Former WorldSBK rider to make return at Cremona as Ducati rider ruled out

Tarran Mackenzie is set to miss out on the Italian WorldSBK and will be replaced by Loris Baz, the MGM Ducati team has announced.

Mackenzie has been out of action since his FP2 crash at Donington in July, when he suffered multiple injuries, including fractures to his left tibia and fibula, collarbone, and shoulder blade.

The British rider was not replaced at the French Round in early September having arrived there on Thursday hoping to ride before being declared unfit.

However, Mackenzie will make no attempt to be passed fit at Cremona Circuit, which gives the MGM team time to appoint a replacement.

In this case, it will be Loris Baz, who has experience with the German squad from its time as a BMW satellite team in 2022 and 2023.

“While Tarran [Mackenzie] is still recovering from the injury he sustained at Donington Park and already had to sit out Magny-Cours, an old friend of MGM Racing and well-known WorldSBK rider returns to action this weekend at Cremona,” reads a statement from the MGM team.

“Loris Baz will replace Tarran Mackenzie for round 10 of the 2026 season aboard the MGM Optical Racing Team’s Ducati Panigale V4. Welcome back, Loris! 

“Meanwhile we’re wishing Tarran a speedy and full recovery and are looking forward to hopefully having him back with us for the final two rounds of the WorldSBK season.”

Baz last rode in WorldSBK back in 2023 when he was full-time with the MGM team. Since then, he’s raced in MotoAmerica and the King of the Baggers series. 

He’s also rode as a fill-in for a satellite Ducati WorldSBK team back in 2021, when he stood in at GoEleven Ducati in Portimao.

Last week, Baz raced the Bol d’Or for the ERC Endurance BMW squad, but had to retire with two of the 24 hours remaining with bike problems.