Toprak Razgatlioglu “very angry” to lose Estoril WorldSBK Superpole Race

Victory for Toprak Razgatlioglu in WorldSBK Race 2 at the Estoril World Superbike round saw the Turkish rider move closer to clinching his second World Superbike title, but that didn’t erase the feeling of losing the Superpole Race on the run to the line.

Razgatlioglu said that he was “happy” after Race 2, but that the Superpole Race was a “disaster”.

“I’m really happy today, especially Race 2,” Razgatlioglu told WorldSBK.com.

“But the Superpole Race for me is a disaster because I did an incredible pace with the race tyre, but at the end of the race when I see the chequered flag… I lost.

“I focused on Race 2 because I need to win again, especially Race 2 is a long race and we take more points, and finally we take good points for the championship.”

Despite the victory in Race 2, Razgatlioglu admitted he was still angry about losing the Superpole Race to Nicolo Bulega.

“Still I’m very angry for the Superpole Race, because I use the race tyre,” Razgatlioglu said.

“I didn’t take the SCQ tyre because I thought at the end of the race the SCQ tyre would start to drop, but I’m surprised the SCQ tyre didn’t drop.

“My tyre started to spin a lot, but he [Nicolo Bulega] had a big advantage especially in the final corner.

“I just kept fighting, but it was very close and I lost.

“But, anyway, I did two wins, especially in the long races because the long races are always difficult — you need to manage the tyre and you need to do a good pace in the race.

“I did a very good job, and now everyone is waiting, it’s very stressful the Jerez race, but I’m very relaxed because I have a big gap in the points.”

Razgatlioglu’s Superpole Race was essentially undone by the final corner, and it also seemed to be a difficult part of the Estoril layout for him in the beginning of Race 2.

Razgatlioglu explained that this is more about he strengths of the Ducati versus the BMW, and the way he was conserving the tyre at the beginning of the race, than a weakness on the part of either him or the BMW M1000 RR.

“The Ducati is a very different bike and it’s grip is very high,” Razgatioglu said.

“The bike character is a little bit different [to the BMW], but when I’m riding alone at the front, I did much better the line [to have] better acceleration in the last corner.

“But when I’m following the Ducati it’s very difficult.

“At the beginning of [Race 2] I understand that it’s a little bit difficult for me, the last corner, but also I’m not pushing the rear tyre, in the first laps especially.

“When I started pushing, I just tried to do a good pace.

“I’m riding much better alone, especially braking for the first corner I’m feeling much better alone.

“But, the race is finished, I’m really happy, we won again — this is really good for me after the big injury [at Magny-Cours].”