Tarran Mackenzie explains why team "were surprised" before best WorldSBK finish

The Hungarian WorldSBK round was Tarran Mackenzie’s first with the MGM Bonovo Ducati team and it resulted in a top-10 finish on Sunday.

Mackenzie was brought in by the German team after Scott Redding confirmed his move to BSB for the remainder of 2025 with PBM Ducati.

The 2021 BSB Champion had scored nine points in the six World Superbike rounds he did with the MIE Honda team before they split after Misano, but doubled his points tally for the season on the Hungarian weekend at Balaton Park.

Mackenzie’s best result of the weekend came in the Superpole Race on Sunday morning when he finished eighth.

“I came to the grid and said ‘slicks’ straight away – they were surprised,” Tarran Mackenzie told WorldSBK.com.

“Sometimes when no rain comes you sit on the grid for 15 or 20 minutes, it’s a long time to dry. When we went out for the warm-up lap it had dried more.

“As the race went on, it was 10 laps, a short race, but with 20 bikes it soon dried.

“I kept patient. I knew some riders were on intermediates and they came back.

“I ended up in a good position, my best in World Superbike.”

In Race 2, Mackenzie was able to again finish inside the points, taking 11th place – just missing out on the top-10 to Barni’s Yari Montella.

“I am really happy,” Mackenzie said.

“I had a lot thrown at me this weekend with a new track, a new bike, a new team.

“Also, the conditions. It was hot, then rain, then slicks on a wet track, then a different type of Race 2.

“The main goal for me this weekend was to enjoy riding again, and to have a smile on my face.

“I did that on Friday and kept progressing. I stayed on two wheels, and kept calm.”

He added: “I learned a lot. My pace was high-to-low-1:41s.

“I was enjoying it a lot. I had not much of a gap to Montella behind me, so there was a lot of pressure.

“I made a mistake at turn one on the last lap, and Yari came past.

“Again, P11 is my best result in full dry conditions. To do that in my first weekend is good.

“The last four rounds are at tracks that I know, on a bike that I know. Hopefully it should come better.”