RAZGATLIOGLU RETURNS TO MANDALIKA AS PRAMAC SEEKS A RESET

Toprak Razgatlioglu returns to Mandalika with memories of the circuit’s biggest moment in his WorldSBK career, but this time he faces a new challenge: racing there on a MotoGP bike during a difficult rookie season with Pramac Yamaha.

The Turkish rider secured his first of three WorldSBK titles at the 2021 season finale, when he was racing for Yamaha. He went on to win all three Indonesian races in 2022 and added another victory and two second places in 2023. Mandalika later left the WorldSBK calendar, making this his first return since those successes.

“I have very nice memories from Mandalika, especially from 2021 when I won my first World Superbike title with Yamaha,” Razgatlioglu said. He is pleased to be back, while recognising that his previous experience will only go so far. “I really like this track, although riding it with a MotoGP bike will be a different experience and requires a different riding style. We will see how it goes, but I will give my best.”

His team-mate Jack Miller also arrives with a positive view of the venue. He has competed at every Mandalika MotoGP event so far, with his best result a fourth place for Ducati in the rain-hit inaugural race in 2022. “It's a track I really like, and I also enjoy the warmer conditions there,” Miller said. He added that he was looking forward to returning to Indonesia and racing in front of its fans.

Pramac’s immediate priority is to halt a run of poor results. The team has scored no points across the last two rounds, and team director Gino Borsoi said its recent performances had fallen short of what the riders, Yamaha and the team deserved after their work. For various reasons, he said, Pramac had not matched the competitiveness it showed around the middle of the season.

Borsoi hopes the Indonesian round can mark a change in direction. “I hope Indonesia can be a turning point for us and allow us to fight again for the positions where we know we should be,” he said, pointing to strong motivation among the team and riders. He also stressed the need for Pramac and Yamaha to work more effectively through the remaining races and show that their efforts on the project are moving it forward.

For Razgatlioglu, Mandalika offers a welcome return to a circuit tied to his title-winning past, but the weekend will test how well that familiarity translates to MotoGP. For Pramac, it is an opportunity to respond after two scoreless rounds and recover the form Borsoi believes the team can reach.