Joerg Teuchert
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UK Superbike champion Tarran Mackenzie will look to defend his crown in 2022 after signing a one-year extension to his contract with the McAMS Yamaha team.
The 26-year-old Scotsman grabbed 10 wins and 19 podiums en route to the 2021 title, sealing the deal with a stunning triple win at Brands Hatch in October.
The success was even more poignant considering it came exactly 25 years after his father, Niall, won the very first modern-era British Superbike Championship title in 1996.
Now the younger Mackenzie will look to reflect more of his father’s accolades, with Niall winning back-to-back titles, doubling in 1997 with Cadbury’s Boost Yamaha team.
Next year will be Tarran’s fifth season with McAMS Yamaha on the R1 superbike, having joined the team for the first time upon his return from Moto2 in 2018.
Stepping onto the podium as a rookie that season before notching his first victory in year two, Mackenzie has improved year on year and now has 13 British Superbike wins and 33 podiums in 92 starts.
(Image: Impact images)
In 2021, he grew stronger and stronger throughout the season, winning five of the last nine races to end the year 36 points ahead of closest rival Tommy Bridewell.
The Stirlingshire rider has made no secret of his desire to rise to the world stage and, hoping to help him achieve that dream, McAMS Yamaha intends to enter him as a wildcard in some races. of the 2022 FIM Superbike World Championship.
Returning to the track as champion in 2022, Mackenzie will lead the No.1 plaque on his McAMS-branded R1 as he seeks to become the first rider to successfully defend his crown since Shane Byrne in 2017.
He said: “I’m really happy to be staying with McAMS Yamaha in BSB for 2022 – there’s no doubt the R1 is the bike to be on.
“The best part for me is that I know there is more to come from the set as well. We visited the Yamaha Racing headquarters in Italy a few weeks ago and we have some really exciting new parts coming up which will hopefully take us even further forward.
“I didn’t really hide that I would like to progress on the world stage, so I have to thank team principal Steve Rodgers, the team and Yamaha for the opportunity to do some wildcards in World Superbike the year next.
“This will be my fifth year riding a superbike for Steve and the McAMS team, and I’m really proud to start next season looking to defend our crown as a No.1.”
