WSBK: Razgatlioglu testing MotoGP Yamaha M1 in Jerez

Toprak Razgatlioglu is back on a MotoGP bike testing a Yamaha YZR-M1 as part of a MotoGP test week at the Circuito de Jerez in Spain. A collection of test riders will be attending the event. This test comes after recent speculation that Razgatlioglu might be seeking a move to MotoGP for 2024. However, Razgatlioglu has acknowledged that the chances of this are low due to space at Yamaha. However, he did not completely rule out a move to a different manufacturer. Nothing is official on the potential move.

What we do know is Razgatlioglu currently sits in second place in the WSBK championship standings. He has finished on the podium five out of six races this season and is only overshadowed by Alvaro Bautista. Bautista arguably has had the perfect start to the 2023 season. Nonetheless, there are 10 more rounds to determine if the current standings will hold true for the remainder of the season.

Razgatlioglu stated to WSBK.com, “I am looking forward to testing the YZR-M1 MotoGP bike at Jerez, a track I like a lot. The last test in Aragon was limited by the weather, but in Jerez it looks like we’ll have better conditions and more track time. It will give me the chance to understand better the demands of racing a factory MotoGP bike. Thanks to Yamaha for giving me this opportunity.”

Lin Jarvis, Creator and Head of Yamaha Motor Racing was in attendance and stated, “Toprak is an extraordinarily talented motorcycle racer, and I am very curious to see his speed on our factory MotoGP™ machine.” The question will linger as long as Yamaha have a seat with an unsigned rider. Currently Monster Energy rider and former 2021 Champion Fabio Quartararo has a contract lined up for 2024 but Marco Morbidelli does not. The pressure in the Yamaha camp for WSBK and MotoGP will continue to mount as long as these uncertainties are present.”

After running 8th fastest and logging 63 laps during the test in Jerez. The speculation surrounding a move to MotoGP continues. We will keep you updated on these developments.

After 2022 Toprak Razgatlioglu seemingly had dismissed the idea of joining MotoGP in 2023. It appears that Razgatlioglu has renewed his interest in making the jump. In an interview with Speedweek.com Razgatlioglu discussed his willingness to leave WSBK for MotoGP if the situation works itself out. “My contract with Yamaha ends after this season,” said Toprak Razgatlioglu in theexclusive interview. “Maybe I’ll sign with them [Yamaha] again, maybe I’ll go to another brand. It’s still too early to say anything, a decision will probably not be made until the middle of the year. I hope to be able to ride MotoGP next year. My plan and my dream is to fight for the MotoGP title – or for podiums. At Yamaha, as a Yamaha rider, I have the best chance. As of today, they have room for me in the factory team for next year. If that doesn’t work, we might look at other teams.”

He continued, “I would be the first Turkish rider in the MotoGP World Championship, but that’s not important to me. It’s important that I can finish in the top three. I know everyone in MotoGP is very strong and very close. Maybe my first year wouldn’t be easy and I’d be stronger in my second year. I don’t know it. The GP bike is very different from the Superbike, the tires are different too and I would have to adapt.”

Why not try?

Razgatlioglu is hopeful that Yamaha can produce a bike that taps into their recent success. Fabio Quartararo secured the 2021 World Title with Yamaha. The Razgatlioglu camp will want the opportunity to race a bike that can dominate the field. Razgatlioglu stated, “In 2021 I was Superbike World Champion, now I’m looking at MotoGP. Why shouldn’t I try it there?” Currently sitting in second place in the WSBK championship, Razgatlioglu will look to maximize his case for making the jump. There is one man who stands between him and the top spot. That man is Alvaro Bautista who will be looking to continue his dominance after a successful Barcelona Testing Weekend.

This past weekend many riders in the World Superbike (WSBK) championship participated in early season test in Barcelona at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The circuit is 2.894 mile long and will serve as the location for round 4 of the WSBK championship schedule on May 5th 2023. This is the second testing event since the last race in Indonesia. We have observed a variety of concept designs tested for downforce, tire programs and overall reliability. Here is what we know as we head towards WSBK Round 3.

