The PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team will continue with Tarran Mackenzie and Adam Norrodin heading into 2024, with the pair stepping up to the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. They have been teammates this year in what’s been a challenging season and that relationship will continue into next season as they jump onboard the Honda CBR1000RR-R for Midori Moriwaki’s team.

A return to superbike machinery: Mackenzie back on a big bike

It was announced on Sunday that Hafizh Syahrin and Eric Granado would depart the team and their replacements are now known. Mackenzie, who has tested the team’s bike on a couple of occasions this season, will be at the team alongside Malaysian rider Norrodin. For Mackenzie, it marks a return to Superbike machinery having raced in the British championship. He took 16 wins in his native Britain between 2018 and 2022, and won the 2021 title. He made his WorldSBK debut last year at Donington Park as a wildcard, finishing in the points, before a switch to WorldSSP this season. Despite often finishing outside the points, the #95 was a race winner as he won a mixed conditions race at the Autodrom Most to give Honda their first win since 2016.

Mackenzie says: “It’s been a dream of mine for a long time”

Mackenzie’s desire to race in WorldSBK has been no secret and in 2024 he will get his chance. Explaining his thoughts on the move, he 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’s chance: Malaysian star steps up to WorldSBK

Norrodin, like Mackenzie, started with the MIE Honda outfit this season and will move in to WorldSBK next year. It will be a return to Superbike machinery for the 25-year-old too after he raced in the Asian Superbike championship in 2022, taking two podiums on the BMW S1000RR. Before this, he raced in Moto2™ and Moto3™, scoring 0 points in the former but taking 102 across three seasons in the latter. Even earlier in his career, he competed in the Asia Talent Cup and within what is now the JuniorGP™ paddock, taking fifth in Moto2™ in 2021.

Norrodin’s thoughts: “It will be a big challenge, but I also know that I’ll be able to learn”

Discussing his step up to WorldSBK, Norrodin said: “First of all, I want to say a big thank you to Midori Moriwaki, to PETRONAS and to 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.”

The team’s view: “They will undoubtedly provide a boost to our WorldSBK project”

Explaining the decision to bring in Mackenzie and Norrodin to WorldSBK, Team Owner Midori Moriwaki said: “I’m very happy to be able to announce that both Adam Norrodin and Tarran Mackenzie will remain part of the PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team family and will step up to the WorldSBK category, in line with our project to help young riders develop on the international racing stage. Two very fast and talented young riders, they are committed to the task and ready to fight on every occasion. They have already demonstrated this in WorldSSP, with Tarran scoring the team its first win and Adam always battling hard to achieve the strongest possible results, with a best of P5, in what is a very competitive championship. They will undoubtedly provide a boost to our WorldSBK project.”