World Superbike
Razgatlioglu's manager "disappointed" with start to WSBK title defence
Toprak Razgatlioglu’s manager Kenan Sofuoglu is “disappointed” with the Turkish rider’s start to the 2022 World Superbike season, but is confident that he will bounce back at the next round in Estoril.
Rachit Thukral
Edited: May 11, 2022, 6:16 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Reigning WSBK champion Razgatlioglu failed to score a victory in the opening two rounds of the year at Aragon and Assen last month, struggling to match the pace of both Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea and Ducati returnee Alvaro Bautista.
Razgatlioglu had already slipped 27 points off the championship lead going into the final race at Assen, where a crash with his 2021 arch-rival Rea forced both riders into retirement.
Now facing a daunting 45-point deficit in the riders’ standings to Bautista, Razgatlioglu needs a strong result in Portugal to put his championship challenge back on track and defend Yamaha’s first WSBK title in over a decade.
Razgatlioglu’s manager and five-time World Supersport champion Sofuoglu conceded that the 25-year-old’s results have fallen below expectations so far, but hopes the changes they have agreed on since then would yield the desired results.
“About the season, with Toprak, I can’t say we started the season as we wanted or as we expected,” Sofuoglu told the official WSBK website. “We are a little bit disappointed.
“Honestly, we sat together with Toprak, and we checked what we do, what we’ve done and the way of every single part of our life, training and mentality. I think we were not correct, and Toprak decided to make some changes.”
Read Also:
- BMW not as far behind as it seems, says Kawasaki's Lowes
- Bautista: Razgatlioglu, Rea were always going to crash eventually
Razgatlioglu did not score a win until the ninth race of his title-winning 2021 campaign at Misano, where Pirelli introduced a new SCX qualifying tyre that suited the Yamaha rider better.
However, early evidence suggests that the competition this year is much tougher than in 2021, with Bautista in particular emerging as a more formidable rival than his predecessor Scott Redding on an improved Ducati bike.
Explaining the changes Razgatlioglu has made in the run up to the Estoril round on May 20-22, Sofuoglu said: “In general, every single practice, way of living, way of mentality, and I believe we will have a different Toprak at Estoril.
“I will be there to support Toprak because we have to win. There’s been six races and still he couldn’t win anything, and he is World Champion, we have to win. Now, we are building very well for the next round.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article BMW not as far behind as it seems, says Kawasaki's Lowes
Next article Isaac Vinales returns to WSBK grid at Estoril with Pedercini
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Rachit Thukral
Why aerodynamics will become "even more important" under 2027 MotoGP regulations
MotoGP
MotoGP
Qatar GP
4 h
Why aerodynamics will become "even more important" under 2027 MotoGP regulations
Sebastien Bourdais hopes latest WEC success will remind teams of his value
WEC
WEC
Monza
6 h
Sebastien Bourdais hopes latest WEC success will remind teams of his value
More from
Toprak Razgatlioglu
Toprak Razgatlioglu going through a "difficult time" after shoulder surgery
MotoGP
MotoGP
Malaysian GP
16 d
Toprak Razgatlioglu going through a "difficult time" after shoulder surgery
Toprak Razgatlioglu to miss the rest MotoGP season due to shoulder injury
MotoGP
MotoGP
Australian GP
24 d
Toprak Razgatlioglu to miss the rest MotoGP season due to shoulder injury
Toprak Razgatlioglu to undergo shoulder scan: ‘I hope I don’t need surgery’
MotoGP
MotoGP
Indonesian GP
1 mo
Toprak Razgatlioglu to undergo shoulder scan: ‘I hope I don’t need surgery’
More from
Crescent Racing
Rea gets first taste of Yamaha WSBK machinery in Jerez test
World Superbike
World Superbike
Jerez October testing
Nov 1, 2023
Rea gets first taste of Yamaha WSBK machinery in Jerez test
Rea signs two-year Yamaha WSBK deal after Kawasaki exit
World Superbike
World Superbike Sep 4, 2023
Rea signs two-year Yamaha WSBK deal after Kawasaki exit
Rea set for shock Yamaha WSBK switch in 2024
World Superbike
World Superbike Sep 2, 2023
Rea set for shock Yamaha WSBK switch in 2024
Latest news
“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1 2 h
“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return
Myers Riley Motorsports adds Andretti alongside returning Fraga for 2027 IMSA GTD campaign
IMSA
IMSA IMSA 2 h
Myers Riley Motorsports adds Andretti alongside returning Fraga for 2027 IMSA GTD campaign
Las Vegas GP reveals neon sign-inspired trophy design
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Las Vegas GP
3 h
Las Vegas GP reveals neon sign-inspired trophy design
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe