Toprak Razgatlioglu plays down low-key start to WorldSBK defence

Toprak Razgatlioglu is confident he'll be back to the form that took him to a spectacular 2021 WorldSBK Championship title win after a relatively anonymous start to the title defence Aragon.

The Turkish rider kicked off his WorldSBK title defence with a brace of third place results on the Pata Yamaha R1 at Aragon after struggling to keep pace with Jonathan Rea and Alvaro Bautista in race trim. 

An unusually low-key weekend for the Yamaha man, winner of 13 WorldSBK races in 2021, it was however his strongest showing yet at Aragon, a venue where he had previously achieved just a single podium finish.

Considering Aragon something of a ‘bogey’ circuit for himself and Yamaha, Razgatlioglu was satisfied with his solid results even if he was disappointed to be left behind in the fight for victory on each occasion.

Having reverted back to his 2021-spec electronics for the round, Razgatlioglu is more confident of a stronger showing at the better suited Assen circuit in the Netherlands for Round 2.

“I think last year we did not start so strong here, because normally this is a difficult track for Yamaha – but three podiums is better. For me this is a good weekend, I try in the race to improve and I’m fighting with Johnny sometimes, 

“I try this weekend to fight for the podium – I am happy and also big thanks to my team because every session we are trying for a good set-up for the race and finally we have improved.”