RAZGATLIOGLU RECALLS CONSIDERING QUITTING AFTER TOUGH FIRST WORLDSBK SEASON

Toprak Razgatlioglu says the frustration of his MotoGP rookie season has brought back memories of his early days in WorldSBK, when he questioned whether he had a future in racing.

The Turkish rider made the comparison at the Red Bull Ring. In 2018, his first season in the Superbike championship with Kawasaki, he regularly finished ninth, 10th or 12th and struggled to see a way forward. “I just started thinking, ‘I don't have any potential, I have maximum this’,” he recalled. The doubts became so strong that he considered quitting. A surprise podium at Donington Park changed his outlook: “When I did the podium, it changed everything, and I start to believe.”

That breakthrough was the start of a career that has brought Razgatlioglu 78 WorldSBK race wins and three world titles. The contrast with his current results makes the adjustment to MotoGP especially difficult. His best finish so far is 11th, with other results including 12th, 15th and 18th, and he is still seeking his first top-10 finish.

“This is harder for me, because I'm already a winning rider,” he said. Finishing 10th or 12th in 2018 felt disappointing, he explained, but not as difficult as his current position after an outstanding WorldSBK career and another strong season last year.

Razgatlioglu is also adapting to Yamaha’s new V4 in the final season of 1000cc machinery and Michelin tyres. His race pace on the medium rear tyre can be competitive, but he has struggled to get the most from the soft. “Why in the race could I do a good pace with the medium tyre? Because it’s easier riding with the medium tyre, but the soft tyre, I'm not using the real potential,” he said. “I need to learn this, because still I don’t understand the limit of this tyre. This is the biggest problem.”

Seven rounds and 14 races remain for Razgatlioglu to reach his top-10 goal before MotoGP moves to the 850cc era and he returns to Pirelli tyres. For now, he is trying to find the confidence and understanding that once turned a difficult WorldSBK start into a championship-winning career.