As you may have recently learned, Toprak Razgatlioğlu has just formalized his arrival within the official BMW team for the next 2024 season in the Superbike world championship.
This announcement did not fail to surprise the sporting world, first of all in the MotoGP category where the Turkish rider was expected to join the Factory Yamaha team. Indeed, the declarations of Mayo Meregalli on the Turk's disappointing performances during private tests in Jerez, all associated with the skepticism of his own manager Kenan Sofuoğlu regarding the relevance of this opportunity, have completed closing the option.
From then on, what was the surprise of the WSBK paddock when Toprak announced the end of its collaboration with Yamaha for bounce back better a few hours later within the ROKit BMW team.
A contract with undoubtedly a marvelous salary, clearly higher than what Yamaha was offering, which had never gone so far financially, therefore helped him to accept this new challenge.
The only real winning party from this transfer remains the Munich manufacturer which can now count on one, if not the best current talent on the board.
Of course, this is perhaps an insult to the Catalan pilot Alvaro Bautista who is on course to be doubly crowned this season. However, we cannot ignore the intrinsic superiority of his Ducati Panigale, hence the impressive talent and formidable combativeness of Toprak who resists despite a Yamaha now surpassed in pure performance.
Unless significant changes to the regulations are made between now and next year, it is difficult to imagine the Turk being able to win a new world title, limiting himself more to brilliant coups due to the mechanical inferiority of his future mount. Because yes, let's dare to say it: the M1000RR is not the absolute weapon for reaching the summits. As it stands, it would even be quite the opposite…
Scott Redding, current leader of the brand and who has nevertheless not done poorly so far, is clearly not succeeding and is becoming demotivated due to a lack of solutions.
What's more, the size of the two future teammates (unless it is Michael Van Der Mark in place of Redding) is similar: Larger and heavier than jockey Bautista on Ducati, they are penalized both aerodynamically and in terms of speed and acceleration due to a slightly lower power-to-weight ratio. . However, the talent of the 2 men is very different. Scott Redding has the faults of his talents, quickly letting himself be carried away by his impetuosity, he often ruins his chances.
On the other hand, who can say what will happen next year when the Turk enters the heat of the action?
He should therefore continue to write his legend but not in the premier category. And finally, isn't that the big waste? Which rider has never dreamed of shining in MotoGP where the best talents in the world come together?
Even if they are few in number, some Superbike gems have successfully officiated there. Ben Spies is one of them: Superbike world champion in 2009 with the brand in tune, he made a thunderous debut the following year with the Yamaha Tech3 team before being promoted in just one year within the Factory Racing team.
Why didn't Toprak choose this option?
What risks was he taking? Because finally, having already won the supreme title in World Superbike, ultra-talented and tenacious, he could very well have had a career in the elite. His manager, Kenan Sofuoğlu, however, managed to dissuade him, claiming that Superbike was his family and that he would get lost in MotoGP.
In our opinion, assuming that one or two seasons do not allow him to shine, we are convinced that a return to Superbike would not pose a problem, far from it! Especially when reading his curriculum.
It is all the more damaging for the Turk as such an opportunity is not likely to present itself again. We can already see this since the traditional antechamber that is Moto2 is full of talents, and they are already jostling at the gate of the premier category.
The WSBK category is often considered, wrongly, as the refuge of former MotoGP stars who no longer have their place there. Like the glass half empty. Those seeing the glass half full will appreciate this contribution of stars for the benefit of popularity and spectacle. It's hard to prove them wrong, the battles of the Bautista-Rea-Razgatlioğlu trio over the last two seasons were a treat. And Bautista comes from MotoGP…
The opposite is all the more true for riders migrating from SBK to MotoGP: Either they shine through their ability to adapt to an uncompromising discipline, or they burn their wings. There is no doubt that Toprak would shine there: His composure, his dexterous piloting, his ardor and his combativeness command admiration compared to many of his peers. He didn't wait long to be the best, it wouldn't take much for him to be one of the greatest.
Let's bet it's only a postponement.
At the same time, it is not forbidden to dream of other opportunities. And why not with BMW? The Bavarian manufacturer would have ample means. With Suzuki's defection last year, their presence in MotoGP was discussed behind the scenes for a while.
What's more, Razgatlioğlu loudly and clearly claims his taste for challenges. Who knows if, with their new standard-bearer “strong as a Turk” they might not be tempted again?
What a look that would have!
