When the chequered flag dropped on Friday to bring an end to two days of testing on the Adriatic Coast, the dust cleared and once again, Toprak Razgatlioglu was top of the timesheets. “El Turco” set out in the morning session with a point to prove, having not been in action since Assen. The ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team rider initially set a 1’32.918s to claim top spot. Then, towards the end of the day, Toprak took to the track on his standard setup M1000 RR, equipped with an SCQ qualifying tyre. He then proceeded to blitz his own best time, scoring 1’32.535s.

“I NEED MORE SETUP FOR THE NEW SWINGARM”: Toprak talks setup

Following Friday’s conclusion, Toprak offered his insight and view into the developments and progress made by the Bavarian manufacturer since Assen. One of the key talking points has been the development and testing of a new swingarm, a component which has been extensively worked on by both Toprak and Dutch teammate Michael van der Mark. Speaking about the new swingarm, the #54 rider said: “I need more setup for the new swingarm. I feel too much rear grip, with the rear of the bike pushing the front. I rode my base bike with a SCQ tyre, and I did a 1’32.5s with the old swingarm”. Interestingly, Razgatlioglu offered more specific insight into the behaviour of the new swingarm and how it affects the rest of his setup. He said: “It jumps a lot because of too much rear grip. We also were unable to work on the suspension setup, because the Ohlins guys were sick.”

MISANO GOALS REVEALED: an Italian hat-trick the dream…

Toprak took some time to discuss the upcoming race weekend at Misano, as well as hopes and ambitions beyond. Speaking about the Adriatic facility, the former World Champion said: “In general, it looks like we are ready to race. We did a really good lap time. Sometimes you need to forget the problem and just ride the bike. But overall, for me it’s a very positive test. We have very good data to understand all the parts.” Discussing his ambitions for Misano and beyond, ‘El Turco’ said this: “In general, I’m very happy with these last two days. I hope we win all three races. This is my dream with BMW!”

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The first-ever FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship campaign kicks off in a couple of weeks at the iconic Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” in Italy, and now, a new name has thrown her hat into the ring to make history. Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team) will compete in WorldWCR this season with the Spaniard’s plans revealed on a visit to the magical Mugello venue for the Italian Grand Prix, running with the Klint Forward Factory Team on the Yamaha R7 machine in 2024.

27-year-old Herrera brings a wealth of experience to her WorldWCR campaign, having raced in Moto3™, WorldSSP300, WorldSSP and the MotoE™ World Championship including in 2024, with the team she’ll compete for in WorldWCR. The Spanish star was a regular competitor for points in the Grand Prix paddock across her Moto3™ and MotoE™ stints, while she was consistently fighting for the top ten in WorldSSP300. In her one season in the Championship, she scored points in more than half the races with a best of fourth at Magny-Cours.

She moved into WorldSSP for 2019 for three seasons, securing points in all three campaigns. Her best finish was in Race 1 at Aragon in 2021 when she claimed 12^th, before focusing on MotoE™ in 2022 and 2023. For this season, a new challenge awaits the Spaniard as she looks to make history by becoming the first Champion in WorldWCR, where she will face fierce competition.

In the announcement, Herrera said: “I’m happy to do the new FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship with my team. They brought me the possibility to do it and I’m very grateful. I want to bring happiness to the team in another Championship and fight in all the races for all the effort they have put in. Thanks to them we’ll make history together.”

She then expanded on her thoughts in an interview after the press conference, added: “Finally, we can say it, because it was a little bit difficult to be part of the Championship. I spoke to Martina and Giovanni, who wanted to support me, so I’m very grateful to this team because I can be part of this Championship for them. I don’t know about my rivals but, for sure, Ana Carrasco is the rider who has more experience and more laps with the bike. I’ve had just one test. I need to understand this bike. Sara Sanchez and Beatriz Neila are also fast. I want to be with them and learn about this new category. I think we want to do a good job with this team. I don’t know about the first race because it’s my first time on the bike but in the next one, we want to fight at the front.”

Martina Cuzari, Team Manager, said: “As a woman and manager, I am proud to be able to participate with one of our athletes in a Championship that will still mark an important point in the history of track motorcycling. Maria is a rider with talent and will and has always demonstrated affinity with our values and our desire to do well, without giving up. For the Klint Forward Factory Team, already very busy internationally and nationally, it is a “pleasant effort” because it goes beyond the sporting aspect. We are happy to be part of a new journey.”