Bautista is in a league of his own

Alvaro Bautista has established dominance in the 2023 campaign thus far. Having won 5 of the 6 races to date he has set the tone of a returning champion. In Barcelona he set a best lap time of 1:40.459s inching within less than a tenth of the track record set by Tom Sykes in 2021. Bautista crashed on Day 2 of testing but was not injured. Bautista stated on racing website, “It was a very positive test where we also had the chance to try the new tires brought by Pirelli. We gathered valuable information that will be useful during the season. I am very happy with the feeling with the bike and I can’t wait to be at Assen.“ Bautista logged 142 laps during testing. Aruba.it teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi ran 4th fastest on Day 2. Rinaldi stated, “We have done a lot of laps ya know we had many things to try. Luckily during the test we were still able to do our job and work that during race we weekends we are not doing…Pretty happy, speed was good and the feeling of the bike was not so bad. I think we have made some steps forward and it has been as well a positive test so I’m really happy about these days.” Rinaldi also referenced that the results from testing may change how the bike runs on grand prix weekend in a few weeks because the track temperature is expected to be much higher during round 4 in Barcelona.

Positive Outcomes for Team HRC

Iker Lecuona also came within a tenth of the track record as well setting a best time of 1:40.521s which was 0.062s off of Baustista’s fastest lap. His testing day 1 ended early when he crashed at turn 14 after losing the front end of the bike. Lecuona stated to WSBK.com, “Luckily, I don’t have anything broken. It’s a fast crash. I lost the front. I didn’t do anything crazy. The line has one bump and the front didn’t recover enough, so I lost the front. When I arrived at the gravel, the problem is I was very close to the bike. I arrived with the bike. On the first jump the bike did in the gravel, it hit my foot. In this moment, I thought I broke my foot. It was painful. I was quite scared. Also, with my face, I did five or six rolls in the gravel. My visor lifted up and all the stones went into the helmet.” Despite the crash Lecuona also stated, “I’m very confident going to Assen. I’m ready 100% for Assen. I’m very excited to go again. Last year, I got my first podium in WorldSBK there. This year, my potential with the bike is even better. I know I can fight for the podium. I think we are starting to be ready to fight for the top positions.” His new wave of confidence will be tested at the next round at Assen.

Petrucci’s Bad Luck Continues

Danilo Petrucci made the jump from the MotoAmerica Superbike championship to World Superbike for the 2023 campaign. Unfortunately for the Barni Racing Ducati rider, his regular success on the podium in MotoAmerica has not translated into success in the early stages of the WSBK season. Petrucci’s best finish thus far is a P5 finish in race 1 in Australia at Philip Island. However, despite this feat, it’s clear there are some harmonization issues with the bike. The Barni Racing rider has complained about the riding position in relation to the tank design, the seat position and some concerns about new tires.

On day 1 he completed 62 laps and set a day best of 1:42.355s however on day 2 he crashed twice cutting his day short before trying out some new components including the new gas tank. He was able to return after both crashes with no injury. Petrucci said to WSBK.com: “It was quite a short day because of two crashes; fortunately, really low speed at Turn 5 in the middle of the corner. We were testing something different and also a different seat, a lower one. Let’s say we are quite good on race pace but not on the flying lap when we put new tires. I can’t use the potential of the new tires so I’m not really fast on the timesheets. The feeling was more or less okay on both days but, for sure, we need to understand why I struggle a lot with the new tire. I can’t wait to go to Assen. It’s one of my favorite circuits.”

Other Thoughts

BMW and Kawasaki used the training weekend to test a number of upgrades and components. Both manufacturers appear to have positive outcomes when comparing performance to the championship front runners. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) received some electronic updates that had been used by teammate Andrea Locatelli previously. The two currently sit in second and third place respectively in the championship behind Bautista.

WSBK heads to TT Assen Circuit in the Netherlands for round 3 of the championship April 21st 2023. TT Assen is a 2.822 mile course featuring 18 corners. For more information on how to watch click here. Check out our Day 1 review.

Five factory teams will participate in the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya testing event. The event will span two days this March 30-31 2023. The Catalunya test marks the first time the five manufacturers have been on track together since the Indonesian race. The teams will be on the hunt for forward steps and more progress on developing the bike for the next race at TT Circuit Assen set to occur April 21-23rd 2023. The majority of the World Superbike (WSBK) grid will be participating in the testing event which could be a good indication on pace for the next round and round 4 which will take place at this same circuit.

Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK rider Jonathan Rea hasn’t had the most ideal start to the WSBK season only securing one podium in 6 races. In an interview with WSBK Rea stated,

“I expected it to be tough, but not that tough,” begins Rea, after the MotorLand Aragon test. “It’s very hard because we need to improve but I don’t think it’s our reality. We got it wrong by not maximising our setup in both weekends. Phillip Island was a real curve ball, but I feel like we threw away a race win in the first race, but I had a shifter problem, so I had to manually shift up and down the gearbox all race, which took away a chance to fight for a win. Not that it’d change much about Sunday’s races, as again I had two riders up the inside of me at Turn 4 – Aegerter in the Superpole Race and Bassani in the long race, and that dictated my race. This concerned us as I was looking after my tyre and it was a strange situation, not something we expected.”

“Then, in Indonesia, we just got things wrong setup-wise, I don’t think it’s our true reality, but I know we need to improve. Right now, in WorldSBK, Ducati have a real strong package and their Independent bikes are at the front now and they’re fighting in the mix with the top five or six riders. Andrea Locatelli’s improved and so has my teammate Alex, so those top seven or eight riders are fast and if you don’t get away with Alvaro and Toprak, then you’re in that melee and if you’re struggling to pass already, then you can’t make progress anyway. That’s how it was in the first two rounds.”

“You can’t magically think, ‘f**k, what if I don’t win again?’, we really are a team fighting for the podium right now”

Other Rider Thoughts

Danilo Petrucci, season racer but WSBK newcomer will be using this testing event as a means to get more comfortable on the bike. Previously Danilo interview with WSBK and commented on his testing program for the 2023 season, “We have some tests before Assen, at the end of March in Barcelona. Two days of testing. I think we will have already the new fuel tank which is a little bit lower. At the moment, I’m still not 100% comfortable on the bike. My team and Ducati immediately provided something to let me be faster. At the moment, this is the main thing. We have other small issues, small things to try. I think this is the most important thing to let me be comfortable on the bike. I can be faster with this tank.”

Petrucci has yet to find a groove after making his transition from the MotorAmerica Superbike Championship to the WSBK. Barni Spark Racing Team are hopeful that Petrucci will be able to find a bit of chemistry with the changes on the bike and get back to his podium producing ways of the past.

Results from Day 1

Defending champion and riders championship leader Francesco Bautista is the fastest so far at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya testing event. Bautista set a 1’40.500s lap time to record the fastest time of the morning. His pace was 0.1s away from the lap record at the circuit. Aruba.it Ducati has started the season off with a statement securing 5 podiums with Bautista and 2 podiums with teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi. They will look to build off of this early success to determine if this pace can be carried into round 3 at TT Assen. 2022 polesitter Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) was second after he posted a 1’41.276s lap time and he was around one tenth ahead of Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was third fastest on day one of testing.

Alvaro Bautista does it again in Indonesia with wins in Race one and two. These victories did not come without a drama filled afternoon. With a win in race one Bautista sought to repeat his hat trick performance at Philip Island at Round 1. However a crash from P3 led to his demise in Superpole and a P10 start for race two. Nonetheless, Bautista bounced back fighting through a red flag in race 2 and jumped to second place after 5 laps and soon passed teammate Michael Rinaldi to take P1 after Rinaldi seeming had tire wear issues.

After the race Alvaro said, “It was an incredible day. Everything happened, first in the Superpole Race then in Race 2. I crashed in the morning because after Jonathan overtook me I went on the dirty part of the track. The start from tenth position in Race-2 was not easy also because this is a circuit that doesn’t offer many points to attack. Then, after the red flag, I thought I could not catch Rinaldi who had a very fast pace. In the end, though I got closer and I was able to take the first position. We have a lot of confidence and we want to continue to prove that we are competitive“.

Elsewhere on the grid TEAM HRC rider Xavie Vierge claimed his first WSBK Podium securing 3^rd place with a +4.068s gap behind to Aruba.it Racing Ducati’s Rinaldi who finished in 4^th. Barni Spark Ducati Team and 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike runner up Danilo Petrucci finished P6 which is an improvement from his showing at Philip Island in Round 1 after suffering from a penalty after making contact with Xavi Vierge. Pata Yamaha Prometeon WSBK racer Toprak Razgatlioglu who won Superpole and finished both races in P2 seems to be the only rider at the moment who might be able to answer Bautista’s dominance thus far this season.

