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The 2024 season of WorldSBK Superbike World Championship is coming to an end, but there is still much to be won, including the coveted Drivers' Championship. This is what Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) will attempt to make it to the Circuito Estoril, while many other statements have been made in the run-up to the round in Portugal…

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team): “My goal is to win the race… without thinking about the championship.

Ahead of what could be a title-conquering weekend, Toprak Razgatlioglu said :  » After 2022 we come back here and I am very happy because I like this circuit. Last time I lost because Alvaro overtook me on the straight. I like this circuit, but this weekend will be a bit difficult. I am focusing on the races because I miss winning races. Maybe the weather will be different this weekend. My goal is to win the race. If I win all the races and Bulega finishes third, we will win the title. He is also very strong. I am not thinking about that, I think the championship will end in Jerez. I just ride the bike and fight for the victory. If I win, I am happier. I need to win again because second place was not enough for me in Aragon. I have no stress now, I am here to win the race. Maybe if the conditions are wet we will fight for the win again, because I have never won in the wet in WorldSBK. No stress because I am not thinking about the championship! 

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “At the moment there is no such order within the team, but this weekend will be similar; try not to disturb my teammate…”

In anticipation of Estoril, Alvaro Bautista described his goals by saying:  "After a Sunday like the one I had at MotorLand Aragon, I am very motivated. That is in the past and now we are here at a different circuit, in different conditions. It has been two years since I raced here. The goal is to try to find the sensations I had at Aragon, which were really nice. I am happy that these sensations are coming back! We had a lot of trouble at the beginning of the season because I started with an injury, then we did not know why I could not have the confidence with the bike, or the same performance. Fortunately, Most turned on a switch and we made a change on the bike that definitely helped me to find the confidence again."

The topic of team orders came up again in Estoril, with Bautista saying:  "In Aragon we had a short briefing before the Saturday race because it was clear that both riders had the possibility of fighting Toprak, but it is true that Bulega's chances were much better than mine. We decided to help Nicolo in Aragon, to try not to be between him and Toprak, and to try to help him take points. After Saturday, with the problem he had with the engine, the situation was different. On Sunday he was there, and it was the same idea: not to be between Toprak and Nicolo. It is possible between Nicolo and Toprak. In the Superpole race our goal was to try to help Nicolo and to be between them, but with Nicolo first. In the last laps I saw that it could be Toprak, Nicolo and me, so I tried to make Nicolo lose two points instead of three, which is better; I tried to win the race and I did, and it was the same in race 2. At the moment there is no such order in the team, but this weekend it will be the same; I try not to disturb my teammate, but also to make sure he does not disturb me.

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “I just want to enjoy the weekend… I never asked for team orders, I don’t want any”

On the Estoril weekend, Nicholas Bulega commented:  "I hope to be fast this weekend because in Aragon I was fast but it was a strange weekend. I would like to have a normal weekend. Race 1 in Aragon was not a nice moment. We lost a lot of points, we lost the possibility of taking more. I felt very good, especially on Saturday in the race; the race pace was not very high, but I felt like I was fast." 

Regarding his goals for the weekend and whether there have been any new team meetings for Estoril, Bulega said:  "I don't have any goals for this weekend. I just want to enjoy it, try to do my best and that's it. I never asked for team orders and I don't want any. Alvaro is very fast. If he has the possibility to win, he has to do it. We are part of this team and Ducati, so I think it's important for them to win these titles. Alvaro and I are doing a good job." 

Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven): “We will sign in a few days, a few weeks…”

Regarding his approach to Estoril, "The Maniac" said :  » I think it’s an incredible circuit. I’m very happy to be here. It’s strange because it’s been several years since I’ve ridden here, but I’m excited! Unfortunately, we only won on Saturday; we lost a bit of performance on Sunday in Aragon. Anyway, we did a good job. We got on many podiums, we won a race in my first year, but when I think about all this, I want and need more! You have to be realistic. I never thought I would fight to be the first independent rider, it was an optimistic idea because Danilo has more experience than me. I don’t know if we will do the test, because honestly, we haven’t signed anything for the future yet. We will sign in a few days, a few weeks… it’s a surprise for everyone! I think my season will start in January. 

Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha): “My injury is fine… I shouldn’t feel any pain on the bike”

On the points he wants to improve and Razgatlioglu's season, Jonathan Rea said :  » My injury is fine… I shouldn’t have any pain on the bike: “My injury is fine. The skin is almost healed, so I shouldn’t have any pain on the bike. It’s hard to have expectations because coming into Aragon, a track where I was very strong, I had a disappointing weekend. I struggled to be competitive. Tomorrow we’ll try to take it step by step with the team, correct our weak points and build a bike that will allow us to be strong on Sunday, because the WorldSBK field is very strong, so if you’re just a little bit off the mark, you can be very far away. I tried to focus on the Superpole, on the different attack tactics, trying to find the right rider to follow. I usually can’t do that, so I go back to basics, try to do what I want and forget about the other riders. Toprak has been very strong and had an incredible season. Unfortunately he missed a couple of races through injury – Magny-Cours and Cremona – and the fact that he is still leading the championship is a testament to the season he has had. It is not a question of if, but when. Hats off to him, he has done a great job and, even if it is from a distance, it was great to watch!” 

Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team): “I want to be on the podium again!”

Hoping that this weekend in Estoril goes better than his visit to MotoGP™ in 2012, Danilo Petrucci said :  »Honestly, Estoril brings back bad memories! For the first time in my career I was overtaken, by Stoner, I remember that moment so well! They waved blue flags and Casey passed with Lorenzo, Pedrosa, Rossi… I think seven riders overtook me. I was here in August for testing, and I enjoyed that day. The track is beautiful. I have good expectations because life has changed a lot. 12 years ago I was last and now I am fighting for the top positions. Our goal is always to be in the top five, but after the last results I want to be on the podium again. I am not thinking about the Independent Riders’ Championship; I was happier fighting for third place in the championship. On all levels we had a very difficult time because we have a strong relationship with Barnabo, the team boss; he was really worried, he was sicker than me when he came to the hospital for me! It was only six months ago, but it feels like an eternity. To win our first race, to fight with the best and to win the independent championship, it’s something we didn’t expect. 

Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW): "We have everything we need to finish the year better than we started it..."

Garrett gerloff said :  » I really like this circuit, it has a good flow. It was really good in 2020, but 2022 didn’t really go the way I wanted. I think with the BMW it will be good, especially with the straight, we can use the top speed. Once the results start coming, the expectations start to rise. It’s so much easier to be there. At the beginning of the season I needed everything I had to be in the top ten. Now that the bike is more consistent I can ride it better, which has played a role in the last few weekends. My goal is to finish as well as possible, I want to keep looking up in the riders’ championship. I think we have everything we need to finish the year better than we started it. 

 

Superbike Estoril

Superbike Estoril

Superbike Estoril

Superbike Estoril

Superbike Estoril

Superbike Estoril

Superbike Estoril