ROKiT BMW Motorrad’s Toprak Razgatlioglu has made a bold target to win all three World Superbikes races at the Misano circuit in Emilia Romagna, Italy this weekend.
The Turkish rider surprised the WorldSBK paddock last year when he announced he’d be departing the Pata Prometeon Yamaha squad for BMW in 2024.
The Bavarian marque has struggled for form in recent years but has bounced back as a genuine title threat with Razgatlioglu winning three races so far this season.
Just six points behind Championship leader Alvaro Bautista, Razgatlioglu is planning to double his 2024 win tally at Misano.
“It looks like we are ready to race to the podium, if we don’t face any problems,” said the 2021 World Champion.
“I have the feeling that we are very strong because the last test was really good.
“My target for the weekend is to get three wins but the races are always a different story. We will see. I will try to give my best and I am feeling really positive.”
Razgatlioglu admitted he’s still contending with an injury sustained in a training incident prior to last month’s Misano test, where he finished as the fastest rider in the field.
“I just still have a little bit of pain in my shoulder because before went to the test, I had a crash,” he said.
“I did not more than 10 laps but in general I feel that everything is good. On Friday, we will immediately start with a race simulation to understand where we stand.
“Overall, I’m very optimistic and especially mentally I am really ready to race. I can’t wait for the weekend.”
BMW Motorrad Motorsport Sporting Director Marc Bongers shares his star rider’s confidence heading to Misano after a nearly two-month break from racing.
Last time out at Assen, Razgatlioglu picked up a second-place finish and race victory with his team-mate Michael van der Mark also showing promise with a hattrick of top-10 finishes to show the strength of the BMW package.
“After the very long break, we can hardly wait to continue the WorldSBK season at Misano,” said Bongers.
“The first three events of this year went very well for us.
“Following the positive and productive tests for the Bonovo action BMW Racing Team at Cremona and the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team at Misano, we are now very optimistic about the next race weekend.
“Additionally, Misano is a track where we have had successes in the past.
“We will give our all to be strong with the entire squad on the Adriatic coast and to score a lot of points for the world championship.”
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