PBM chief responds to rumours involving Tarran MacKenzie and Glenn Irwin

PBM Ducati have set the record straight about a rumour which involves Tarran MacKenzie and Glenn Irwin.

PBM rider Irwin will be on the sidelines for the foreseeable future after an injury sustained last weekend at the Snetterton British Superbike Championship round.

Irwin has undergone surgery on his pelvis and PBM said: “The team is working hard on finding a suitable stand-in rider.”

The injury might have opened the door for 2021 BSB champion MacKenzie to return to the series.

MacKenzie has split from MIE Racing Honda in the World Superbike Championship midway through this season and has no confirmed plans for what comes next.

So could MacKenzie hop on Irwin’s Ducati at the next BSB round?

“Not with the PBM team,” confirmed Bruce Davies, the Hager UK Managing Director and sponsor of the BSB team.

A social media user wrote to Davies: “Be great if you did, he’s definitely the best option out there.”

But Davies teased: “I nearly agree.”

Davies then responded to a suggestion about ‘musical chairs’ with Honda riders in WorldSBK and BSB, implying about MacKenzie: “Don’t know where he is going, no empty seats.”

Irwin has vowed to return to racing this year despite his hefty injuries.

MacKenzie, meanwhile, has said: “Firstly I just want to say a big thank you to the whole of the MIE Honda Racing team. Even though we had some very tough times over the past 2.5 years, they never gave up and always tried their maximum to give me the best bike possible.

“It’s a shame to walk away mid season but for me personally I think it was something I needed to do and making the decision to stop with the team felt right. I can proudly look back knowing I gave it my all on and off the track and left no stone unturned.

“There are some positives to take over the 2.5 years too, achieving the first World Championship race win for both myself and the team in ‘23 and securing my first top ten in Assen this year.

“For now I have no plans going forward, which excites me and in the meantime I’ll keep my head down and carry on training, like always.

“Thank you Midori San, Sandro and the team and best of luck for the future.”