WorldSBK Aragon: Razgatlioglu takes old electronics to bogey-track podium

It is a measure of how much the outrageous talent that is Toprak Razgatlioglu and his Pata Yamaha R1 have come on in recent times that they looked at three WorldSBK podium finishes and a Superpole win at record pace at Aragon as almost disappointing.

The 2021 champion - using 2021 electronics - had the same kind of problems in each race once his front tyre had dropped, hence he was unable to fight race winners Rea and Bautista for anything but the first half of races in Spain.

He took away the track best time in Superpole, and a new lap record of 1’49.375 after the Superpole race, but despite those three top threes, and dusting off the combative Michael Rinaldi more than once, he felt his Sunday improvements were still not quite enough.

“In the short race, the Superpole race, I felt much better. Also for second race, I tried for a different setup. That also felt good but maybe with some changes I felt much better,” he told bikesportnews.com.

“But, again, same problem in the braking points I’m not really strong race two, because the bike rear does not stop. But, anyway, third position again and we are again on a podium and we took good points for the championship. Normally we are not really strong in this track, also last year. But after this track, we are starting to get stronger.

“We will see next race. We have finished the Aragon weekend. I’m really bored because I’ve been here since last weekend. Finally I go home. This is good.”

Asked if he thinks Bautista will possibly do the same as he did in 2019 and run away to lead each race in 2022, he replied with a bit of humour, “In ’19 I did not see Alvaro, because he goes alone all race. This year when we start, I always see Alvaro. This is good, I think.”

Now Assen