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Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team riders Roberta Ponziani and Ornella Ongaro made an exciting visit to the Mugello Circuit for the Italian Grand Prix this past weekend. With less than two weeks before their debut in the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship, the duo took the opportunity to immerse themselves in the MotoGP™ atmosphere and connect with the racing community.

French rider Ornella Ongaro expressed her enthusiasm about the visit, and said: “It was fantastic to hang out at Mugello with Roberta. We had the chance to catch up with a lot of people and see the bikes up close. It’s always a bit surreal to be on ‘the other side’, but I was thrilled to say hello to Johann Zarco and reconnect with Marc Márquez, who I raced against back in the day. Chatting with him and his dad brought back some great memories. It’s heartening to see the respect and interest in WorldWCR as we gear up for the Championship. We had some great discussions with riders about the R7 and our progress, and it’s exciting to see the growing interest in WorldWCR.”

Roberta Ponziani, the reigning Italian Women’s Champion, shared her excitement as well, adding: “I had an amazing time. Attending a Grand Prix is always special, but Mugello has a unique charm. We had an incredible experience meeting various teams, observing their garage operations, and getting an inside look at the bikes and the mechanics’ and riders’ work. It was truly inspiring.”

As the countdown to their first appearance in the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship continues, Ponziani and Ongaro’s visit to the MotoGP™ paddock has further fuelled their enthusiasm and determination. WorldWCR is poised to make a significant impact, and the support and interest from the MotoGP™ community are invaluable as the Championship approaches.

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The second day of Misano testing in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship concluded on Friday, with riders on the grid testing various parts and setups in anticipation of the next race weekend. One of those riders pushing the pace on Friday was Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), but the reigning World Champion had three tumbles on Friday and four during the test. With today’s action disrupted by rain, the Spaniard put his bike fourth overall in the spell of dry weather in the afternoon.

FOUR CRASHES IN TWO DAYS: “The morning crash was strange… second one was at the last corner when it was wet!”

Whilst enjoying a an extremely positive two-day test on the Italian coast, Alvaro Bautista somehow managed to crash his Ducati Panigale V4 R four times in just under two days. You can read the rest of Bautista’s thoughts from day one here. Speaking about his crashes on Day 2 of testing, Bautista said: “The morning crash was strange. I thought I was on SCX, but I was on SC0. The feeling was, s**t, no? So, maybe I forced it more than I had to, and I crashed. But then they told me that I was faster on the SC0! The second crash was at the last corner when it was wet. I lost the front passing over a patch. I didn’t expect it! Otherwise, not so bad!” Bautista explained that, on the last crash, he simply got sucked into the corner of turn 14 and couldn’t recover.

“I PREFER THE FEELING ON THE RACE TYRE”: Bautista talks testing, race setup for Misano

Aside from the frequency of his crashes across the two-day test, another hot topic of discussion was the potential improvement and discovery made by Bautista in preparation for the race weekend on the Adriatic. Speaking about this, Bautista said: “I prefer the feeling on the race tyre. I am happy, especially with the engine characteristics that we resolved here.” When asked about the overall state of his setup, Bautista explained: “I think the situation is the same. We have worked well on engine behaviour. We have not found anything for the setup, but I think what we have found in terms of the engine will help us a lot.”

DECISION COMING SOON? Bautista not drawn on decision yet; “After Misano, I will take a decision

Amidst the discourse and debate of silly season, one of the hot topics in the WorldSBK paddock has been the future of its current Champion. Bautista, when asked about his future plans beyond this season, had this to say: “I’m just focusing on this. My priority is to think about the Misano race and to do our best. I think after Misano I will take a decision.”

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The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship grid hit the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” for testing and it was a very positive one for Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha). With new items to try to help make him feel even more comfortable on the Yamaha R1, Rea finished fourth on Day 1 and second on Day 2, leading Yamaha’s charge in Italy on both days. Speaking on Friday, he revealed why the changes had been made and how he felt riding with the new setup.

REA’S TEST: fourth on Day 1, limited running on Friday

Rea’s best time during Day 1 of the test was 1’33.206s as he finished in fourth, coming in the afternoon session on his 73^rd lap of the day. The #65 completed 27 laps in the afternoon and 46 in the morning as he tested a new chassis balance which came with positive results, as well as trying different weight distribution and rider positions as Yamaha look to make the six-time World Champion as comfortable and as fast as possible.

