Toprak Razgatlioglu issues 2025 WorldSBK warning: “Maybe next year we will do much better”
“When I signed for BMW, everyone was talking about me, saying ‘His career is finished’.”
Far from basking in the glory of his second WorldSBK title — won this weekend at the 2024 WorldSBK Spanish Round in Jerez — Toprak Razgatlioglu is wondering if he will be able to be even stronger in 2025.
Razgatlioglu’s second WorldSBK title came in his first year with BMW on a bike which had never won a dry race before this year.
Initially, it was not an easy adaptation for Razgatlioglu, who arrived from Yamaha over the winter.
“The beginning of this season is not easy because the first race, especially in Australia, I’m not doing a good job because the tyres have a big drop, and I destroyed the tyre,” Razgatlioglu told Eurosport after he clinched the 2024 title in Race 1 at Jerez this weekend.
“But, when we come to Europe, we started winning. The 13 wins in a row is amazing, and finally we are the World Champions.
“But, especially after the big injury [at Magny-Cours], we came back very strong, and finally we got the title.
“This is amazing for me, and for me I think this is the best year in my career. Maybe next year we will do much better.”
Razgatlioglu rode a lonely race to second place in Race 1 at Jerez, finishing over six seconds behind the winner, Nicolo Bulega, and three seconds ahead of Andrea Locatelli in third.
“I’m generally happy because this race is very important for me,” Razgatlioglu said.
“The race doesn’t finish, because I see the last 10 laps, and I say ‘We have 10 laps, we have many laps’.
“Finally, I finished the race in second position, because I lose a lot and I say ‘okay’, and I see the gap a lot, and second position is good, safe, and better to finish [the championship] today.
“I’m really happy; finally we did it and we are the World Champions.
“This team is amazing because everyone is pushing really hard. When I signed for BMW, everyone was talking about me, saying ‘His career is finished’.
“But, now, everyone understands, I think. Also, I’m very happy [because] I won the World Championship with two different brands.”
Razgatlioglu’s first title came in much different circumstances to his second. While in 2024 Razgatlioglu has won numerous races by vast margins and was able to pull a points lead of 92 points before his aforementioned “big injury” in France, the Turkish rider’s battle with Jonathan Rea for the 2021 crown was much more closely fought, with numerous bar-to-bar battles throughout the year between Rea and Razgatlioglu for race wins and podium positions.
“In 2021, I’m fighting [in every corner], but now I have a little bit faster engine,” Razgatlioglu said, comparing his two championship seasons.
“But, still, the bike is not 100 per cent, but we are just trying to improve the bike.
“For tomorrow, I need to improve the bike, because it’s spinning a lot, the bike’s not accelerating good.
“But I’m just enjoying, because we are the World Champions. Tomorrow, I just make a fun race.”
