If we mention Turkish nationality, a motorcycle racing enthusiast today will inevitably think of Toprak Razgatlıoğlu who is fighting for the world Superbike title at the age of 24. MotoGP fans will also mention Deniz Öncü, Moto3 rider in Hervé Poncharal's Tech3 team on the verge of winning his first Grand Prix victory this year.
Aged 18, the young man has in common with the first mentioned the fact of being supervised by Kenan Sofuoğlu, 5 times world champion in Supersport before doing a season in Superbike then returning to Supersport and doing two seasons in Moto2.
Now 37 years old and involved in a political-sporting action, the one who exceeded 400 km/h on the Osman Gazi suspension bridge crossing the Gulf of Izmit 50 km from Istanbul on the handlebars of a Kawasaki Ninja H2R, of course, also watches over the sporting career of Can Öncü, twin brother of Sea Defence who competes in Supersport.
But that's not all, since a fourth thief from the KNN54 Riders, the Turkish equivalent of the VR46 Riders Academy, is racing with the blessing of the one who has the ears of the local authorities, this time in Endurance.
Asrın Rodi Pak introduces itself: “ I started riding motorcycles when I was 4 years old. I obtained numerous diplomas in Motocross and Supermoto at the Turkish Championships until the age of 12, and I was on the podium more than 300 times. At 11 years old, I was 3rd in the 85cc European Supermotard. I obtained the first European diploma in this branch in Türkiye. After winning the Turkish Motocross Championship at the age of 12, I won the European Championship in the 250cc group. At the age of 14, I became the first national motorcycle racer to compete in the Motocross World Championship in Turkey. During this period I worked with world famous racers Marcel Van Drunen and Harry Everts in Supermoto and Motocross. »
" With the support and guidance of our national motorcyclist World Supersport Champion Kenan Sofuoğlu in 2016, I started track racing at the age of 16. I took part in the Junior European Cup and I took part in the Alpe Adria championship in 600cc. In 2017 I had the opportunity to work with Jorge Lorenzo's father, Chicho Lorenzo, and reach the podium in 5 races of the Yamaha R3 championship in Spain. The same year I competed in the World SSP Supersport in the 300cc stages of Misano (Italy) and Donington (England). In 2018, for the first time in 1000cc, I won 3 races in Swiss SBK and finished 2 races on the podium. »
“ In 2019 I participated in the ESBK Spain Superbike races in 1000cc with the Yamaha Fabrika team and partly with the Kawasaki team. In 2020, I finished in the top 10 at the Navarra, Catalunya (Barcelona), Ricardo Tormo (Valencia) and Jerez stages of the ESBK, which took place in limited conditions similar to those of the World SBK. I am participating in the World Endurance Championship (FIM EWC) for the 2021 season. »
For the Bol d'Or, Asrın Rodi Pak will be riding the MetisS MS20 EVO 21, the only experimental motorcycle on the grid, alongside the Frenchman Mathieu Charpin, from Switzerland Kevin Trueb and French Alexandre Santo Domingos.
