Tarran Mackenzie to miss Silverstone BSB opener after testing crash

McAMS Yamaha have announced that their reigning British Superbike champion, Tarran Mackenzie, will not be racing at this weekend’s BSB season opener in Silverstone. 

Mackenzie’s 2022 got off to a bad start when he broke his right ankle back in January. He was able to recover from that in time for the BSB preseason testing campaign, but last week at the Silverstone test he broke his left ankle. 

Today (12 April 2022), his team, McAMS Yamaha, have confirmed that Mackenzie will be out for the first round of his title-defending season at Silverstone this weekend. 

In a statement issues on social media, McAMS Yamaha said, “Tarran underwent surgery yesterday (Monday) to plate his fractured left ankle.”

The statement goes on to say that the operation “was a success, and he will now continue his recovery at home. Unfortunately, he will not ride in this weekend’s opening Bennetts BSB round at Silverstone.”

Mackenzie was also scheduled to make his WorldSBK debut at the Dutch round of the World Championship in Assen on 22-24 April, a week after the Silverstone BSB opener. However, due to the injury, that is no longer possible. 

McAMS Yamaha said, “[Mackenzie’s] Superbike World Championship debut, originally scheduled for the Assen Round (22-24 April) has been postponed until later in the year.”

Exactly when Mackenzie will make that WSBK debut remains to be seen, and it is probably a decision that will not be taken until his recovery timeline is more clear. Presumably, though, for now, at least, the priority of Mackenzie and McAMS Yamaha is getting this year’s #1 plate holder back out to defend his BSB crown.