[roadracingworld.com] - WorldSBK: Razgatlioglu Tops Two-Day Test In Portugal

[Ninjette Newsbot]

Razgatlioglu wraps up Portimao test leading the timesheets BMW’s Toprak Razgatlioglu seized the top spot on the second day of testing, enhancing his performance from yesterday by nearly one second. Teammate Michael van […]

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Razgatlioglu wraps up Portimao test leading the timesheets

BMW’s Toprak Razgatlioglu seized the top spot on the second day of testing, enhancing his performance from yesterday by nearly one second. Teammate Michael van der Mark secured fifth place, further affirming BMW’s competitive edge.

Once again, Nicolo Bulega emerged as the fastest Ducati rider, securing second place with a best time of 1’39.275s. His consistent improvement sets a positive tone for Ducati. However, teammate Alvaro Bautista found himself in the 15th position.

Next on the agenda for the WorldSBK grid is the Official Test set to unfold at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on February 19th and 20th, leading up to the Season Opener.

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) stole the spotlight on the final day of the European pre-season test, demonstrating his prowess with BMW. Razgatlioglu set the fastest lap, smashing the lap record with a time of 1’39.189s. BMW continued to showcase their strength as Michael van der Mark, Razgatlioglu’s teammate, worked on bike setup and secured the fifth position overall.

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) continued to impress, securing the second-fastest time with 1’39.275s, reaffirming his position as the leading Ducati rider. However, his teammate Alvaro Bautista faced a more demanding day, finishing in the 15th place, after ongoing work with ballast configurations.

Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) claimed the third spot focusing on race pace and crucial chassis adjustments. Meanwhile, teammate Axel Bassani worked on adapting to the inline four engine configuration but faced challenges, finishing 11th.

Yamaha witnessed a day of two halves, with Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) in fourth as the lead Yamaha rider. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon) impressing throughout, securing sixth place, while teammate Jonathan Rea faced technical issues in the morning but finished in seventh.

Other notable performances include Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team), Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW), and Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) displayed strong performances completing the top 10, contributing to the anticipation of a competitive 2024 season.

Honda showed signs of improvement, with Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) and Iker Lecuona adjusting electronics and addressing traction issues. Tarran Mackenzie and Adam Norrodin, representing the PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team, faced a mixed day, with Mackenzie experiencing a delay due to a starting issue, while both riders missed the action on day one.

The rest of the field, including Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Motocorsa Racing), Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven), Tito Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), Brad Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team), and Philipp Oettl (GMT94 Yamaha), continued to work on various aspects of their setups and strategies during the test.

Top WorldSSP rider was Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team), ahead of Niccolo Antonelli (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team).


P1 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team

“It was a fantastic day. We did a really good job. I wasn’t only focusing on the lap time but on the race pace, because after this test, we’re back racing already. The feeling with the bike is good. Everyday we’re getting better, especially today I made 1.39.8s lap with the SC0 tyre, and with the SCX tyre, I also made a 1’39s, which is really surprising. Today I tried a 15-lap race simulation, and it looks like we are ready to race but we are still learning. We will see in Phillip Island because it’s a completely different track.”



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