SHOULDER INJURY FORCES RAZGATLIOGLU TO RETIRE IN MANDALIKA

Toprak Razgatlioglu’s Indonesian Grand Prix ended after eight laps, as the shoulder injury he suffered in a Saturday practice crash left him unable to continue. The Pramac Yamaha rider had dislocated his right shoulder in the fall during FP2, but still took part in qualifying and the sprint, finishing the short race 19th, 23.8 seconds behind the winner. By Sunday, however, his condition had worsened.

Razgatlioglu said he felt his shoulder was a problem even before the Grand Prix. Painkillers did little to help, and he explained that weakness and restricted movement mattered more than the pain itself. “I had strong pain and limited movement. I took painkillers, but the pain wasn’t the biggest problem. I lacked strength, especially under braking,” he said. With Mandalika’s many right-hand corners, he could not control the bike as usual.

The team had advised him either not to start or to stop if the symptoms became too severe. Razgatlioglu chose to try. “I wanted to give it a go and do my best,” he said. After eight laps, he pulled into the pits and retired. “The shoulder was my biggest problem, not the bike,” he added.

He will fly to Turkey on Monday for medical checks during the week-long break before the next round. “I hope I don’t need an operation and can simply rest until the next race,” he said. Whether he will be fit for Phillip Island remains uncertain; the Australian circuit’s rapid changes of direction place significant physical demands on riders.

The early retirement was especially disappointing because Razgatlioglu had started the weekend well. “I’m a little sad because we had a good start on Friday. Normally, I improve day by day, but after the crash everything changed,” he said. He leaves Indonesia 21st in the championship with 18 points, having gone scoreless at the last three race weekends.