Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) topped the times in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s Official Test as he smashed both the existing lap record and his own pole time from last year. The Turkish rider has now topped the last two test days on his M 1000 RR as he looks to start the new chapter in his career in the best possible way, with ‘El Turco’ giving himself and BMW confidence.

In FP1, Razgatlioglu finished third after setting a 1’29.110s and completing 43 laps in a disrupted session. He was only 0.220s behind pacesetter Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and 0.109s slower than Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) in second. However, in FP2, Razgatlioglu rocketed to top spot with a 1’28.511s. Only Bulega, Razgatlioglu and Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) were able to lap in the 1’28s bracket, but it was the first time a WorldSBK machine had been this fast at Phillip Island. The existing lap record, for comparison, belongs to Tom Sykes when he secured pole in 2020 with a 1’29.230s while Razgatlioglu’s pole for Yamaha last year was a 1’29.400s.

Reacting to his incredible pace, Razgatlioglu said: “I was scared a lot because normally, I’m not really strong at this track. I started very strong, and the race pace is very, very strong. However, the problem is the rear tyre. After ten laps, it’s done. There’s a new surface with too much grip. I did a very good lap with the new lap record but for me, the race weekend is more important. I am only focused on this. The feeling is very good but in general, I am very happy.”

Back in 2020, Razgatlioglu made his Yamaha debut in WorldSBK and stunned by claiming victory in Race 1. It’s a feat he will be hoping to achieve with BMW following his bombshell move to the German manufacturer. Although Razgatlioglu stressed he was only thinking about a first rostrum with BMW, the 2021 Champion did state he was hoping to be able to fight for victory and potentially repeat his feat of winning on debut.

Looking ahead to the Grand Ridge Brewery Australian Round, Razgatlioglu said: “It’s important to start with a good result. At the moment, I am thinking only about the podium, but I hope I can fight for the win. It won’t be an easy race! We are working; we’re not at 100% now but we’ve started quickly. In general, it looks like everything is good. I’m excited ahead of the first race, so maybe after the first race, I’ll be more relaxed! It’s never easy to race here, especially with the new tarmac. I think everyone will enjoy watching the races this weekend!”

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Nicolo Bulega’s (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) impressive start to life in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship continued as he took P2 in the Official Test at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit as he became the first rider ever to lap in the 1’28s bracket before his time was overhauled. His fastest time was set in Free Practice 2, when he set a 1’28.585s to extend his lead at the top and it looked like it was good enough for P1, until Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) put in a last-gasp 1’28.551s to demote the #11 into second.

Bulega had topped three of the previous four test days in 2024, going fastest on both days at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto before topping the first day at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve. Just a few weeks on from that, and ‘Bulegas’ continued his fine form with second spot on the final test day before racing begins, putting him in a positive mode for the Grand Ridge Brewery Australian Round and 2024 as a whole.

Although his day was strong overall, it was disrupted by a crash at Turn 4, the right-hand hairpin known as Miller Corner, although he was able to bring his bike back to the pits. It put a small blot on an otherwise perfect copybook having been always fighting at the top of the times throughout every 2024 test.

Reviewing his test day, Bulega said: “I’m happy with this test because, from this morning, during the day, I improved my feeling with the bike, especially with used tyres. In the end, I didn’t do a long run but some laps together and I had a good pace. This is the most important thing at this test. In the last test I had at Portimao, I was very fast with new tyres, but I had to work a little bit on used tyres. I’m very happy here because I improved this a lot.”

With such a positive start to his time as a factory Ducati rider, Bulega also outlined his goals for 2024 as he looks to continue his form from the 2023 WorldSSP season, where he claimed the title in stunning fashion. With confidence high for the #11 heading into a rookie season, where he will partner double WorldSBK Champion Alvaro Bautista, Bulega spoke about what he expects from this season.

Playing down expectations for the season-opener, Bulega said: “I don’t have goals for this weekend, just to try to do my best and I will see what I can do. I hope for a podium but it’s not my target.”

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The 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is getting closer, but before racing resumes there’s the small matter of the final test day of the off-season at the iconic Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit ahead of the Grand Ridge Brewery Australian Round. The WorldSBK field will get eight hours of testing today split into two sessions: Free Practice 1 from 09:10-13:10 Local Time (UTC+10) and Free Practice 2 from 13:40-17:30. After yesterday’s rapid pace in WorldSSP, what sort of lap times will we see in WorldSBK?

