WorldSBK Argentina: Razgatlioglu ‘angry but time to forget’

2021 WorldSBK Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu was in an apologetic mood after he fell on the first lap of race one at San Juan Villicum, getting too eager to prevent Alvaro Bautista from running away out front. Toprak just entered T9 too hot, off line on the dirty asphalt and crashed. His bike just missed Bautista, and ran way into the gravel trap.

Razgatlioglu restarted and scored a single point for 15th place, having lost half a minute or more due to his fall. Bent handlebars and all, he still managed to pass enough backmarkers to score a single point. With Bautista winning the race Razgatlioglu was still second overall on Saturday night, but he ended up 80 points adrift of his Ducati rival.

Toprak explained his fateful first lap moment by saying, “I tried to pass Alvaro because he has a big advantage in the straight. I tried to exit the straight at the front, but I crashed and low-sided. It was a big mistake for me after two years.

“After the crash, I’m very angry because I said, ‘why the first lap you try pushing hard?’ Because also I’m thinking again, Ducati has an advantage in the straight. I need to pass him directly. But anyway, now I’m not changing the race. I forget. Tomorrow is a big day for me. We have two more races and I try my best.”

Had that crash not happened, the new pole position record holder from just a short time before race one was not sure if he would have had the pace for Bautista or not.

“I don’t know if I go to Alvaro, but we are fighting for the podium,” he confirmed. “But Alvaro is very strong, especially in long straight. He is doing 04, 05 fast every lap. But, we will see tomorrow because I’m trying my best again. I need to podium again for tomorrow.

“For me, this has been a very difficult day.