BMW confirm ‘we have a good package, lot of positive comments’ from Toprak

BMW have confirmed what new WorldSBK addition Toprak Razgatlioglu said after the Portimao test, which is that the power of the M 1000 RR’s engine is very good.

Robert Jones

05 Dec 2023

Toprak Razgatlioglu, BMW WorldSBK Portimao 2023

Razgatlioglu made his much-anticipated BMW debut over the weekend and on Monday, ahead of another outing at Jerez this week.

Razgatlioglu completed close to 30 laps over the two days but was impacted by poor weather.

Still, Razgatlioglu was beaming with joy after his first experience aboard the M 1000 RR, and BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Marc Bongers was also very pleased with how Razgatlioglu’s debut went.

“For sure, it has been a test under difficult conditions,” began Bongers. “It turned out very clearly that we missed five weeks, we would have preferred to test in November in sunny weather. In addition, you are anxious to see how the first test will be.

“On Sunday, we made a very short-term call to use a few sessions of a track day with the guys just to get some dry time, because the weather forecast for Monday was bad, as it was proven then.

“Still we got about 30 laps in with Toprak on the BMW M 1000 RR and that is very valuable input. We did not test a lot but for sure it was important to get his first feedback, to get the ergonomics right, getting him to know the system.

“And from here we are going to head to Jerez where again the weather forecast does not look so good so we have to use every single dry time we might have.

“In general, I am positive after these first days. There have been a lot of positive comments, no dramas, we just went through a couple of points about what we could offer him and what he feels and that was very good.

“He was not only very positive about the power of the BMW M 1000 RR but also about our electronics, turning and so on.”

Michael Van Der Mark was also at Portimao but completed very few laps as Bongers confirmed there was no reason for him to be a reference for Razgatlioglu given the conditions.

Bongers added: “Everything he [Razgatlioglu] said is a base to work from and built on. It confirmed that we have a good package and now we need to get the most out of it with him and the other guys as well.

“Mickey did some laps on Sunday but obviously with a lot of track day guys on the track it has been not so easy.

“But we wanted Mickey to go out just to have that reference. Then on Monday we said that it makes no sense for him to go out in tricky conditions as he knows the bike and the package.”