Toprak Razgatlioglu, the reigning WorldSBK champion, narrowly missed achieving a 1m 57s lap time during the recent Sepang MotoGP test, demonstrating both promise and areas needing improvement on the Yamaha V4. Over the course of the test, Razgatlioglu finished just 0.746 seconds behind his Pramac teammate Jack Miller and 1.924 seconds off the fastest time set by Alex Marquez on the Gresini Ducati, underlining his competitive standing in his rookie MotoGP campaign.
Following a technical issue that paused Yamaha’s testing on day two, Razgatlioglu managed his best lap at 1m 58.326s on the final day, reflecting measured progress as he adapts to the demands of MotoGP riding style and machine characteristics.
Learning Through Jack Miller’s Guidance
Razgatlioglu acknowledged the crucial support provided by Jack Miller as he works to refine his racecraft.
“I‘m trying to understand where I need to improve and also how much I need to adapt my riding style to this bike,”
he said.
“Jack helped me a lot today – I followed him for a few laps to understand how to approach some corners that are still tricky for me.”
He further highlighted his strengths in braking but noted challenges remain in cornering.
“On braking, I’m strong, I can make hard braking and stop the bike, it’s perfect. But the long corners, still I don’t understand… Jack is very strong in the long corners.”
Adapting to Michelin Tyre Sensitivity
A significant part of Razgatlioglu’s development involves mastering the unique characteristics of the Michelin tyres used in MotoGP, which differ considerably from the Pirellis encountered in WorldSBK. He explained,
“The front tyre now, the feedback is perfect, but the rear tyre is still difficult because it’s so sensitive. It’s not easy for me to understand the tyre grip.”
Razgatlioglu contrasted the two tyre behaviors:
“The Pirelli [in WorldSBK] when you feel the spin, it’s easy to manage. But when the Michelin spins, it doesn’t stop again. The other riders know this tyre better, but for me it’s very difficult.”
Adjusting riding technique to this new grip dynamic requires caution.
“You need to ride like a Moto2 style and open the gas very gentle, because this tyre is so sensitive. I’m trying to adapt to this, my team always say ‘ride smooth’, but to say is easy!”
he noted.
He added that his usual Superbike style involves using rear tyre slides for turning and acceleration, but MotoGP demands the opposite approach.
“When I’m riding the bike with a new tyre, it’s so difficult to wait a lot to open the gas, because in Superbike I’m always using the rear tyre to turn. I was always using the rear tyre for sliding and pick up and good acceleration, but MotoGP is the opposite.”
Looking ahead to upcoming tests, he shared plans to explore setup changes in Thailand to address handling.
“In Thailand, maybe we will try some different setups, we just tried some new parts and just focused on riding the bike. But now it looks like we need some different suspension setup, because I need some help for the turning and more grip.”
Experimenting with Riding Style Adjustments
One notable experiment Razgatlioglu is undertaking involves raising the handlebar height, which has altered his riding position significantly.
“Yeah, I’m riding a touring bike now!”
he joked. He explained the trade-offs:
“I just try like a Superbike style, in some areas I feel perfect, especially on the brakes, I’m really strong with this handlebar, but I lose on the straight.”
He pointed out the difficulties in adapting to a higher handlebar setup.
“I lose a little bit of top speed and maybe I lose a little bit in the corner, because this handlebar is high, so it’s not easy to lean down. Also this is normally not my style, normally I’m not leaning so far down, but now we start trying to change my riding style, because MotoGP needs this.”
Final Preparations Ahead of MotoGP Debut
Toprak Razgatlioglu is scheduled to take part in his final pre-season MotoGP test at Buriram on the weekend of February 21-22, where further adaptations and setup refinements are expected to prepare him for his race debut. His ongoing learning curve, supported by Jack Miller’s mentorship, will be crucial as he aims to bridge the gap with established riders like Alex Rins and Alex Marquez while overcoming the challenges posed by his new machine and tyres.
