RAZGATLIOGLU STRUGGLES TO STOP YAMAHA IN JAPAN

Toprak Razgatlioglu says braking problems continued to undermine his Japanese Grand Prix, leaving him struggling to stop his Pramac Yamaha consistently at Motegi.

The three-time World Superbike champion qualified last and finished 17th, while Yamaha teammate Fabio Quartararo came home 12th. Razgatlioglu has found it difficult this season to adapt his braking approach to MotoGP’s Michelin tyres. At Motegi, he said, the rear tyre pushed the front under braking, making the bike hard to slow and his lap times difficult to repeat.

“I have again the same problem,” he said after the race. Although he found a better rhythm after about six laps and began recording 1m44s laps, he felt he was still riding at the limit without enough confidence. “The rear is pushing a lot, the bike not stopping in the end,” he explained. “When I’m trying to stop the bike, the bike is not stopping.”

The issue seemed especially puzzling when he compared his data with other Yamaha riders. Razgatlioglu said they could brake later yet bring their bikes to a halt more easily. “I’m fighting on the bike,” he said, adding that the struggle made it “very difficult to keep every lap the same pace.”

He believes Quartararo’s greater experience on the Yamaha helps him manage the braking demands. “Fabio riding is much better, because he knows the way how to stop the bike,” Razgatlioglu said. The Frenchman and other Yamaha riders have spent years learning how to get the bike stopped, while Razgatlioglu is still adapting.

Razgatlioglu also identified areas he must improve himself. He said the front tyre locks frequently under braking and that he has not yet become comfortable using the rear brake to help slow the bike. “I need to learn how to use the rear tyre for the stop,” he said. He added that if he could brake in the right place and stop the bike properly, he believed he could produce much better lap times.