Has Tarran Mackenzie missed out on Go Eleven 2022 WorldSBK seat?

Tarran Mackenzie’s rumoured switch to the WorldSBK grid in 2022 looks to be in jeopardy amid talk the vacant Team Go Eleven seat has instead gone to Philipp Oettl.

The newly-crowned British Superbike Champion has made no secret of his desire to move into the world stage in 2022 with paddock rumours suggesting he was close to sealing a deal with Team Go Eleven to replace the retiring Chaz Davies.

It is understood talks were in part motivated by Go Eleven’s plan to switch from Ducati to the same Yamaha R1 he clinched the BSB title on.

However, that change is apparently unable to go ahead because the Iwata marque couldn’t guarantee a supply beyond its factory Crescent Pata and satellite GRT outfits.

Though it isn’t clear whether a halt in negotiations came from Mackenzie or from the team, GPOne.com is reporting it has reached an agreement with Oettl, who graduates from WorldSSP after two seasons with Kawasaki Puccetti Racing.

Likely a preferred choice of Dorna given his German nationality, Oettl has achieved 11 podiums in two seasons of WorldSSP and finished third overall in his rookie campaign last year.

If confirmed, it would leave Mackenzie with scant WorldSBK options among those currently competing with only Pedercini Kawasaki, Orelac Kawasaki and MIE Honda yet to confirm their riders, provided Gil Yamaha and Motocorsa Ducati stick with Christophe Ponsson and Axel Bassani as expected.

Alternatively he could stay in BSB to defend his title as McAMS Yamaha is yet to reveal its 2022 rider line-up, even if there is talk Tom Sykes - also linked with PBM Ducati - is also on the team’s list.