Toprak Razgatlioglu senses a major breakthrough in his bike’s setup at Mugello—but one factor remains crucial for him and his riding style
Even though Toprak Razgatlioglu left Mugello without any points, the Pramac rider draws a clearly positive, albeit realistic, conclusion. The Turkish rider talks about technical progress in his interaction with his bike and how crucial the feel for engine braking remains for him.
Razgatlioglu, who is known for his uncompromising braking maneuvers, describes Race Sunday in particular as a clear turning point in his bike’s setup.
Especially during the morning warm-up, he felt a completely different bike: “I was riding a completely different bike. I feel much better; the bike stops better. And I’m holding more speed in the corner.”
This change was a major step forward for him, as it marked the first time he’d had a real feel for the engine braking again. This aspect is particularly crucial for the three-time Superbike World Champion. His entire riding style depends heavily on it.
Razgatlioglu describes his biggest problem
“I think the key for me is engine braking. When I feel it, I ride much better.” Without this feedback, he can hardly slow the bike down the way he’s used to from the Superbike World Championship. “If I don’t feel engine braking, I’m not using the front tire properly. That’s my biggest problem.”
This aspect has now also been clearly identified in discussions with the team officials. The crew has understood that this is exactly where the lever for further improvements lies. In his own assessment, Razgatlioglu is currently on the right track, even if not everything is working perfectly yet.
“If we keep going like this, we’ll improve significantly,” believes the Turkish rider. Although he hasn’t quite found his ideal rhythm yet, he’s heading in the right direction.
Gained important insights for the setup
“I’m not quite in Toprak style yet, but I’m moving a bit in that direction. I’m not really strong on the brakes, only in some corners. It’s difficult with this tire,” he says. Both the tires and the engine characteristics are significantly different from those in Superbike, which makes adaptation difficult.
But Razgatlioglu is optimistic that development is not yet over. The current package isn’t fully developed yet, but the learning curve is positive: “We lose at the start every weekend, but by the end we’re getting better.”
Mugello, in particular—a track with long straights and hard braking zones—is traditionally considered challenging for riders who rely heavily on the brakes. That made the confidence he gained in engine braking all the more important for him.
Now the 29-year-old hopes that with these new insights, the team can be more competitive right from the start of a race weekend in the future. “If we start at this level in Balaton Park, that would be incredible for me,” he says, looking ahead to the Hungarian Grand Prix. “But we’ll see. That’s my goal.”