Toprak Razgatlioglu has given an insight into how he has adapted to a factory WorldSBK team environment, admitting he wasn’t sure if he’d be allowed to perform his famous ‘stoppies’ as a Yamaha representative… until he was asked to do more of them!
The Turk has become a firm fan favourite over the last couple of years for his active riding style and acrobatics on two-wheels, including his ‘stoppies’ as he enters the pit-box, whereby he pitches his bike onto front-end as he brakes, lifting the rear up.
However, after several years competing as a privateer in a one-rider team, Razgatlioglu was worried his switch to the factory Pata Yamaha team would force him to tone down his two-wheel exploits.
On the contrary as it turns out with a video of him performing a stoppies in Jerez at the end of 2019 going viral before another one where he came a little too close to colliding with Michael van der Mark also gaining attention.
“I was used to being in a small team, and now coming into an official manufacturer team. I don’t know all the people in the team yet and always I say, for me it is not easy because everyone is different to work with. But already it’s feeling very good and I like it a lot. In the beginning, I was a little… scared!
“Because I don’t know the team and everything is new. But now I’m very happy and enjoying it. Like with the stoppies at the end of the test, I thought at the start, ‘ah maybe I won’t try because I don’t know if it will be allowed!’ But after one time, somebody asked me ‘can you do another stoppie?’ So then I say ‘OK!’
“I didn’t know in the beginning if it would be OK because it was all-new but these are racing people – serious about their jobs – and they also want to enjoy it.”
Toprak Razgatlioglu adapting quickly to Yamaha R1
Having forged his career on Kawasaki machinery through Superstock and into Superbikes, Razgatlioglu is embarking on a new chapter in 2020 with a switch to the Yamaha R1.
Despite the change, the Razgatlioglu has proven quick from the outset, troubling the top of the timesheets in all tests so far – and topping the most recent one at Portimao in Jonathan Rea’s absence – while he has also generally had the measure of his talented team-mate van der Mark.
Indeed, of all the riders on the grid, Razgatlioglu commands huge respect from the man they are all attempting to defeat in Rea. The Ulsterman became something of a mentor to his former Kawasaki stablemate and is the rider many predict will be the one to topple him in a straight fight.
With Phil Marron working as his crew chief again, Razgatlioglu has high hopes for success aboard the 2020 Yamaha R1.
“I feel like it is very easy to turn, really good at turning and with the power I am feeling much better. I’m learning that my new bike with Yamaha has a different character from what I rode in the past.
“After more laps, I feel much better. I’ve always liked Yamaha; my first bike was a PW50! I have ridden Yamaha bikes over many years – I ride a Niken on the streets at home - and now after five years on a different bike, I have come here and I’m very happy.”