The Northern Irishman only did half-a-day on Friday, with the first four-hour session ending an hour early as rain fell. Rea was 13^th at the time but he was able to test for a further hour in the afternoon. He was able to set a 1’33.133s to provisionally claim P1 but found himself demoted by Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) after the #54 set another unbelievable lap time with a 1’52.535s. Speaking after Friday’s action, Rea discussed the upgrades on his R1 and praised Yamaha’s rider coach, Niccolo Canepa, for his role in the upturn in form.

HIS VIEW ON THE CHANGES: “From the first exit, it seemed quite normal to me”

Rea said: “We put an SCQ tyre on at the end and I was able to go quite fast. It was the first time I felt that I could ride the bike the way I wanted with it. In the last few rounds, I’ve got nervous with the SCQ because I didn’t feel 100% with the bike. Step by step, it’s been a positive test but still a lot of work to do. The updates were just a balance change on the bike, setup ideas. I’ve been trying to ride the Yamaha in the Yamaha way and sometimes it’s not working. I always looked at the data of Loka, Remy and even sometimes Toprak but I’m me, I have my style. At Cremona, Nico Canpea was a big help with the video analysis, and I was able to see that my lap time wasn’t amazing, but I was really good in some areas. We just need to make this bike my bike in the way I need to ride. The idea to change the way the bike behaves, the style, the geometry was to let me ride in the way I want. From the first exit, it seemed quite normal to me.”

DENNNG’S THOUGHTS: “A really positive day of testing, making steps forward all day…”

Speaking during Friday morning’s action, Pata Prometeon Yamaha Team Principal, Paul Denning, reviewed the test for Rea, saying: “Day 1 was really positive. I think it was Jonathan’s best day of testing, and actually the first test at Jerez was good as well. It was a positive day of testing, making steps forward all day. At Cremona, we didn’t really find that. We came to a wall and couldn’t get over it. Here, he was progressively faster all day and arrived very close to the fastest riders at the end with P4, and the fastest Yamaha, so for JR it was a target achieved that he wanted to do at the start of the day. Jonathan will only do half a day today to finish his testing allocation. The plan was the same as yesterday. Just refining small details, trying to maximise our performance in braking, cornering, and turning so that the better we can exit the corner, and the faster we are in the middle of the corner, the better we are in terms of any straight-line speed differential. Chattering is always an issue here, especially in the last sector, so we’re trying some setting options to reduce that and, so far, they’re working quite well.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

With the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship hitting Misano for a two-day test, it was Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) who left Italy as the fastest rider. Despite rain around lunchtime disrupting the day, the #54 was able to put in a lap time that was even faster than yesterday’s unbelievable effort as he finished ahead of Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) in second. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) missed out on a place in the top three but more cause for concern would be his three Friday crashes.

RAZGATLIOGLU LEADS THE WAY: P1 again for ‘El Turco’

Turkish superstar Razgatlioglu set a 1’32.918s to claim first place on Day 2, backing up his P1 from Thursday with another strong day after topping the times in the initial dry running and again as the test concluded. After posting the aforementioned time, the 2021 Champion jumped on his second bike and set a 1’32.535s, a tenth faster than yesterday’s time. The #54 worked on setup and electronics, as well as aiming to prepare for the Emilia-Romagna Round in a few weeks. Teammate van der Mark claimed ninth spot with the Dutchman praising BMW’s new seat he first tried on Thursday. His best time was 1’33.715s, more than a second off his teammate’s barely believable time.

REA SURGES TO SECOND: using the final hour to full potential

Rea had been hovering outside the top ten until the final hour of testing, when he surged up the order with a 1’33.113s to provisionally claim top spot, although finished the day in P2. It came after what Team Principal Paul Denning described as his “best day of testing” with Yamaha on Thursday, with the #65 testing a new chassis balance, weight distribution and rider position at Misano. It was also a decent outing for teammate Andrea Locatelli who finished the day in fifth, just two tenths away from Rea as the Japanese manufacturer showed their potential.

Elsewhere within the Iwata-based brand’s camp, Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was also inside the top ten as his rich vein of form continued with sixth place after he set a 1’33.639s. Next door, teammate Dominique Aegerter was able to move into the top ten with eighth to end the test on a high note. Philipp Oettl (GMT94 Yamaha) rounded out the Yamaha field as he claimed 18^th place after bouncing back from his crash yesterday.

