‘I have a dream’: Toprak targets Donington triple as title hopes revived

Reigning World Superbike champion Toprak Razgatlioglu cut the maximum 25 points from Alvaro Bautista’s title lead after his first full race victory of the season was combined with a Donington DNF for the Ducati rider.
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Donington Park WorldSBK race1, 16 July
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Donington Park WorldSBK race1, 16 July

While Bautista and Ducati looked on t𓄧he back foot from Friday, Razgatlioglu was predicted to face a major challenge just to keep pace with🎀 pole qualifier Jonathan Rea.

Instead, Razgatlioglu wrestled the lead from the Kawasaki rider into turn one and, barring a brief out-braking battle with the six-time champion into the Fog﷽arty Esses, never looked back.

“I saw Johnny trying hard braking and I did also. We both went a little bit wide, but I don't know [what happened to him] after,” Razgatlio🔜glu said.

While Rea dropped to a low of fifth before fighting to second, Razgatlio꧟glu began building what would eventually become a꧋ dominant lead of over seven-seconds.

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“I was not killing the tyre, just opening the gas slowly and when I saw the🌼 gap I began to ride more relaxed,” Razgatlioglu said. “Yesterday we had a big problem with grip, but today we improved and I could set very co🍬nsistent lap times.

“I'm surprised because yesterday in the race simulation, I wasn’t feeling so strong because the rear tyre really dropped. But in the race it felt like a different bike and I felt like last year. I rode very relaxed, the grip was much better and I𒅌 felt under control.

“I think we changed again some set-up. I don't know because I didn’t ask my team, I just said thank you! Maybe t൲he hotter te🉐mperatures also helped.

“In the last three laps I closed the gas because it’s the first [full rac꧅e] victory for me this year so I didn’t want to take any risks, but when I saw 7-seconds lead I needed to do a Stoppie over the finish line like Magny-Cour🍸s!

Toprak Razgatlioglu, Donington Park WorldSBK race1, 16 July
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Donington Park WorldSBK race1, 16 July

Toprak Razgatlioglu: ‘I have a Donington dream’

“I'm very happy today. Finally, I feel good with the bike and we are now very strong," Razg𒈔atlioglu added.

“But the weekend is not finished. We have two more races and, after becominไg worl𒅌d champion, I have a dream; to take 3 wins in a race weekend.

"We will try to do it here, becausꦅe it’s my favourite track.”

The Pata Yamaha star said he was unaware Bautista had crashed out, marking the Spaniard’s first DNF of the season and re-opening what looked to be a closing door on Razgatlioglu🌠’s title defence.

“I saw someone down at the last corner but I♓ didn’t know which rider it was,” he said. “After I finished the race, I understood that Alvaro crashed, but now I'm not thinking about this. I’m just focus꧅sed on my job.”

Joking that he liked the new 54-point gap, hisℱ former racing number, Razgatlioglu insisted it’s still a case of chasing wins on a race-by-race basis.

“I'm not looking at the championship, like last year I'm just 🐠focused race-by-race. For me it’s important to get more wins and we will see. We have many more๊ races…”

Rea, who finished second to Razgatlioglu after Bautista’s downfall, is now just 16-points f🌳rom the title lead.

Bautista has won six races so far this season, Rea five and Razgatlio༺glu two - the Donington win adding to a Supꦡerpole victory last time at Misano.

Rea's team-mate Alex Lowes completed t🤪he Saturday podium in third.

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