Razgatlioglu equals WorldSBK record, focused on breaking it in Superpole Race

A Race 1 victory for Toprak Razgatlioglu in Race 1 at Portimao brought him equal with the existing record for consecutive race wins in WorldSBK.

Razgatlioglu’s 11th successive win drew him level with Jonathan Rea and Alvaro Bautista, something that the 2021 World Champion said he was happy about.

“I’m really happy,” Razgatlioglu told WorldSBK.com after securing his record-equalling win. “At the start of the race we were fighting with [Danilo] Petrucci, but after, in the last eight or nine laps I’m just trying to do my best, every lap I’m pushing the best lap time.

“But, you know, we are winning again, I’m really happy for this — it’s not been an easy weekend, because everyone is pushing harder, because also it’s very hot conditions.”

After Superpole, in which Razgatlioglu took his fourth straight pole position, the Turkish rider said that “I’m just focused on Race 1 because this is really important for me. I need another win, but we will see.” He echoed those comments after his Race 1 success, as he turned his attention to the Superpole Race, in which he can become the first rider in WorldSBK history to win 12 races in succession. “We did a very good job and I need one more win for the new record,” he said. “We will see tomorrow.”

Razgatlioglu’s Race 1 win also moved him further clear in the WorldSBK riders’ standings. The #54 is now 80 points ahead of Nicolo Bulega, who finished seventh on Saturday in Portugal, and 109 ahead of Alvaro Bautista, who qualified sixth, dropped to 13th in the opening corners, and then rebounded to finish second.