Toprak Razgatlioglu believes the secret to unlocking “special” MotoGP results lies in starting race weekends with a stronger Friday performance, especially as he returns to the Sachsenring for the first time since 2014.
The Turkish rider, now competing with Pramac Yamaha, hasn’t raced at the German circuit since his Red Bull Rookies Cup days—when he famously battled future world champion Joan Mir and scored 1-3 finishes. Ahead of this weekend’s German MotoGP, Razgatlioglu admits his lack of recent Superbike experience at Sachsenring might actually be a benefit.
“I remember the track, but today I realized I’d forgotten the first corner is downhill!” he laughed. “Tomorrow, I’ll learn the track again.”
After a tough, pointless weekend at Assen, Razgatlioglu says that improving his performance on Fridays is the top priority. “We need to improve Fridays, because we’ve been starting really bad. I always get faster on Saturday and Sunday, but if we can begin the weekend stronger, I think we can achieve something special.”
He also noted that coming into Sachsenring without Superbike habits could help: “Maybe it’ll be better here because I’ve never ridden the Superbike here. In Assen, I started Friday riding in a Superbike style, so we’ll see how it goes this time.”
With a fresh mindset and focus on early weekend pace, Razgatlioglu is eager to turn potential into podiums as the MotoGP season rolls on.
