Mackenzie confident of maintaining Brands Hatch pace

Tarran Mackenzie says he feels stronger with his McAMS Yamaha than his last outing at Brands Hatch which resulted in a podium as he looks to fight back in the Bennetts British Superbike championship.

After a podium in the opening race at Donington Park last time out, Mackenzie struggled to replicate the same pace and duly missed out on the rostrum in the final two races of the triple-header which saw him shuffled down to third place in the early BSB standings behind Be Wiser Ducati’s Scott Redding and Oxford Racing Ducati’s Tommy Bridewell.

Having enjoyed a breakthrough weekend 12 months ago at the summer Brands Hatch round, fighting for the podium in race one before cruelly crashing out with two laps to go, the Scottish rider made amends when the Kent track hosted the 2018 BSB finale with third place in race one. As a result, Mackenzie remains upbeat with the added boost from a productive test at Knockhill on his return to Brands Hatch.

“It was good to get a test at Knockhill, the weather wasn’t the best in the afternoon but we got a lot done in the morning,” Mackenzie said. “My feeling with the bike was a lot better than it was last year so that’s positive.

“I’m really excited to get to Brands, it’s a track I was strong at last year both in the middle and at the end of the year. With the improvements we’ve made to the bike this year, I’m looking forward to getting back there as the bike felt good last year and this year it should feel even better.

“The weather looks like it could be an issue but as long as it’s consistent that’ll be what it is. The aim is, as always, to be fighting for the podium.”

Following a turbulent start to 2019 with flashes of strong pace, Jason O’Halloran remains similarly bullish on the sister McAMS Yamaha as he hunts a first podium of the season.

O’Halloran’s fellow countryman Josh Brookes, who rode his Yamaha last season, claimed a dominant double victory at the Brands Hatch summer round 12 months ago.

“Looking ahead to Brands, I love racing on the GP track,” O’Halloran said. “We had pace at Donington but didn’t get a result, so we have to try and change that this weekend.

“I’ve been quick all year, but for whatever reason it hasn’t come together for us yet so we’ve now got to turn our pace into a decent race result and hopefully once we get one, more will come.”