Mackenzie masterclass: Honda’s triumph in unpredictable Race 2

July 30, 2023

In a thrilling and unpredictable WorldSSP Race 2 at Autodrom Most, Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team) emerged as the unexpected hero.

As rain showers swept the circuit, the race became a battle of strategy and nerves.

Mackenzie’s decision not to pit for wet tires when the rain began proved to be a game-changer. Starting from 22nd on the grid, he showcased his skill on slicks, gaining significant time on his rivals and securing his first-ever WorldSSP victory, as Honda celebrated their first WorldSSP victory since 2016. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse also on slicks, finished in second place, while his teammate Bahattin Sofuoglu demonstrated resilience, recovering from a mid-race crash and a Long Lap Penalty to take the final spot on the podium.

John McPhee’s (Vince64 by Puccetti Racing) bold tire strategy paid off as well, earning him a strong fourth-place finish, while Adam Norrodin (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team) showcased Honda’s potential with an impressive fifth position. Making a remarkable return to the Championship as a wildcard rider, Thomas Gradinger (Eder Racing) secured a top-six finish.

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team)’s 16th place finish and Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha)’s unfortunate retirement marked a challenging race for both title contenders.

WorldSSP Race 2 Results
1. Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team)
2. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +2.037s
3. Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +18.857s
4. John McPhee (Vince64 by Puccetti Racing) +21.046s
5. Adam Norrodin (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team) +22.206s
6. Thomas Gradinger (Eder Racing) +38.970s

WorldSSP Championship standings
1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) 308 points
2. Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) 262 points
3. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 214 points

P1 | Tarran Mackenzie | PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team
“It’s such a special day for me and also for all of the team and everybody involved. I have to thank Midori and the whole of the Petronas team. It’s been a very difficult season, not just for me, but for the whole team. We expected the package to be maybe a little bit stronger than it is, but every weekend we’re improving. This weekend, we actually made a small step which allowed us to fight a little bit more.
Obviously starting P21 or 22, I did not expect to be near the front and when I saw the rain, I thought this was my chance to maybe get some points, not nearly a win, just some points. When I got into the lead, I just had to focus and count the laps and to win.
The decision to not pit wasn’t difficult because my mechanic told me, “just please don’t come and just keep riding around very much like the WorldSSP300 race yesterday.” So, I had this on my mind the whole time and I just kept going and pretended like there was no rain. And the gap went to maybe 8 seconds at one point, and it was just hard to believe. I didn’t know what was going on. It was crazy, and to win was amazing!”