Mackenzie: WorldSBK is ‘my aim for 2023’, has three wildcards scheduled for 2022

Ahead of his British Superbike title defence in 2022, Tarran Mackenzie has told Crash.net that WorldSBK is the primary objective for 2023. 

Earlier in the week, McAMS Yamaha confirmed that the 2021 champion would be returning to BSB to defend his title, a championship win that came 25 years after his father Niall Mackenzie achieved the same feat. 

The team also stated that several WorldSBK wildcards would be announced, which Mackenzie confirmed to us. 

The 26 year-old will compete in three wildcard rounds - one of which will be his home round at Donington Park. 

It’s no secret that Mackenzie had hoped to move to WorldSBK in 2022, but without finding the right situation, the Scottish rider is instead aiming for a full-time ride in 2023.   

"I made it no secret this year and the team were pushing hard for me to go to WorldSBK for 2022," Mackenzie told Crash.net. "But it just wasn’t right for me to go, which is why I’m really happy to stay in the UK. 

"But Yamaha has been really good with me and they’re going to supply a bike from their WorldSBK program to do three wildcards which is really, really cool. 

"It will be a really nice experience for me. There’s nothing set in stone as in if you do x, y and z then you’re going to go in 2023, but I feel like if I have a good performance in some of these races that I’m going to get to do - nine races, so nine opportunities then that will be great. 

"But yeah, WorldSBK is still the target. I’m only 26; there are some who are younger who are racing there already, but there’s also older guys that race in Superbikes, so I feel there’s still time yet and I want to first come back and prove a point next season by winning the BSB title with number one plate. 

"But I also want to push on and try to move the goal post out a little bit more in WorldSBK. My hope and aim is to be there in 2023."