Championship leader Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) will not take part in the Acerbis Italian Round after being ruled out through the injuries he sustained in France. ‘El Turco’ crashed at Magny-Cours in Free Practice 2 at Turn 14 and was diagnosed with mild traumatic pneumothorax, which ruled him out of all three races in France. Although he made his intentions to race at the Cremona Circuit clear, Razgatlioglu won’t take part in the round. BMW have drafted in Markus Reiterberger to replace him.
RAZGATLIOGLU MISSES CREMONA: full focus on recovery
Razgatlioglu had been on a run of 13 consecutive wins heading into the French Round, but his FP2 crash ended that streak. After not racing in France, Razgatlioglu was cleared to travel to Italy to continue his recovery with the aim of racing at Cremona – a goal Razgatlioglu stated, as did his manager Kenan Sofuoglu. However, Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport, reiterated that Razgatlioglu would return to racing “when it is possible without health risks”.
The 2021 Champion would have needed to pass pre-round medical checks on Thursday in order to race, but it was announced on Wednesday that he wouldn’t take part at Cremona due to his ongoing recovery. Razgatlioglu has now stated he is aiming to return to the track at the Aragon Round, which takes place a week after Cremona.
RAZGATLIOGLU’S VIEW: “My goal now is to return at Aragon… as soon as possible, I’ll re-join the Championship fight”
Razgatlioglu said: “I would have loved to be back on track in Cremona, but the recovery of the mild pneumothorax is taking longer than I initially hoped. It’s important that I make a full recovery, and my goal now is to return on my BMW M 1000 RR at the next race weekend at MotorLand Aragon. But we need to wait and take it step by step. One thing is certain: as soon as possible and when my health allows, I will re-join the Championship fight! I’ll be rooting for my team at Cremona, and I hope to see the BMW M 1000 RR at the front and on the podium. A big thanks to everyone who’s been supporting me through this tough time – we’ll see each other back on the track soon!”
CHAMPIONSHIP IMPLICATIONS: a 55-point lead over Bulega
In Razgatlioglu’s absence in France, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) completed a Sunday double to close the gap to Razgatlioglu to 55 points. With Razgatlioglu sitting out the Italian Round, it’s possible for ‘Bulegas’ to take a seven-point lead into the Aragon Round a week later. However, Bulega will face fierce competition from his rivals in the fight for victory.
REITERBERGER RETURNS: first WorldSBK races since 2019
Razgatlioglu will be replaced by Markus Reiterberger, who raced in WorldSBK 72 times with BMW including with the Shaun Muir Racing-run team that he’ll step into today. The German rider took the 2018 STK1000 title, also with BMW, with four wins in eight races. Reiterberger has also been a key part of BMW’s EWC project, racing last weekend at the Bol d’Or and finishing third in the 2024 standings.
Discussing his WorldSBK return, Reiterberger said: “First and foremost, I want to wish Toprak all the best and a speedy recovery. At Cremona, my focus will be on supporting the team and BMW Motorrad Motorsport as best as possible. I know the bike, the team, and the WorldSBK, so there shouldn’t be any issues getting up to speed quickly. I aim to do my part to ensure that Toprak, the team, and BMW enter the final races with a well-prepared BMW M 1000 RR, fighting for the World Championship titles that he and everyone involved deserve this season.”
BMW SAYS: “Toprak’s complete recovery is the top priority… that’s why we decided together he will not return to racing at Cremona”
Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport, concluded: “Toprak’s complete recovery is the top priority for everyone. Everything else takes a back seat for now. That’s why we decided together that he will not return to racing at Cremona. He’s in good hands and working closely with the medical team to get back on his BMW M 1000 RR by the next race weekend at MotorLand Aragon. However, we will take all the time needed. In Markus Reiterberger, we have an excellent stand-in for Cremona, who brings a wealth of experience with the bike, WorldSBK, the team, and BMW Motorrad Motorsport. He will focus on basic and preparation work during the weekend, gathering crucial information so that Toprak can fight for the championship with the best possible material after his comeback.”
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Source: WorldSBK.com