HIGHS AND LOWS: Bulega third, Bautista fourth with three Friday spills

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was the lead Ducati rider on Friday as he finished in third, overhauling teammate Alvaro Bautista in the final stages by posting a 1’33.133s. All eyes were on Bautista’s box though, with the reigning Champion claiming fourth with a 1’33.175s. However, it was a disrupted day for the #1 with THREE crashes – at Turns 8, 14 and 16 – bringing his total for the test to four. Michele Pirro was also on track with the team and the Italian claimed a highly-respectable 12^th place with a 1’33.876s.

Independent Ducati rider Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) secured P14 despite feeling under the weather, with the Brit focusing on rider position and ergonomic improvements and dropping down the order in the afternoon. The #14’s best time was a 1’33’949s, and he was closely followed by Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team). ‘Petrux’ revealed yesterday he still had some shoulder pain as he made his return from injury but a 1’33.963s meant he secured a top-five spot on Friday. The other Independent Ducati rider on track was Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) who finished in P16.

LOWES SEVENTH, RABAT IMPRESSES: a good day in green

Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) finished seventh despite briefly topping the times as the afternoon progressed, setting a 1’33.458s while teammate Axel Bassani was 13^th. Lowes was continuing to work on the new electronics settings that teammate ‘El Bocia’ is already using, with the Brit explaining after Thursday’s action that he was happy with them but needed to work on finer details. Tito Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was one of the standout names on Friday after running second in the early stages, with the Spaniard posting a 1’33.856s and lapping only a tenth away from the fastest time. The #53 used the SCQ tyre for that time, ensuring he could use the softest tyre in dry conditions, but fell to tenth as riders went out later on during the day.

HONDA’S WORK CONTINUES: Lecuona moves into 11^th, Vierge 17^th

Japanese manufacturer Honda came into the Misano test full of confidence after a strong outing at Cremona and they had more upgrades to try in Italy in the shape of new exhaust pipes as well as continuing to evaluate a new swingarm option. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) was the fastest Honda rider as he set a 1’33.866s to secure 11^th place, while teammate Xavi Vierge was further back in 17^th after the #97 posted a 1’34.419s. Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) was just behind the factory team’s efforts as he claimed 19^th, while Adam Norrodin (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) rounded out the WorldSBK field.

HUERTAS ON TOP IN WORLD SUPERSPORT: two tenths between him and Manzi

In WorldSSP, it was Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) who claimed top spot after posting a 1’37.028s in the afternoon, lapping under race lap record pace although still some way off the all-time record time. Stefano Manzi (Pata Prometeon Ten Kate Racing) had been top throughout the majority of Friday but Huertas’ was able to overhaul him in the closing stages, with Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) in third. His teammate, Marcel Schroetter, crashed in the afternoon which briefly brought out the red flags.

The top six from Friday at Misano, full results here:

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’32.535s

2. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +0.578s

3. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.598s

4. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.640s

5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +0.784s

6. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +0-876s

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Source: WorldSBK.com

With the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” hosting MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship test action ahead of next month’s round at the same venue, it was a good chance to catch up with key figures from the paddock. From riders discussing their future, finishing strongly after a difficult test and upgrades where some conclusions could be drawn, we’ve gathered the best from Misano in one article for you.

AN UPDATE ON 2025: “After Misano, I start to decide for my future”

Reviewing the test and providing an update on when we might hear about his future, Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) said: “The feeling with the bike is not good, we struggled in many areas. We had an idea after Assen to improve something. But this is a completely different track so, at this moment we struggle. In any case, we don’t give up and we always try to improve. The braking point on entry. Also, the feeling with the tyres is not good. Engine braking, traction, wheelieing, I have problems in many areas. But we’ll try to improve at home. We’ll see the data better. In the slow corners, the feeling with the front is not good, so it is difficult to stop the bike. For us, turning is difficult. But this is normal. I’ll go to Mugello tomorrow, but only for one day. We will see. After Misano, I start to decide for the future. For sure, I have some options, but we will see. I have my targets, but in any case, it’s difficult to decide at this moment.”

ENDING ON A HIGH: “we struggled a bit with chassis setup and electronics… at least we have a great base to start the round!”

After spending a lot of time outside the top ten but eventually finishing P8, Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) said: “We only did one lap with the SCQ. I think I can go a little bit faster in some corners. We improved a lot this afternoon. Big thanks to the team – they helped us to find the right direction. Finally, we can have a better setup to start here in two weeks. We didn’t test everything that Yamaha brought. We struggled a little bit with the chassis setup and electronics. We needed time to find the speed because testing without speed is meaningless. I think the four Yamahas are quite close. At least we have a very great base setup to start the round!”

