Toprak Razgatlioglu throws down gauntlet ro rivals in Jerez WSBK decider

After missing out on clinching the 2024 WorldSBK title at Estoril last weekend, Toprak Razgatlioglu has his second and final chance this weekend at the season-ending Spanish Round at Jerez.

Should Razgatlioglu manage his current 46-point championship lead across this weekend’s three races to be crowned champion, it would be the second time he has won a World Superbike Championship in the final round of the season after his 2021 triumph that was decided in Indonesia.

“2021, I remember, the championship also finished in the last race, this year also the same,” Razgatlioglu told WorldSBK.com following his Race 2 victory in Estoril last Sunday.

Razgatlioglu added that he was expecting to wrap up the championship before the final round, before his practice crash at the French Round last month that saw him miss six races.

The Turkish rider had a 92-point lead over Nicolo Bulega before the races in France, but by the time he came back at the Aragon Round three weeks later that difference was reduced to 13 points.

“Before the crash, I’m thinking that it looks like we will finish the championship three races before [the end], but after the crash everything is changing, everything is destroyed.

“I’m trying to manage, also sometimes it’s not easy — for me it’s a very difficult race in Aragon, but I did a very good job there.

“Here, I needed three wins, but I lose the Superpole Race. But I did a good job in general.”

Although Razgatlioglu’s points lead is significant, the championship is ultimately coming down to a final round decider. The Turkish rider, though, insists he’s not stressed out by it.

“I’m not feeling stressed, especially for Jerez, because I have a good gap and I just need good positions in Jerez, I don’t need to win again.

“I’m trying to do my best in Jerez again, maybe I will win there. All the Ducatis are very strong in Jerez, but maybe now we are more strong because, after the test, we improve a lot.”

Razgatlioglu insisted that, if he can win races in Jerez, he will try to “fight” for those, but will settle for less if he feels it’s too risky to push for victory this weekend.

“I’m ready to fight again, like today,” he said. “I’m just focused to win again. But if, for the last race, I just need a second position, that’s okay but I’m just focused again to win the race in Jerez.

“It’s difficult but I just try to do my best, like Aragon.”