Scotland’s Taylor Mackenzie will join Christian Iddon in the Tyco BMW team for the penultimate round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Donington Park this weekend.

Mackenzie has been competing in the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship this season riding for Michael Rutter’s Bathams BMW team.

The 26-year-old has been granted the opportunity with TAS Racing after Carrickfergus man Glenn Irwin’s shock split from the team last week.

Irwin, who began the year with British champions Quattro Plant/JG Speedfit Kawasaki, had joined the Moneymore team as a replacement for the injured Keith Farmer until the end of the season, but the 29-year-old parted company from Philip and Hector Neill’s team in an unexpected development after only four rounds.

Phillip Neil commented ;

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Mackenzie, who rode for TAS Racing previously in the Supersport class in 2013 and 2014, said he was relishing the chance to step up to BSB at the final two rounds of the 2019 championship.

“I’d like to thank TAS Racing, BMW, and obviously my Bathams Racing team for allowing me to take up this opportunity,” said Mackenzie, who won the Superstock 1000 title in 2016.

“Donington is only ten minutes from my house and a track I love racing at, so it couldn’t have come at a better time and a better place to jump back on a Superbike. The all-new Tyco BMW S1000RR is similar in many areas to my Superstock bike, including the K-Tech Suspension, so that’s a good starting point.

“I’m really looking forward to being back with the TAS guys, as quite a lot of the personnel are the same as when I last rode for them. It should be good fun.”