Turkish bike racer Toprak Razgatlıoğlu is poised to clinch his second World Superbike Championship (WSBK) title this weekend in Spain.
The closing spherical of the 2024 WSBK season kicks off on the Circuito de Jerez on Oct. 19-20, the place Razgatlıoğlu can safe the championship by sustaining a 37-point lead over his closest rival, Italy’s Nicolo Bulega.
Known as “El Turco” amongst followers, Razgatlıoğlu has had a formidable season since his transfer to the Rokit BMW workforce from Pata Yamaha.
Despite a shaky begin on the opening spherical in Australia, the place he completed fifth and confronted mechanical points, Razgatlıoğlu shortly rebounded, showcasing his championship potential.
In the second spherical in Barcelona, he made a daring assertion by profitable the primary race and securing the highest spot within the superpole, ending third within the second race.
“Many people said we didn’t have a winning bike, but we showed we do,” he acknowledged after the Barcelona races. “This is a big project for BMW, and I’m a part of it. “We have the potential to win the championship.”
This season, Razgatlıoğlu has set the file for essentially the most consecutive victories in WSBK historical past, clinching 13 wins in a row.
His journey to this milestone started on the third spherical within the Netherlands, the place he fought again from a ninth-place begin within the second race to safe a shocking victory.
With wins in Italy, England, Czechia and Portugal, Razgatlıoğlu has not solely dominated the season but in addition etched his identify within the file books, with 216 profession races and 136 podium finishes.
Despite a setback as a consequence of damage that sidelined him from races in France and Italy, Razgatlıoğlu made a profitable return at MotorLand Aragon, ending in second place in all three races.
He continued to construct momentum with a robust efficiency in Portugal, the place he claimed two victories and a second-place end, extending his lead over Bulega to 46 factors.
As the season finale approaches, Razgatlıoğlu holds a commanding 473 factors, 46 forward of Bulega, who sits at 427 factors.
To safe the championship, he wants to keep up no less than a 37-point lead over Bulega after the primary race in Jerez. Points are awarded as follows: 25 for a win, 20 for second place and 16 for third.
In superpole races, factors are distributed as 12 for first, 9 for second and seven for third.
Should Razgatlıoğlu end the primary race in Jerez with a enough factors margin, he’ll assure his second world championship, additional solidifying his legacy in bike racing.
Razgatlıoğlu, who beforehand gained the championship with Yamaha in 2021, is now on the cusp of historical past once more with Rokit BMW.
As the workforce seeks its first WSBK title, Razgatlıoğlu’s outstanding performances have made him the important thing participant to look at in Spain this weekend.
Source: www.dailysabah.com