Toprak Razgatlioglu's MotoGP debut wasn't a fairytale. A crash on the last lap of the Sprint in Thailand, while battling behind his teammate Jack Miller to be the fastest Yamaha. Painful. Frustrating. But for his mentor Kenan Sofuoglu, it's simply a logical step.
Present at Buriram to accompany his protégé, Sofuoglu delivered a measured analysis GPone :
« I was very surprised by Toprak's performance. He crashed, but he was having an excellent race. Given the equipment we have, we shouldn't expect too much.Before the crash, we were fighting to be the best Yamaha, and that was very positive.The fall was also instructive, as it is sometimes necessary to understand the limits of the motorcycle. »
No panic. No accusations. Falling is not a failure, but a landmark.
Sofuoglu He knows the trap: wanting too much, too fast. His message to Soil is clear:
“I advise him not to get too far ahead of himself or to look at other manufacturers, because that can create pressure. We must measure ourselves against our peersthat is to say, to all Yamaha riders »
And he clarifies: Quartararo is world champion, Rins won in MotoGP, as did Miller. We must take them as a reference »
The course is set: our real race takes place within the Yamaha group, because We do not yet have the necessary assets to compete with other brandsThe goal is to win within our group, that is, to be the best Yamaha »
In the current context of the M1 V4, this is a pragmatic strategy.
Kenan Sofuoglu: “ Currently, with the current Yamaha, we don't have a motorcycle at that level. »
Sofuoglu He's not hiding anything. The preseason was complicated.
« Toprak was very demotivated at Sepang, as well as during testing here at Buriram. For the last six or seven years, he's always been in the top three, always on the podium. But now, the podium means being the best for the brand. »
Going from being a favorite in Superbike to an outsider in MotoGP requires a mental rebuild.
Despite the transfer rumors, Sofuoglu aims to be reassuring:
« There are a lot of rumors, but we are part of a top-level structure like Pramac. Our goal is to bring Toprak to the highest level.I'm 99% certain that Toprak will remain with the current team next year as well, because we're happy and we work well together. »
He admits, however, that there is an interest in the official Yamaha team It could exist. But the project remains clear: to progress step by step.
Sofuoglu It doesn't sell illusions.
« With optimal equipment, he could do even betterI'm talking about equipment comparable to that of Aprilia or Ducati. Currently, with the current Yamaha, we don't have a bike on par with those brands. With this equipment, the real victory will be beating the other Yamahas. »
It's brutal. Lucid. Strategically intelligent. As long as the M1 isn't on par with Aprilia or Ducati, outright victory remains a dream.
In the meantime, the mission is simple: to be the best Yamaha And in learning MotoGP, that's already a first championship to win.
