Toprak Razgatlioglu trying to find workaround to Yamaha MotoGP rear wing issue

Pramac MotoGP rookie Toprak Razgatlioglu says he is working on adapting his riding style to be able to use a Yamaha seat unit which can legally accommodate rear wings.

The three-time World Superbike champion has spent the entirety of the Sepang shakedown and day one of the official test riding without Yamaha’s rear wings.

Due to his 6ft1 frame and the seat unit he was using, Toprak Razgatlioglu’s bike exceeds the height limit in the regulations with winglets attached to the rear of his M1.

However, at the end of Tuesday’s running - in which he was 20th overall - Razgatlioglu went back to an older seat unit with the rear wings attached and felt stronger in braking.

He says he will try to continue with the wings on Wednesday, but accepts that he will need to adapt his riding style to be able to legally use them.

“At the end of the day, we used the back tail,” he explained.

“Normally I don’t use it because I use a different seat. But I feel much better because the bike stopped much better and this is helping more.

“In Superbikes I used a lower seat always. This is much better for me. I really feel confident on the bike.

“With MotoGP, it’s completely different, because now I use the maximum lowest seat, but not any lower because the fuel tank is there.

“But, if I use this seat position, I cannot use the wings because of the rules.

“I tried end of the day the wings, but with the old seat, the little bit higher seat. I feel like the bike stops better on the brakes.

“These wings help a lot on the braking. Maybe tomorrow I will continue to use the wings, because they are really helping.

“But I need to change my style. On the brakes now, I’m not so bad. I am happy, getting stronger, but maybe I need to change the riding style.

“I need more corner speed. In Superbikes I was always stop/go.”

Razgatlioglu learning lessons from Marc Marquez on track

As well as adjusting to MotoGP machinery, Razgatlioglu used Tuesday’s official running as an opportunity to study other riders’ lines through different corners.

At one stage, he found himself chasing reigning champion Marc Marquez and “saw something” useful.

“First day for me was not bad because I tried to learn some corners.

“Especially corner five was my biggest problem. But, today I saw many times Marc Marquez. I saw something and that’s good.

“With everyone riding the bike, I see corners where some riders use a different line and some riders use the same line.

“But for me, it’s just about learning, trying to understand the rear tyre especially, because in Superbikes the rear tyre is really different, especially on corner exit. I’m trying to change my style.

“I’m really happy to ride with him. If also I am getting stronger, maybe to race and fight with him, this would be incredible for me.

“But, now he’s very fast and I’m just trying to understand some corners while I’m following him.

“But he’s really fast, really strong, also we see the lap time at the end of the day.

“But tomorrow I will trying to follow him again because he’s riding very well. In some corners, he’s not leaning the bike.

“I’m surprised for this. But maybe we need to ride this bike in this direction.”