09:54 – we’ve got a red flag on track. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) has had a technical problem at Turn 1. Earlier in the day, Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) had a crash but his bike is back in the pits

09:49 – For information, some reference lap times. Last year’s pole time, by Razgatlioglu, was a 1’29.400s. The race lap record is a 1’30.075s, from the 2019 Tissot Superpole Race courtesy of Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha), while the all-time record belongs to Tom Sykes from 2020 when he set a 1’29.230s in the Tissot Superpole session. The fastest time from last year’s test was a 1’30.272s by double Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)

09:41 – Razgatlioglu continues out in front, he’s the first rider to dip into the 1’29s with a 1’29.904s – that’s only half-a-second away from his pole time last year on the Yamaha…

09:35 – Toprak Razgatlioglu’s (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) gone out on track and is currently P1! ‘El Turco”s posted a 1’30.234s to demote Iannone to second. Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW) is fourth, six tenths off his BMW stablemate

09:29 – The fastest time so far belongs to Iannone, with ‘The Maniac’ setting a 1’30.426s, three tenths clear of Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK). His teammate, Axel Bassani, is also lapping the circuit

09:19 – Shortly after Oettl took to the track, Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven), Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) joined him. This test is Aegerter’s first test day of 2024, having missed outings at Jerez and Portimao through illness

09:10 – GREEN FLAG! Philipp Oetll (GMT94 Yamaha) is the first rider to head out on track

09:05 – before the test starts, recap some content from earlier. Catch up on all the WorldSSP action here with the end-of-day report, and don’t forget to check out how to follow the Official Test here

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As a new era gets underway in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship paddock, there’s a big rule change coming in for the WorldSSP field. Previously, the Tissot Superpole session decided the grid for both Race 1 and Race 2 but that will change this year. Now, the Friday Superpole session will determine the Race 1 line-up but how the field lines up for Race 2 will be based on the fastest laps for each rider in the Saturday race. At the Official Test for WorldSSP, riders gave their thoughts on the new format which will also see Superpole take place on Friday afternoons, with no Free Practice 2 session for the WorldSSP field.

The top nine positions on the Race 2 grid for 2024 will be based on the fastest laps set in Race 1 to allow riders to showcase their talent in different ways and to highlight outstanding performances. It potentially allows a rider who had a disappointing Friday to recover their weekend too if they set one of the top nine fastest laps in Race 1. For riders who do not achieve these, positions 10 onwards on the grid will be determined by the Tissot Superpole results.

Discussing the new rules on how the Race 2 grid will be set, Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team), who was quickest during the Official Test, said: “Without FP2, I think it’ll be important to do something for Race 2, because if you crash during the Superpole, you have the chance to make a good lap time and try to start Race 2 in the first nine positions.”

WorldSSP veteran Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing), who’s changed teams for 2024, outlined a potential extra challenge as he said: “For the Superpole on Friday, I think it’s a small advantage for everyone who has everything from the year before, the same team and bike, and arrives with a good base. Maybe for us who have three days to understand where we are and how to be fast, it’ll be a little bit more difficult. For the grid for Race 2, I don’t know. The important thing is that it’s the same for everybody.”

Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) comes into 2024 as the highest-placed rider from last season, and he explained his thoughts on the new format: “At the moment, I’m not focusing on it but it’s going to be interesting. I have to be fast over a single lap in the race because I, for sure, want to start as far forward as possible in Race 2.”

Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) is heading into his first season as a Ducati rider and gave a short answer about how he feels the new rules might impact him: “I think, if I do the job as I need to do, it will not be a big problem. It’s a different rule and we’ve never had this before and it’ll be fun.”

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The 2024 FIM Supersport World Championship season is just days away from firing up and at the test on Monday, there’s already a major headline. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) was able to lap under Andrea Locatelli’s all-time lap record, with the new track surface at Phillip Island seeing times tumble before the weekend has even got underway. Setting a 1’31.881, he was just less than a tenth ahead of the opposition but topped both the morning and the afternoon session.

Setting 98 laps throughout the day, it was a voyage of discovery for Montella on day one, with the #55 enjoying the new surface. Having done a race simulation, he already went two seconds quicker over the course of it than last year. Chipping away throughout, the Italian – who took a first race win of his career back in 2022 with Kawasaki on ‘The Island’ – finished on top but it’s not the domination that it seems, with less than a tenth of a second margin after both sessions.

