Razgatlioglu, Rea WorldSBK battles ‘a bit over the line’ - Scott Redding

Scott Redding says he feels the hard racing involving title rivals Toprak Razgatlioglu and Jonathan Rea, as well as himself, during the 2021 WorldSBK Championship was ‘a bit over the line’ even if it was ‘great for TV’.

The Briton was the only rider able to maintain pace with the fierce championship fighters over the course of the year, though he’d finish a comfortable distance back in third position in the overall classification.

However, on the occasions he did get embroiled with the pair either individually on track or as they fought it out for the podium spots - notably at Most, Portimao and Navarra - Redding felt the tussling occasionally went too far, saying he felt he had to get his elbows by the end of the year to get involved.

“It’s a bit over the line,” he told Visordown. “I like to race hard and close but I also want to go home at the end of the weekend, but sometimes I feel that goes out of the window. 

“It’s racing, it’s not the be all and end all. It was more with Toprak than Jonathan, but Jonathan can give it back to him and I learned towards the end of the year that I had to do that, but two wrongs don’t make a right.”

While Redding - who joins BMW from Ducati this season - understands why the physical action proved a hit with fans in 2021, he was uncomfortable with the limits being pushed as a result.

“As long as there are no accidents, then that is OK. But this could potentially happen and I don’t want it for anyone but if they continue to race like that then it will happen.

“It looks great for TV, but we’re not circus animals, we’re risking our lives… we don’t need it to be any more dangerous. One time in a race is OK, but they were at it eight times in a race, corner-by-corner.”