Razgatlioglu had a few words after the race regard his weekend, “This weekend for me was not so easy, because I am not starting strong. We try to find the best set-up but anyway, in the last race I am feeling the bike is much better than yesterday. In the Superpole Race I just try my best and finally win – this season I take first win in Mandalika! My focus was on the second race, because important for the points – just a bit unlucky with the red flag. If no red flag, maybe I am possible winning again because I already saw Rinaldi’s tire start to drop. Sometimes you understand the limit, you think – this position is good – but sometimes you have a chance to fight. In the end, we finished on the podium and I am happy. We will keep fighting for the podium and for the win – this year, all riders really strong but we have many races.”

Razgatlioglu’s teammate at Pata Yamaha Andrea Locatelli is worth honorable mention finishing P3 in race one and P5 in race two. Locatelli said after the race, “It was another great weekend because in the end we were on the podium twice. Unfortunately we lost another opportunity in Race 2 because of the red flag, I restarted further back after I went wide at Turn 12, but in general I am really happy because we were fast – we showed our speed in qualifying and the races and got a lot of good results, so I think we can be proud.


Race Results can be found here. It has been a stellar start to the 2023 season for Ducati in the manufacturers standings. The top 5 in the championship after round two are as follows:

WSBK has confirmed that the iconic Imola Circuit will be returning to the WSBK calendar for 2023. Imola will proceed as round 7 of the championship and will take place 14-16 Jul 2023. It has been 3 seasons since WSBK last visited this iconic race circuit which has a long history of defining motorsports triumphs across the different series that stop here. In a press release from WSBK:

Gregorio Lavilla, WorldSBK Executive Director, was delighted to welcome Imola back onto the calendar: “After three seasons away, we are thrilled to welcome back Imola to the calendar in 2023. This second round in Italy confirms the popularity of the Championship amongst the Italian fans as there is a lot of passion for our sport there with many Italian riders and teams in our paddock. Imola has an illustrious history within World Superbike, and we look forward to the 2023 Italian Round, which promises to be an exciting event for the fans.”

The excitement of Italian fans coupled with Ducati’s continued dominance will be an incredible spectacle. Pietro Benvenuti, Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari di Imola General Director, stated his pleasure at the return of WorldSBK to Imola, and is keen for more memories to be made: “It is with great satisfaction that we announce this agreement with Dorna WSBK Organization, which brings Imola back to the prestigious WorldSBK calendar. We know that there are many fans who wouldn’t miss this event for anything as Imola always had strong ties with this Championship. Not to mention that a World Champion on a Ducati will take to the track, undoubtedly a great incentive for many of the “Rossa” to watch on from trackside. Opting for the month of July is also strategic for the region as it will open business opportunities during a period when local accommodation options are not at full capacity, confirming the role of the circuit as a driving force of the local economy. It’s a great result made possible thanks to the full support of the Municipal Administration, which strongly wanted the return of Superbike to Imola.”

Defending champion Alvaro Bautista, racer for Aruba.it Racing Ducati team  wasted no time setting the tone for the 2023 WSBK Season. Bautista dominated the competition in wet condition in race one. After starting from P2 Bautista was able to overtake pole sitter Toprak Razgatlioglu on the start. From this point on Razgatlioglu started to fall behind and the race soon became a head to head battle between Bautista and rival Jonathan Rea of Kawasaki Racing WSBK. Ultimately Bautista was able to hold off Rea in a wet weather racing masterclass of defense and race craft. 

Race two is where it all started to go wrong for Jonathan Rea. Falling off pace and trickling down the order Rea finished P7 while Bautista secured another victory which increased the season point deficit for Rea to 31 points on the season. Rea will need to bounce back in Indonesia to stand a chance at maintain championship hopes this season. With Bautista winning both races and Superpole it is clear he has no intention of slowing down from where he left off in 2022. Aruba.it Racing Ducati teammate Michael Rinaldi took P2 in Race two and Superpole which helped maximize points for the Aruba.it camp after Rinaldi finished P14 in disappoint race one.

The rest of the field had no answers for Aruba.it Racing Ducati this weekend and they will all need a strong showing at Round 2 in Indonesia if they want to stay in the title fight.

Top 10 Race One Results

Top 10 Race Two Results