Speaking at the end of the day, Montella recapped his test: “It was great! We enjoyed the new tarmac a lot. We worked a lot on race pace and tried to do a time attack. I’m happy because it was unexpected; I found a good feeling and good pace with the bike. There was a lot of grip; from last year’s race pace, I think I went 2s quicker than last year and it’s good tarmac for sure.”

Continuing, talking about his preparation for the first round of the 2024 season, the 24-year-old said: “Now, we need to rest because today we did a lot of laps. We’ll eat well and enjoy this island. I saw a lot of riders faster in this test: Caricasulo, Huertas, Manzi, Schroetter, Oncu, a lot! Let’s see but I hope to stay where I am and enjoy the weekend and the start of the season. I like this circuit; we were fast last year but in Race 1, I broke my collarbone. I hope this year is better than 2023 and we’ll try to do our best!”

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Yari Montella’s (Barni Spark Racing Team) preparations for the 2024 FIM Supersport World Championship were completed in the best possible fashion as he topped the times by 0.062s ahead of Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing). The two Italians were the only riders to lap in the 1’31s bracket at the newly-resurfaced Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, the final test day for the WorldSSP field before the Grand Ridge Brewery Australian Round.

THREE MANUFACTURERS IN THE TOP THREE: Ducati leads MV Agusta and Yamaha

Caricasulo’s first Official Test with his new Motozoo ME AIR Racing team couldn’t have gone much better as he set a 1’31.943s to post the first ever 1’31s lap of the legendary Phillip Island circuit, going two tenths quicker than Andrea Locatelli’s pole lap record of 1’31.176s from 2020, although he did have a crash at Turn 4 in FP1 which impacted his testing programme. However, in the final 30 minutes of the session, Montella overhauled his time by 0.062s to claim top spot in both FP1 and FP2, unofficially smashing the lap record. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) claimed third with a 1’32.183s, matching Locatelli’s pole lap record but finishing three tenths down on Montella.

HUERTAS QUICK DESPITE CRASH: P4 for the Spaniard, four tenths separate the top six

Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) comes into 2024 having replaced last year’s Champion, Nicolo Bulega, and started his Ducati career with P4 at the Official Test. The #99’s day was disrupted by a crash at Turn 9 in the final hour of FP2, with his bike brought back to the pits, but his 1’32.290s was enough to secure fourth. Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) claimed fifth place with Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) in sixth despite losing time in FP1 thanks to a technical problem. He was 0.453s slower than Montella.

STRONG STARTS FOR NEW BEGINNINGS: Mahias, Booth-Amos and Navarro all in the top ten

2017 Champion Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) is returning to WorldSSP on a full-time basis, and he showed his speed with P7 on Day 1 on his Yamaha YZF-R6 as he lapped half-a-second down on Montella. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) was eighth as he looks to build on his stunning 2023 rookie campaign, with two Triumph riders just behind him and rounding out the top ten. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph), who’s switched to the Street Triple RS 765 for this season, was ninth ahead of Jorge Navarro (WRP-RT Motorsport by SKM-Triumph) in tenth as the team get ready for their WorldSSP debut. Despite his strong day, the #9’s FP1 session was impacted by a Turn 10 tumble.

TIME TO GAIN? Inside the top 15 at the test…

Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) narrowly missed out on a spot in the top ten as he finished the day in P11, only 0.017s clear of home hero Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing) in 12^th with the Australian planning on completing a long run in FP2. Rookie Niccolo Antonelli (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team) was 13^th ahead of the returning Lorenzo Baldassarri (Orelac Racing VerdNatura), looking to mount a title challenge in 2024, in 14^th. Niki Tuuli (EAB Racing Team) completed the top 15^th.

DRAMATIC DAY: red flags disrupt running

There were several red flags throughout the day, mostly due to birds on track, which caused some disruption. However, Piotr Biesiekirski (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team) brought out the red flags when he crashed at Turn 2 with just over an hour to go, with the Polish rider taken to the medical centre. At the end of the session, he was transported to hospital by helicopter; he is conscious but suffered a head injury and concussion. Marcel Brenner (VIAMO Racing by MTM) also crashed, this time at Turn 6, which disrupted his day although, as it came in the final hour, his lost running was kept to a minimum. Glenn van Straalen (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) had a technical problem during FP2 when his bike came to a halt at Turn 11.

The top six from the Official Test for WorldSSP, full results here:

1.⁠ ⁠Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) 1’31.881s

2.⁠ ⁠Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) +0.062s

3.⁠ ⁠Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +0.302s

4.⁠ ⁠Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) +0.409s

5.⁠ ⁠Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) +0.444s

6.⁠ ⁠Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +0.453s

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It’s the moment motorsport fans have been waiting for the world-over; the new season is dawning and a new chapter ready to be written. In the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, it’s no different as the Official Test once again raises the curtain for the forthcoming season. Getting the test underway, the FIM Supersport World Championship with two sessions of action at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on Monday, with the opening four hours going to Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team).

