Toprak Razgatlioglu throws down gauntlet ro rivals in Jerez WSBK decider

Toprak Razgatlioglu carries a 46-poꦆint lead to the Spanish WorldSBK

Toprak Razgatlioglu
Toprak Razgatlioglu

After missing out on clinching the 2024 WorldSBK title at Estoril last weekend, Toprak Razgatlioglu has his second and final ch🅘ance this weekend at the season-ending Spanish Round at Jerez.

Shou🧜ld Razgatlioglu manage his current 46-point championship lead across this꧑ weekend’s three races to be crowned champion, it would be the second time he has won a World Superbike Championship in the final round of the season after his 2021 triumph that was decided in Indonesia.

“2021, I remembe🍎r, the championship also finished in the last race, this year also the same,” Razg🎃atlioglu told WorldSBK.com following his Race 2 victory in Estoril last Sunday.

Razgatlioglu added that he was expecting to wrap up the championship before the final round🎉, before his practice crash at the French Round last month that saw him miss six races.

The Turkish rider had a 92-point lead over Ni🌳colo Bulega before the races in France, but by the time he came back at the Aragon Round three weeks later that difference was reduced to 13 points.

“Before the crash, I’m t𒐪hinking that it looks like we will finish the championship three races before [the end], but after the crash everything is changing, everythiꦐng is destroyed.

“I’m 🍬trying to manage, also sometimes it’s not easy — for me it’s a very difficult race in Aragon, but I did a very good job there.

“Here, I needed three wins, ꩲbut I lose the Superpole Race. But I did a g🐓ood job in general.”

A🍌lthough Razgatlioglu’s points lead is significan🐻t, the championship is ultimately coming down to a final round decider. The Turkish rider, though, insists he’s not stressed out by it.

“I’m not feeling stressed, especཧially for Jerez, because I have a good gap and I just need go✅od positions in Jerez, I don’t need to win again.

“I’m trying to do my best in Je♑rez again, maybe I will win there. All the Ducatis are very strong in Jerez, but maybe now we are more strong because, after the test, 🤡we improve a lot.”

Razgatlioglu insisted that, if he can win races in Jerez, he will try to “fight” for those, but 🌊will settle for less if he feels 🦄it’s too risky to push for victory this weekend.

“I’m ready tꦫo fight again, like today,” he said. “I’m just focused to win again. But if, for the last race, I just need a second position, that’s okay but I’m just focused again to win the raꦐce in Jerez.

“It’s difficult but I just try to do my best💜, like Aragon.”

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