By simply going “around the corner” from Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK’s UK base to Crescent Yamaha, Toprak Razgatlıoğlu et Andrea Locatelli are hoping to bring more happiness on home soil at Donington Park this weekend, for round 6 of the 2023 FIM Superbike World Championship.
Third “Home Race” in addition to the two Italian rounds of the championship at Misano and Imola, not far from the Yamaha Motor Europe research and development site near Milan, the official Yamaha WorldSBK team led by Crescent hopes to experience the same kind of success than at Donington in recent years.
The site of Yamaha's first victory since returning to WorldSBK in 2018, a superb double, was followed by another double at the hands of Toprak Razgatlıoğlu in 2021, and a “blessed lap” in drying conditions that saw the Turkish ace go from 13th on the grid to second in half a lap before snatching victory in the Race 1. But it is in 2022 that the #54 and the R1 WorldSBK have reached perfect harmony: Yamaha and Toprak Razgatlıoğlu there achieved the first “treble” of decisive victories in all three races.
Enough to hope to make up part of the Turkish driver's 86-point gap on championship leader Álvaro Bautista...
But is Donington Park still the same Donington? The first major works in more than 20 years include a complete resurfacing, a slight reduction in the circuit's bizarre undulations and changes to increase the banking of the corners, which WorldSBK riders will get to see for the first time Thursday during their “pedestrian reconnaissance of the circuit” and for the first time at high speed Friday morning during free practice.
Andrea Locatelli, the No.55 Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK rider, is determined to rediscover his form from early 2023, which saw him hold on firmly to third place in the championship behind Razgatlıoğlu. To do this, he will have to master Donington like his teammate has done in the past.
As explained Phil Brown, the team leader of the #54, this is a circuit where it is difficult to find the right settings: the first two thirds of the circuit require a motorcycle which turns naturally using the accelerator and which has a little effect on the traction control settings, but the final third is more of a stop-go affair, requiring a chassis setting that provides enough support to enable aggressive braking and nimble cornering.
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu : " I have very good memories in the UK, my first podiums, and last year we won all three races with Yamaha! We will see what is possible this weekend, maybe with the new asphalt we will have more grip and there will be a good chance of winning. I hope so. I need to win race 1 and race 2, not just the Superpole race! It's more of a "real" victory in the full race, I'm just focused on that. We know the Ducati will always be strong, but I hope we win at Donington Park. »
Andrea Locatelli : " It's great to be back in the UK, especially Donington, because it's an interesting circuit to drive! The first and second sectors are very fast, then the third and fourth are a little more technical: braking is hard and there are no easy corners because there are two very slow corners at the end. It will also be interesting to see the circuit because it has new tarmac, which will definitely change the feeling and maybe the grip a little, so we'll see. If we arrive ready and have a good feeling from the start, I think we can fight for a good position at Donington, because it's a circuit where our bike normally works very well. This is my third time at this circuit and I have a lot more experience with the R1, so I would like to finish further forward and fight for the podium. It is the objective. »
