The 2020 season started well for the competition director of Yamaha Europe, with the victory at Phillip Island for Toprak Razgatlioglu for his very first race on an R1, and that of Andrea Locatelli on his R6 in Supersport. The Turk proved that he was capable of worrying the five-time World Champion Johnny Rea, of which he was the victorious teammate last year at the Suzuka 8H, with Leon Haslam on Kawasaki.
“Toprak quickly adapted to his new bike thanks to his great intelligence, and the fact that he won the first race will be remembered by many. The first thing that strikes you about him is the way he brakes, he has really incredible control of the bike, and in general he has great sensitivity." explained Dosoli to Riccardo Guglielmetti and Andrea Rossi of GPOne.com.
“During the negotiation of his contract, we included a clause specifying that if Yamaha offers him to compete in a MotoGP race, Toprak will be able to make his choice without constraints. What struck me about him is that he doesn't have MotoGP in mind at the moment, he wants to be Superbike champion and there are no MotoGP tests planned for him. In the past it happened that the SBK structure loaned a rider to the MotoGP team when needed, but that only happened if we weren't playing anything important. »
How did the Turkish pilot end up with the manufacturer with three tuning forks? “I think Toprak was already convinced of his choice before the Suzuka 8H. Before Suzuka, there was already harmony and esteem between the two parties. Several times he told me that his dream was to be the first to bring the R1 back to the top after Ben Spies. »
Dosoli can also count on a first-rate driver with Michael van der Mark. “Michael harvested less than he sowed in Australia. He missed something, but given the way he worked in the winter, I'm convinced he will get some satisfaction from it. We must not forget that Phillip Island is a special track, especially in terms of tires. »
For the training of drivers of the future, Dosoli counts on the GRT team of Filippo Conti, with its two drivers Garrett gerloff et Federico Caricasulo.
“Garrett is truly an exquisite person, and during the first tests we were amazed to see him go so quickly. He knows the bike but not the circuits, which certainly doesn't help him this year, but already at Phillip Island he has proven to be a rider who has given us satisfaction. »
“Federico's debut was in line with expectations, because it was positive. We are in a special situation, and we cannot wait until November to decide the future of our drivers. In a way, the best thing would be to leave everything as it is.”
A second Yamaha satellite team could complete the current system, with the Bardahl Evan Bros team which would move from Supersport to Superbike. “Technically, the team can think about moving up, with the arrival of technicians with Superbike experience. In these cases, the biggest obstacle would be financial, since expenses increase significantly and the team must know how to manage them. This would probably be the last step to take to think about the transition to Superbike, but a lot depends on the will of Fabio Evangelista (team boss). »
“Locatelli's debut (for this team) was the best possible, but even here we have to wait before judging. In general, I like his attitude: after winning the Phillip Island race, he immediately told the team “ I learned a lot, but we still need to improve in many ways.” The SBK? This could be a good thing but it could be a problem for us in some way, and that's something we'll see later. »
Among the future Yamaha Superbike riders, we of course dream of Valentino Rossi. “Having Valentino would be a dream for everyone and therefore also for us. An appearance in Superbike would certainly help the championship grow, but I don't think series-derived bikes are in his thoughts, and Dorna will do anything to keep him in MotoGP even after he retires. »
Dosoli analyzed the current situation linked to the resumption of the championship, and rejected the option of racing together on the same weekend on the same circuit in Superbike and MotoGP. “There are several obstacles to overcome for the resumption of the championship, the most important concerning travel and security. They're not as insignificant as they may seem, and I would never forgive myself if one of our guys got sick over a weekend. »
“In the current situation, I would be satisfied if we could do five or six races from August to November. Superbike and MotoGP together? It will not happen; for sponsorship or other reasons, but for reasons beyond racing. I think it could be negative for Superbike, so I think it's better to keep the two championships separate. »
Photos © Yamaha
