Razgatlioglu: ‘Everyone knows Ducati is the best bike, but BMW has more speed…’

Toprak Razgatlioglu believes his switch to BMW in 2024 could see him fight Alvaro Bautista on a more regular basis for WorldSBK wins.
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Yamaha WorldSBK Portimao 2023
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Yamaha WorldSBK Portimao 2023

As was highlighted again last weekend in Portimao, Razgatlioglu was having to ride well beyond the limit in order to challenge Bautista.

And even so, it wasn’t enough to claim victory in any of the three races, as Bautista won comfortably in Race 1 before narrowly edging out the Yamaha rider across the line during Sunday’s double-header.

As a result of being beaten for a third time, Razgatlioglu was clearly emotional as he hit the tank of his R1.

"Normally, my character is not like this but I wasn’t thinking good," said Razgatlioglu. "I was just focused on winning. I saw the chequered flag and Bautista on the inside. 

"I picked the bike up but my bike didn’t accelerate, so he passed me on the outside easily. If my bike starts spinning, I have no acceleration. 

"On the last lap, I did what I thought was a good line. pick the bike up and open the gas. This time, no acceleration." 

While Bautista’s advantage on the straights is heightened by his lightweight stature, Razgatlioglu was visibly down on top speed from a performance point of view as Bautista was gaining over three tenths on the start-finish straight.

An area that shouldn’t be of concern next season, Razgatlioglu is hoping to be more competitive on circuits such as Portimao with the M 1000 RR.

"It’s better that I don’t talk," added the Yamaha rider. "Everyone knows that the Ducati is the best bike; I am with Yamaha. 

"It looks like BMW has more speed on the straight, so maybe we have more chance. 

"If I adapt immediately, I think we have more chance of winning here and at many tracks."

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