WSBK News

Toprak Razgatlioglu says he’s ‘not scared’ by the lack of grip off the racing line in Mandalika, but that WorldSBK series leader Alvaro Bautista might be feeling that way.

98 points behind Alvaro Bautista, Jonathan Rea has called it ‘empty-headed’ to even consider thinking about the WorldSBK championship.

With just six races to go and an 82-point deficit to Alvaro Bautista, reigning WorldSBK champion Toprak Razgatlioglu knows that only race wins can help save his title defence.

Alvaro Bautista can clinch his first WorldSBK title this weekend in Mandalika but the Spaniard is expecting a ‘very complicated’ weekend.

The final round of the 2022 WorldSBK season in Phillip Island, Australia, will return as the season-opener for the 2023 season.

Portimao will remain on the WorldSBK calendar until 2027 after signing a new five-year deal.

On the verge of winning his first WorldSBK title and Ducati’s first since Carlos Checa in 2011, Alvaro Bautista has made it clear that he is not winning because of a better engine compared to his rivals.

Despite 62 points being available on any given WorldSBK weekend, Pata Yamaha Team Principal, Paul Denning, feels Toprak Razgatlioglu’s title chances are all but over with just two rounds to go.

‘People forget that he won a world title’ - Aruba.it Ducati Team Manager, Serafino Foti, when discussing WorldSBK series leader Alvaro Bautista as the Spaniard is on the verge of securing his first world title since 2006.

Scott Redding has, not for the first time this season, claimed BMW needs more after another disappointing showing at the San Juan WorldSBK round.

A WorldSBK title hopeful next season, Michael Ruben Rinaldi will need to get the better of expected champion in 2022 and team-mate Alvaro Bautista, who Rinaldi feels is making the ‘difference compared to the rest of the Ducatis’.

Jonathan Rea believes Kawasaki has lost its place as the ‘reference’ atop WorldSBK and that the Japanese manufacturer is not competitive enough anymore.

Toprak Razgatlioglu says his motivation after suffering a WorldSBK Race One crash at San Juan - his first mistake in two years - ‘was in the basement’.

With track conditions tougher than Saturday’s Race One and reigning WorldSBK champion Toprak Razgatlioglu pushing him to the limit, Alvaro Bautista felt the risk of crashing in Race Two was very high.

Jonathan Rea’s longest WorldSBK win drought since joining Kawasaki continued in San Juan after finishing third in both Sunday races.

Alvaro Bautista has taken another step closer to his maiden WorldSBK title after winning race one in San Juan, despite nearly being wiped out on the first lap by Toprak Razgatlioglu.

Without a WorldSBK win since round three of the season in Estoril, Jonathan Rea is aiming to put the disappointment of Portimao behind him and become a challenger once again at San Juan.

Lorenzo Baldassarri joins GMT94 Yamaha as step-up from WorldSSP to WorldSBK for the 2023 season is confirmed.

Victor Steeman’s mother has tragically died due to a heart attack, two days after the death of her son.

Victor Steeman has died, days after a crash during his WorldSSP300 race.

WorldSBK series leader Alvaro Bautista jokes ‘I need that Yamaha don’t help Toprak Razgatlioglu’ as conversations with Ducati Corse General Manager, Gigi Dall’Igna, are taking place after each race in order to improve the Panigale V4 R for 2023.

Scott Redding is continuing to push BMW for significant upgrades following another tough WorldSBK outing in Portimao, saying ‘I want to be ready for next year’.

Jonathan Rea has asked Kawasaki to bring more power to its ZX-10RR next season after calling his attempts to battle WorldSBK series leader Alvaro Bautista ‘demoralising’ in Portimao.

Current WorldSBK champion Toprak Razgatlioglu has claimed Ducati has ‘too much power’ after Alvaro Bautista once again showed alarming speed differences between the two bikes at Portimao.