Loris Baz is making his return to the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship grid this weekend. The French rider has been drafted in to replace Tarran Mackenzie at MGM Optical Express Racing for the EICMA Italian Round at the Cremona Circuit.
The #95 rider has been forced onto the sidelines after suffering a brutal crash during practice at Donington Park. That heavy accident under braking at Goddard’s left Mackenzie with injuries to his collarbone, shoulder blade, and his left tibia and fibula. He subsequently underwent surgery on his tibia and fibula fractures.
While Mackenzie originally aimed to return at Magny-Cours following the summer break, a pre-round check ruled him unfit to race. The team ultimately opted against fielding a replacement rider in France, leaving the #95 machine empty for that weekend.
Now, as Mackenzie's recovery continues, the squad has turned to a familiar face. Baz rejoins Michael Galinski’s setup in Italy, having previously raced for the team during their BMW campaigns in 2022 and 2023. Beyond that history, the two-time race winner brings past experience on WorldSBK Ducati machinery from a 2021 stint with Team GoEleven, where he claimed two podium finishes across five races. Most recently, his racing resume includes a win in MotoAmerica on a Ducati and a second-place finish in the 2025 MotoAmerica King of the Baggers championship.
A statement from the team confirmed the lineup change for round 10 of the 2026 season. “While Tarran is still recovering from the injury he sustained at Donington Park and already had to sit out Magny-Cours, an old friend of MGM Racing and well-known WorldSBK rider returns to action this weekend at Cremona,” the statement read. “Loris Baz will replace Tarran Mackenzie for round 10 of the 2026 season aboard the MGM Optical Racing Team’s Ducati Panigale V4. Welcome back, Loris! Meanwhile we’re wishing Tarran a speedy and full recovery and are looking forward to hopefully having him back with us for the final two rounds of the WorldSBK season!”
