Toprak Razgatlioglu “will not brake like in Superbike” in Yamaha MotoGP switch

Toprak Razgatlioglu enjoyed “a very positive first day” during his MotoGP test in Aragon on 9–10 November, but he “will not brake like in Superbike”.

That’s according to Augusto Fernandez, Yamaha’s official MotoGP test rider, who was also on-track in Aragon trying new things for the in-development V4 that he will also race in Valencia this weekend (14–16 November).

But although he will not ride with the exact technique he has in World Superbike, Razgatlioglu has the talent in braking to figure it out, Fernandez thinks.

“What is sure is that his strongest point is braking,” Fernandez said on Thursday (13 November) in Valencia.

“But he will not brake like in Superbike, but the talent he has on braking is incredible, so he will manage to be fast in braking – in another way. 

“But he knows how to be fast in braking.”

The biggest task for Razgatlioglu will be understanding the tyres, something Fernandez has empathy with.

“I didn’t speak with him on details,” Fernandez responded when asked if Razgatlioglu had asked for his advice about anything particular during the test.

“He was just happy about the test, trying to understand the Michelins – more than the bike was the Michelins, for him. 

“I can totally understand that, I was doing the test on the Superbike in the beginning of the year and for sure the tyres is the main point to adapt, the front especially.”

In general, Razgatlioglu had a “positive” first test, Fernandez thought. His lap times were a way off what had been done during the grand prix earlier this year, but this was also true of Fernandez and Aleix Espargaro, the HRC development rider also taking part in the Aragon test.

“Honestly, I think it was a very positive first day for him,” Fernandez explained.

“I could see also his data during the lap and how he was riding the bike, and I was surprised in a good way. 

“But we know he is super-talented, we cannot discuss the talent of Toprak. 

“But MotoGP is different, how you have to ride a MotoGP is different. 

“For sure, the lap times in Aragon were slow, also for us – Aleix [Espargaro] and I were there and we were slow compared to the race weekend, but testing is different conditions. 

“But he was not far, and especially the riding was not bad. We will see here with everyone on-track and also another circuit, but it was not bad.”

Aleix Espargaro echoed Fernandez’s thoughts on Razgatlioglu’s test.

“With Toprak, the thing is that I never talked with him before and I have a bit of a wrong image because he is a very hard rider on-track,” Espargaro said in Valencia, where he is wildcarding this weekend.

“But he was very kind, very good guy; I talked with him in the hotel, very nice guy, it really surprised me. 

“I saw him on-track and the only thing I can say is that the conditions were super-difficult because we had 14C or 15C of track temperature – I was not able to lean in corner two and he was I would say quite fast. 

“I think Yamaha did a good move with him.”