Yeah, I had a good time in BSB with Steve Rodgers from McAMS Yamaha and they gave me a lot. They made me British champion, they gave me a wild card in Donington, and I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them, but then also I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Midori. So I have to be thankful I’ve been involved with some great people over the time. Midori was keen and pushing for me to come here, so that was nice to be felt like I was wanted in this paddock and I’ve built a great relationship with Midori and Sandro Moretti, the other team manager. It’s working well at the moment and hopefully for the future it will get better.
Palmen in Motorradsport is thankful to Tarran Mackenzie for the kindness and availabllity to be interviewed, and wishes him the best for the next races and seasons.