"It's funny": A year makes the difference for Tarran Mackenzie at Misano WorldSBK

Tarran Mackenzie scored his best WorldSBK result at the 2026 Emilia-Romagna Round, a result that came with coincidental timing for the British rider.

Mackenzie had felt good at the test at Misano a few weeks before the race there and started the weekend well on Friday.

However, contact in FP3 with Ryan Vickers earned Mackenzie a long lap penalty for Race 1, which left him outside the top-10.

On Sunday, though, Mackenzie was good in the Superpole Race, finishing ninth from 12th on the grid, and that gave him the platform to equal his career-best WorldSBK  result in fifth in Race 2, although this was the first time he’d achieved such a result in dry conditions.

“Really happy,” Tarran Mackenzie reflected, speaking to WorldSBK.com after Race 2 at Misano.

“In the test we had in Misano I felt like I made a step, so I was excited to come back this weekend. But it was more difficult than I expected, honestly. 

“On Friday, I felt like I had good pace for at least top-10, and then with the long lap yesterday it just made it a bit more difficult. 

“But today I was motivated in the Superpole Race to try and get those front three [rows on the grid for Race 2], and then it just makes your last race easier. 

“So, a good start, managed to kind of come around with the group for the top-seven or top-eight, and then made my way to sixth. 

“Got a bit lucky with Bassani unfortunately crashing out, but it gave me P5, so over the moon.”

Mackenzie’s fifth place came at the track where, in 2025, he decided to depart the MIE Honda team with no backup plan.

“This time last year was a complete disaster for me, was a really low point in my career,” said Mackenzie.

“I stopped here in Misano, I quit with the team, qualified last, was riding around at the back, crashing. 

“It’s just funny how a year on I’ve got my best dry result with fifth place, something that if you’d have told me last year I’d have probably just laughed. 

“So, it’s funny how things happen, but luckily I was right, a bit of self-belief went a long way, along with my amazing team, so I’m just really happy for everyone involved. 

“There’s a lot of Italian guys in our team, so to get them our best result of the year here in Misano is a great achievement for everyone.”

Next up for Mackenzie and WorldSBK is Donington Park, a true home race for Mackenzie, who grew up in the nearby Ashby-de-la-Zouch.

“I missed it last year because I’d stopped,” he said. “It’s a track that I’ve had great memories from different championships. 

“It was a the first track that I rode a motorbike with gears on, at the Ron Haslam Race School. 

“It’s 10 minute from my home town where I grew up, so I have a lot of family and friends and support, so it’s always a great weekend, an amazing track, and with a result like this it’s nice to go into my home race and look forward to just trying to do more of the same.”