An array of names enjoyed time at the top as the lap times themselves tumbled, although it was Italian rider Montella who got off to a strong start, challenging the lap record from four years ago, held by Andrea Locatelli. The 1’32.277 saw Montella just over a tenth off that elusive lap record and with another session to come in the afternoon. He was just less than a tenth ahead of fellow Ducati rider Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team), who is one of the pre-season favourites despite never having had a podium. A quarter of a second off Montella’s time was class veteran Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) in P3, making it three Italian bikes inside the top three with his MV Agusta. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) took fourth, whilst fellow Yamaha rider and 2017 Champion Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) rounded out the top five.

Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) was a solid sixth after the opening session, whilst the home crowd had plenty to cheer about as Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing WorldSSP Team) shone in P7 as he readies for his third season of action and looks to make a step. Eighth went the way of Britain’s Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph), with a new challenge lying ahead for him. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) and Jorge Navarro (WRP-RT Motorsport by SKM-Triumph) completed the top ten. Outside of the top ten, big names such as Turkish duo Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) and Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) were 11^th and 13^th, whilst Lorenzo Baldassarri’s (ORELAC Racing VerdNatura) return to the class saw him 16^th; he was two places behind rookie Niccolo Antonelli (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team), whilst Glenn van Straalen (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) struggled in 24^th.

Top six after WorldSSP FP1 of the Official Test, full results here:

1. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) 1’32.277s

2. Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) +0.093s

3. Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) +0.252s

4. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +0.258s

5. Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) +0.453s

6. Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) +0.595s

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The 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is going to be epic with huge changes in terms of both the rider line-up and rules, with plenty to look forward to. Just days before the Championship erupts with the roar of the engines at the legendary Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, there’s time for another test day each for WorldSBK and WorldSSP. You can view the full test schedule HERE, but how else can you follow the test?

Our FREE Live Timing page will be your favourite tool during the test, giving you the latest information as it does during a round. You’ll be able to adjust to the new line-ups after massive changes in both WorldSBK and WorldSSP while also getting a reference for the sort of lap times we could see during the Australian Round. There will be post-session reports across both days, giving you the story of how testing went and key things to look out for. We’ll also have interviews and highlights so you can see the first track action from Australia, plus you can follow WorldSBK on social media for clips, posts, and news. If you miss any of the action, subscribe to our newsletter and catch up on everything whenever you can.

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2023 in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship was incredible and 2024 is set to take that up another level as the excitement continues to build for a new era. Massive line-up switches and big new rule amendments mean everything has changed as riders try to beat Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) after he claimed last year’s title. Here, we’ve collated the big stories heading into the Grand Ridge Brewery Australian Round to ensure you’re on top of everything before the season starts.

A NEW ERA BEGINS: a massive grid shake-up and high-profile rookies…

The biggest stories coming into 2024 are some of the rider moves that occurred throughout last season. All triggered by Toprak Razgatlioglu’s move to the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, it was closely followed by Jonathan Rea opting to leave Kawasaki for the Pata Prometeon Yamaha squad. With that transfer, a vacancy opened up at the Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK with Axel Bassani drafted in to fulfil his dream of becoming a factory rider.

Five rookies are set to take WorldSBK by storm, with MotoGP™ race winner Andrea Iannone already rapid throughout his test days so far this season. What will he be able to achieve in his debut season? Elsewhere, Sam Lowes and ELF Marc VDS Racing Team have continued their relationship from Moto2™ but with a new challenge as the Brit returns to the WorldSBK paddock. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) won the WorldSSP title in style last season and is rewarded with a move straight into the factory Ducati team, while the PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda outfit will run Tarran Mackenzie and Adam Norrodin. Read more about all five rookies here.

BIG RULE CHANGES: weight additions, superconcession changes and more

Announced towards the end of 2023 to come into effect for 2024, there have been some changes to the WorldSBK technical rules. A new weight limit – where riders have to add half the difference if they are under a reference weight – is one of the biggest changes. Concession and superconcession rules have had some revisions too, with the concession checkpoint now every two rounds rather than three and manufacturers earning concession points in the Tissot Superpole Race (previously, it was just Race 1 and Race 2). There’s also a reduction in fuel tank capacity to 21 litres. Check out full details of the new rules HERE, plus read WorldSBK Executive Director Gregorio Lavilla explaining the changes when they were announced last year.

