WorldSBK: Tarran Mackenzie and Norrodin promoted to Superbikes

Tarran Mackenzie and Adam Norrodin will step up to WorldSBK next season.

Tarran Mackenzie and Adam Norrodin will make the step to the WorldSBK Championship next season. They both continue with the PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda team, riding their Honda CBR1000RR-R.

Tarran Mackenzie will get the step up to WorldSBK after one year in the WorldSSP season. It has been a tough 2023 season for Mackenzie, riding the Honda CBR600RR Supersport machine.

The Scotsman finished 18^th in the WorldSSP standings, ahead of Lucas Mahias after a tough year. The highlight and shock of Mackenzie’s season came at Most, where the 28-year-old won onboard the MIE Honda. Marcel Schroetter and Sofuoglu joined him on the podium after racing in mixed conditions.

Tarran Mackenzie moved up to the World Championship after spending five years in British Superbikes. In 2021 Mackenzie took the British Superbike title after winning 10 races onboard his MCAMS Yamaha.

He will be joined by Adam Norrodin who joined the WorldSSP Championship in 2022 with the MIE Honda squad. Norrodin finished 25^th in the World Championship standings, after a difficult season.

Norrodin previously raced in Moto3 before joining WorldSSP, racing for the Petronas Sprinta Racing team. His best season came in 2017 finishing 17^th in the standings with the previously named SIC Racing team. Norrodin has also made wildcard appearances in Moto2 and raced in the Asian Road Racing Championship.

They will replace Eric Granado and Hafizh Syahrin who will depart from the team at the end of the season. Syahrin finished down in 21^st in the standings with the team down in 13^th in the team standings.

Mackenzie said: “I’m very happy to step up to World Superbike, as it’s been a dream of mine for a long time. I’ve got a lot of experience in the British Superbike championship, albeit with a different manufacturer, and it’s been good to test the MIE Superbike already this year at Misano.

“I also completed two tests with HRC at Suzuka to better understand the CBR1000RR-R, and then doing the Suzuka race on another Honda was also very important of course. So, it’s good to have already had a taste of the Honda Superbike and it’s great that the agreement for next season is now in place.

“I’m really looking forward to this new challenge and thank both PETRONAS and the PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team.”

Norrodin added: “First of all, I want to say a big thank you to Midori Moriwaki, to PETRONAS and Honda. It’s a big decision to jump to World Superbike but it’s a great opportunity for me and something I’ve wanted for a long time.

“We know that the Championship will be even more competitive next season and so it will be a big challenge, but I also know that I’ll be able to learn and develop so much by taking part.

“To represent PETRONAS and my country, Malaysia, is a real honour, and I’m truly grateful for this chance. I’ll now focus on training harder than ever to prepare for what I know will be a tough but very stimulating year. I’m very happy and excited for the future.”

Image credit: worldsbk.com