Most noteworthy stats and accomplishments from the 2021 WorldSBK season
Here’s a look at the most noteworthy stats and achievements from a thrilling 2021 WorldSBK championship.
Toprak Razgatlioglu’s maiden WorldSBK crown saw him become the first Turkish premier class champion, while he also became the third youngest series winner.
James Toseland and Troy Corser remain the only riders to ever win a WorldSBK title under the age of 25. What Razgatlioglu also managed to achieve was win the title at the same age as the only other Yamaha Superbike champion Ben Spies (25).
One of the most thrilling parts to the 2021 championship battle was Razgatlioglu and Rea taking it down to the season finale, which is just the second time that’s happened since Sylvain Guintoli won the 2014 title.
In winning the title at the final round, Razgatlioglu became the 18th different rider to win the series’ 18th title decider.
Razgatlioglu joined fellow Yamaha rider and MotoGP champion Fabio Quartararo in adding a seventh different nation to the championship win column - Quartararo did so by winning the first title for France.
The final stat involving Razgatlioglu involved him becoming the first rider to ever win on his birthday, a birthday he shares with Pata Yamaha team-mate Andrea Locatelli - 16 October 1996.
Jonathan Rea scored the most points ever for a runner-up (551) which has only been bettered by himself twice, Razgatlioglu (2021) and Colin Edwards (2002).
Rea also claimed the most wins (13), podiums (30) and pole positions (8) in a single season for a runner-up.
The 500 point barrier Rea eclipsed was also the fifth time he’s achieved that feat, which is more times than every WorldSBK rider in history combined.
Michael Van Der Mark took BMW’s first WorldSBK win in eight years - also the first since the German manufacturer returned as a full factory outfit.
Locatelli’s first WorldSBK podium in Assen made it 17 out of the last 18 years in which a rookie has finished on the podium. Axel Bassani also achieved it by claiming second in Catalunya.
Finally, the recently retired Chaz Davies missed out on 3000 career points by just half a point (2999.9).