2024 SEASON PREVIEW: your FREE guide to the unmissable season

With everything that has changed this year, it’s imperative to watch the season preview show before racing gets underway. Interviews with key figures, including all the riders, make it a must-see while the five factory team managers also give their thoughts on the upcoming campaign. The riders also do their best to name just one rival for 2024, although some end up saying multiple names, plus you can hear from Lavilla about the new season.

TO KNOW FOR THE TEST: essential links and details

Before racing starts next week, the Official Test takes place on Monday (for WorldSSP) and Tuesday (for WorldSBK) – check out the full schedule here. The Official Programme for Australia is available here detailing entry lists, schedules and some exciting articles about figures past and present from within WorldSBK. If you want to relive the 2023 season just before 2024 starts, watch last season’s review show for FREE on YouTube, while there are also some amazing documentaries to watch. ‘Unrepeatable’ – detailing Jonathan Rea’s incredible nine seasons with KRT – is on YouTube, while ‘ONE’ follows Alvaro Bautista’s 2023 campaign as he became a back-to-back Champion.

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The 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship really kicked off with a series of surprising moves, which were all triggered by Toprak Razgatlioglu’s decision to leave Yamaha for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team. Opting to leave the team he won the 2021 title with was a surprise as was joining a manufacturer who showed potential but inconsistently, although the final third of the 2023 showed promise heading into this season.

RAZGATLIOGLU’S PRE-BMW STORY: STK600 Champion, Kawasaki wins and Yamaha history maker

The Turkish star made his debut within the WorldSBK paddock with a one-off appearance in 2014 in STK600, before returning for a full campaign in 2015 and claiming the title. Fifth in STK1000 a year later provided the foundation for a title challenge in 2016, finishing eight points behind Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing). He secured a WorldSBK debut in 2018 and took two podiums, before a first win came in 2019 with the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing outfit. A switch to the factory Yamaha team for 2020 secured fourth in the standings, starting and ending his season with wins, before beating then Kawasaki rider Jonathan Rea to the title in 2021. Race wins and podiums continued throughout 2022 and 2023 but he was unable to beat Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) to the title in either year.

ADAPTING TO THE M 1000 RR: Razgatlioglu’s testing programme

27-year-old Razgatlioglu got his first taste on the M 1000 RR in early December when at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, although rain disrupted this plan. A trip to Jerez overnight for two more days of testing was again disrupted by the weather, before BMW opted for a late change of plans and travelled from Jerez to Valencia. A bit of a break followed before the paddock headed to Jerez and Portimao together the final European tests before the start of the season in Australia.

POSITIVE VIBES: Razgatlioglu rapid in testing

The only two tests Razgatlioglu was with his rivals were in January 2024 at Jerez and Portimao, but there were good signs from those tests when alongside his competitors. At the Spanish venue, Razgatlioglu was fourth on Day 2 before he topped the times at Portimao ahead of Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), potentially setting up a brand new rivalry between the pair heading into 2024. All signs point to BMW benefitting from Razgatlioglu’s arrival, with the three other BMW riders – teammate Michael van der Mark and Bonovo Action BMW’s Garrett Gerloff and Scott Redding – also fast in testing.

RAZGATLIOGLU’S THOUGHTS: “my first goal is to get the first win with BMW”

Discussing how he thought his 2024 campaign would play out, Razgatlioglu said: “The feeling with the project is very good. Testing is very positive. We are not 100% ready but every day we are getting closer. In general, the bike isn’t bad. Every day, we are improving, and this is important. I’m very excited for the first race. It’s not easy to say whether can fight for the title in 2024. If we improve the bike, we will fight for the Championship. My first goal is to get the first win with BMW. We’re not so far away, I feel. I just need more time to understand and improve the bike, especially the setup. I hope we improve it and find the setup before racing.”

WHAT DO BMW THINK? “the target is at least a win…”

Speaking on Day 2 of the Portimao test, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Marc Bongers the goals for 2024. He said: “Australia and Barcelona, in terms of results and grip and track position, are a bit of the odd ones out. Since we could carry the setup from Jerez to Portimao and it immediately worked, so we are convinced we have a good base package. I go to Australia with a lot of optimism. For sure, we need to get back to the podium. We have several in 2022 and had a hard year in 2023. The target is at least a win, but I would imagine we would see several podiums.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com