Yamaha remains steadfast in its position that Toprak Razgatlioglu will not be able to test the BMW until the completion of the 2023 World Superbike Championship.

Published by Stree Missile on 04/06/202304/06/2023

The world of motorcycle racing has recently witnessed a notable change with the announcement that Toprak Razgatlioglu will be leaving Yamaha at the end of the current Superbike season to join the BMW team. However, Yamaha has made it clear that the Turkish rider will not be able to test the BMW M1000RR until he fulfills his contract with them, which expires in November 2023.

This decision has generated some anticipation and debate in the racing world. Yamaha is determined to keep Razgatlioglu committed to the team until the end of his contract, denying him the opportunity to test his new team's motorcycle ahead of time. Andrea Dosoli, Yamaha Motor Europe's Road Racing Manager, stated on the official WSBK website that there is no possibility for Razgatlioglu to test any other motorcycle than a Yamaha until his contract expires.

On the other hand, BMW has responded calmly to this situation, considering it a standard procedure. Marc Bongers, BMW's Motorsport Director, explained that Razgatlioglu will be able to test the BMW M1000RR at the earliest in December, allowing the engineers to have a first impression of the bike. BMW will accept this decision and plan their testing accordingly based on that date.

Meanwhile, Yamaha has expressed some disappointment regarding Razgatlioglu's choice to join BMW, as they claim to have offered him an attractive contract renewal from an economic perspective. Despite this, they acknowledge that the rider is seeking new challenges and regret losing him after having worked together and celebrated great successes.

Regarding Razgatlioglu's performance in the current season, Yamaha acknowledges that he has not been able to contend for victories due to a significant performance gap.