AIMING HIGH FOR MISANO: “we found something to have more feeling with the front with the SCQ”

Looking ahead to his home round and explaining the gains he found at Misano, Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) said: “My time was with the SCQ tyre but the feeling with the SCX was better, I think it was possible to do 33.8s, 33.7s on it. We found something to have more feeling with the front with the SCQ. The lap was not so good, but the ideal lap was not so bad. We found something. We had a lot of things to try, so we hoped for good weather. Unfortunately, today was s**t weather. It’s part of the game and it’s the same for everybody. We missed a lot of work but it’s okay. We have to focus on the race weekend, my home weekend, so I want to do a good job and try to have a good round for our fans. I want to do a good job for the fans but it’s not easy, the level this year is so high.”

CHASING THE ROSTRUM: “the bike feels more like my bike…”

Discussing the final step to get on the WorldSBK podium, Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) said: “Just a bit of tyre management. The Superpole’s not been bad actually but starting on the front two rows is very important. Since the last race at Assen, my position on the bike has changed. I feel more natural on the bike, and the bike feels more like my bike.”

NEW ITEMS REVIEWED: “We were expecting to make a big jump”

Honda brought new items to Misano to test, with Team HRC Team Manager Jose Escamez explaining the conclusions they could draw: “We have found some productive things. Not as much as we expected, because we were expecting to make a big jump. Obviously, there is always a willingness to make the big changes that we really need, but we couldn’t make it as much as we thought. We have found small things and details that will allow us to understand the direction that we need to take moving forward. We couldn’t make many conclusions. We also have other things to test which was also important. But we will keep trying to work in that direction.”

HOME ROUND JOY: “it will be special, being an Italian on an Italian bike…”

Giving an overview of the test and explaining how he’ll feel heading into his first home round in WorldSBK, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) said: “Not bad because today we focused on finding different setups on the bike. I feel more comfortable on the bike. We just need to work on it and improve my feeling. The feeling is not better on the bike, but my position on the bike, yes. I think we can start to work from this position in order to improve my feeling. I think we are in a good way. it will be special, being Italian on an Italian bike. It will be nice.”

TEAMMATE RELATIONSHIP: “we want to improve this package so sometimes you have to ride together.”

Speaking about how he was occasionally riding with teammate Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), Michael van der Mark said: “We had some clear things to try. Every time we wanted to try something this morning, it started raining or drizzling. It was a long day. You want to work and improve, try different things, and I didn’t really get the time to. At the end of the day, we had two dry hours but it’s never enough. It’s always useful to ride together, you can always learn and improve. We want to improve this package so sometimes you have to ride together.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship has headed to Misano for a two-day test ahead of the latest round of action on the Adriatic Coast. The ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team have enjoyed a super start to 2024, with Turkish star Toprak Razgatlioglu starring onboard the M 1000 RR. Teammate Michael van der Mark has also impressed, currently sitting P7 in the Championship. WorldSBK caught up with BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Marc Bongers to get his thoughts on BMW’s line-up for next year.

“BOTH PARTIES ARE PLEASED”: Bongers delighted with top form from Toprak

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Bongers is thrilled with the sturdy start made by Razgatlioglu at BMW. Having already been a podium finisher in six races so far this season, including three race victories, Bongers was naturally jubilant when asked to discuss Toprak’s season so far after the #54’s instant impact on the German manufacturer.

He said: “Both parties, Toprak and ourselves, are pleased with how things are going. We’re not in a rush. We’re a happy family. If you’re in a happy relationship, you don’t see any point in splitting up…we have a really happy atmosphere in the box.” Toprak himself discussed his happiness at being part of the BMW team, and he confirmed that he has a contract with the Bavarian outfit for 2025. He also discussed his appreciation of his teammate, Michael van der Mark, which you can watch here.

“STRONG RESULTS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON”: van der Mark impresses on injury comeback

Like teammate Toprak, Dutchman Michael van der Mark has also impressed in the early stages of the 2024 season, sitting firmly inside the top ten in the Championship standings. The #60 rider has endured a horrid last couple of years, including a broken leg just last year, but has rebounded to enjoy a much more positive start to his 2024 campaign and has been fighting just outside the podium places.

Addressing van der Mark’s form, especially in the context of wider silly season rumours, Bongers had this to say: “Mickey’s shown strong results in the beginning of this season. I speak for the entire project that there’s no plans to split anything. We plan to communicate towards the end of June.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com