Superbike, setback for the MGM team: Tarran Mackenzie cannot race at Magny-Cours

The Scottish rider is out of the SBK round in France and is expected to return to action only at Cremona. Surra, on the other hand, is back.

The MGM Optical Express team must do without Tarran Mackenzie this Superbike weekend at Magny-Cours. The medical check carried out today at Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours determined that the Stirling rider is not yet in condition to get back on his Ducati Panigale V4 R after the injury sustained in the last round at Donington Park.

A heavy crash at the final corner of the British track caused injuries to his left collarbone, left shoulder blade, and the tibia and fibula of his left leg. He had to undergo surgery on his tibia and collarbone. The Scot had hoped to recover in time for this weekend’s round in France. While the shoulder has healed, the leg is still giving him some trouble. The WorldSBK medical team has deemed him unfit to race at Magny-Cours.

Mackenzie is disappointed not to be on track in France and will likely have to wait for the next round at Cremona Circuit (September 25-27): “Unfortunately I’ve been declared unfit; I’ve worked hard after the crash to try to get back to 100%, but the doctors advised giving the leg fracture more time to heal before getting back on the bike. As disappointed as I am, I also understand the situation. I need to take care of my body, and I know that, from a recovery standpoint, I couldn’t have done any more up to this point, so this is simply the situation I’m in, unfortunately.”

The MGM Optical Express team will not replace the former BSB rider; they were convinced he would get the all-clear from the doctors and had not prepared a possible substitute. Now the hope is that Mackenzie can recover and be fit to race at Cremona in two weeks; otherwise, boss Michael Galinski will put another rider on his Ducati Panigale V4 R.

While the MGM team won’t be able to take part in the Superbike round at Magny-Cours, the Motocorsa team will be regularly on track. In fact, Alberto Surra has been declared fit after today’s medical check. The Italian rookie withdrew from the Donington Park round after the third free practice session due to an issue with his right shoulder. In France, he will try to pick up where he left off before getting injured, as he was going through a particularly positive period of progress and results.