The 2023 season for the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship kicked off at the TT Circuit Assen with the Pirelli Dutch Round and it was a Dutch rider who led the way in Free Practice 1. 2020 Champion Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) posted the fast time of the 30-minute session to start his return to the Championship in the perfect fashion as he went more than three tenths quicker than his rivals.

Buis was one of the last riders to hit the track in FP1 but this did not prevent him from posting the fastest time of the session with a 1’50.070s. Buis completed the fewest laps of any rider who did not crash with just six to his name but was still able to finish 0.114s ahead of French rider Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) in second place, who moved up the order in the closing stages of the session. Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse) had been second before being bumped down into third place by Di Sora, finishing two tenths behind the Frenchman.

Alessandro Zanca (Team#109 Kawasaki) was another late mover at the end of Free Practice 1 as he jumped into fourth place, just under four tenths back from Buis, while Czech rider Petr Svoboda (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) took fifth place.  Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) was the lead KTM rider in FP1 with sixth place with teammate Lennox Lehmann directly behind in seventh place and the pair separated less than a tenth.

Two teammates were also adjacent in the classification in eighth and ninth place as well, with Fenton Seabright (Kawasaki GP Project) in eighth place after setting a 1’50.722s ahead of teammate Daniel Mogeda who was just over a tenth slower. Humberto Maier (Yamaha MS Racing/AD78 Latin America Team) rounded out the top ten with a 1’50.966s, the last rider within a second of Buis at the top of the timesheets.

There was a crash for Kas Beekmans (Sublime Racing by Ms Racing) around 10 minutes into the 30-minute Free Practice 1 session with the Dutch rider crashing at Turn 5. Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) had been enjoying a strong debut session but a crash at Turn 11 around halfway through the session ended his FP1 early. Dutch rider Ruben Bijman (Arco Motor University Team) was another crasher when the Dutchman came down at Turn 9.

The top six following WorldSSP300 FP1, full results here:

1. Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) 1’50.070s

2. Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) +0.114s

3. Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse) +0.314s

4. Alessandro Zanca (Team#109 Kawasaki) +0.368s

5. Petr Svoboda (Fusport-RT Motorsport by SKM-Kawasaki) +0.489s

6. Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) +0.546s

Watch more WorldSSP300 action from Assen using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is back on European soil and the Netherlands welcomes the paddock with open arms. The TT Circuit Assen has played host to countless duels across the years but this year, attention has been firmly on whether or not this will be Toprak Razgatlioglu’s (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) final time here on a WorldSBK bike. A two-day test on MotoGP™ machinery – the Yamaha YZR M1 to be precise – at Jerez earlier in the month gave Razgatlioglu an opportunity to adapt to the bike and see if his potential could be high.

HAVING THEIR SAY: unquestioned potential, “but it’s not easy”

With Assen being the first opportunity to catch up with his rivals since the test, we got their thoughts on whether or not his move could work. Six-time WorldSBK Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) had two top ten finishes aboard a Repsol Honda in 2012 as a replacement rider for the injured Casey Stoner, and he hailed Toprak as an “incredible talent”, who could make it work: “It’s a hard situation to be in. All I know is that Toprak’s an incredible talent and given the right opportunity to go to MotoGP™, with the right people around him, he could do a great job.”

Reigning WorldSBK Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) spent nine seasons in MotoGP™ with multiple podiums and strong performances, and having made a successful switch in the other direction, gave key insight: “About Toprak, for sure he wants to go to MotoGP™, at least what I heard. It’s a different Championship, different bikes, different tyres… I know he’s doing some tests with the Yamaha, but he has to understand if he has the potential to go there and do well. Otherwise, he has a big name in WorldSBK and he’s an important rider here, so he has to choose, but it’s not an easy decision. Every rider wants to try MotoGP™ at least once, but it’s not easy, now that the category is so close with a gap at almost nothing between first and last. He has to understand if he can also be fast there.”

Teammate Andrea Locatelli came from Moto2™ to WorldSSP before his graduation, and he wasn’t letting the discussion cloud his own view of success within the Yamaha box: “For me, it’s difficult to say about Toprak because I don’t know but maybe for him, it’s interesting to go to MotoGP™ for the future. In my opinion, it doesn’t change anything; we’ll continue to work on my side, together, to be fast and to finish this season in a good way.”

FOR CONTEXT: what we know so far

The test at Jerez was no secret and Toprak commented on the test, saying it was “very enjoyable”, being less than two seconds off the top time of the test, set by Dani Pedrosa and KTM. Speaking at the Circuit of the Americas and the Americas GP, Yamaha Road Racing Managing Director Lin Jarvis confirmed that Toprak had “expressed an interest”, and that the Turk was one of the “prime candidates” should the factory MotoGP™ outfit have a space in it. 2021 MotoGP™ World Champion Fabio Quartararo is on a deal that sees him through until 2024, whilst teammate Franco Morbidelli sees his current contract expire at the end of 2023. Yamaha Motor Europe Road Racing Manager Andrea Dosoli spoke about Razgatlioglu’s style and how he tried to ‘modify’ it during the test, with ‘results achieved’ already. Finally, Toprak had a test in MotoGP™ in May 2022 but it was hampered by rain; after, Lin Jarvis said that there was “no spot” for Razgatlioglu on the 2023 MotoGP™ grid.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is BACK in action and the Pirelli Dutch Round at the TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands is shaping up to be a belter. There’s plenty of hype coming into this round; it’s our first chance to catch-up with one rider who has been testing MotoGP™ machinery, an opportunity to speak to a home-hero, the Championship leader and Assen’s most successful rider. This week’s outspoken certainly touches all bases as we look ahead to racing.

Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK): “It’s all young riders’ dream to ride a MotoGP™ bike”

“For the MotoGP™ test, I can say I enjoyed it and finally, I rode in good weather, as last year I only did 28 laps due to the weather. Thanks to Yamaha for the opportunity, now we’ll see in the future. It’s still a dream but we will see in the future. This is just testing, for me to understand the bike and for Yamaha to see the potential. It’s all young riders’ dream to one day, ride a MotoGP™ bike. I’ve done it, enjoyed it but now I come back and do my job again, because for me, WorldSBK is important this season, to fight again for the Championship. This break was a lot, I was really bored and now I am fighting again. For me, the last two years at Assen, it hasn’t been a good race weekend at Assen, especially Race 2. This year, I was thinking not to ride in Race 2, because I always end up crashing! I’ll try again for this year, for the podium or the win. Jonny is always very strong at this track. Every year, this race weekend is different and I’ll try to do my best.”

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK): “Toprak’s an incredible talent, he could do a great job”

“I’m excited about Assen. I have a pretty good track record here, it’s a track I enjoy. I rode for a team based just up the road for many years of my career. I don’t know why I work so well here, it’s also a combination with the bike. I know Kawasaki is very strong here as well. While one eye’s on performance, you have to keep an eye on what the weather’s doing. Tough’s a great word. Although we have to try and start from zero and reset, and the results have been pretty poor, we can also draw positives from some of the races we’ve had; steps forward we’ve made with the bike. We haven’t put it all together. We’ve had two tests at Aragon and Barcelona to try a different direction with the bike and to focus on our weaknesses. This season, it’s been overstressing the front and the front tyre especially in the latter stages of races. We showed some good speed in Australia and Indonesia. The speed’s not in doubt, it’s about the longevity in the race. I think here at Assen should suit us especially with cooler conditions. It’s a hard situation to be in. All I know is that Toprak’s an incredible talent and given the right opportunity to go to MotoGP™, with the right people around him, he could do a great job.”

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “I don’t have a clear of idea about my future… in the case I don’t want to stay, they have to know”

“I look forward to this weekend as I started the year so well. The feeling at the Barcelona test was incredible, I’m very happy. I have good memories at this track as I won with Ducati three times and last year, we were competitive, fighting with Toprak and Jonathan. I haven’t thought about my future because right now, we have only had two races; maybe after this round, I start to think about what I want to do. I am not old, but I have a lot of experience in motorcycle racing. At the moment, it’s not my first worry, I just want to be focused on this weekend. I don’t have a clear of idea about my future. I will decide very soon, not just for me but for my team. In the case I don’t want to stay, they have to know as soon as possible and also for my side. We’ll see, but at the moment, I don’t have an idea. About Toprak, for sure he wants to go to MotoGP™, at least what I heard. It’s a different Championship, different bikes, different tyres… I know he’s doing some tests with the Yamaha, but he has to understand if he has the potential to go there and do well. Otherwise, he has a big name in WorldSBK and he’s an important rider here, so he has to choose, but it’s not an easy decision. Every rider wants to try MotoGP™ at least once, but it’s not easy, now that the category is so close with a gap at almost nothing between first and last. He has to understand if he can also be fast there.”

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK): “It’ll be something special if I can get the first win here”

“We are at Assen, it’s a special track for me as I have good memories from the first year in WorldSBK in 2021, so we’ll see what happens this weekend. We hope for good weather, but we’re ready to fight. It’ll be something special if I can get the first win here at Assen; it’ll be hard but for sure, we’ll try. Why not? We’re here after a really good start to the Championship; we’ll try to be fast and fight for the podium. For me, it’s difficult to say about Toprak because I don’t know but maybe for him, it’s interesting to go to MotoGP™ for the future. In my opinion, it doesn’t change anything; we’ll continue to work on my side, together, to be fast and to finish this season in a good way.”

Iker Lecuona (Team HRC): “I think we can fight for top positions”  

“I started training and I don’t have any pain; I’ve been training with the practice bike and I don’t feel pain, so this is positive. I am here, ready to fight again. Honestly, I am very happy with the direction; I think we did a very good step with race distance, this is the area we’ve improved a lot because last year, we struggled with the tyre performance as it was dropping a lot in the last laps. Almost every race, we lost this potential to fight for the podium or good results. I am really happy, also the team and Japan have done a very good step so then, the reality is that if the tyre life makes it to the end with a good performance or not, but we are happy. I spoke with my crew chief Pete this morning and we said that I’m very excited, so I need to be calmer; last year, I went fast with the old bike but and got a podium. So, if you put this into 2023 when in Australia, with the improved tyre performance, we overtook Jonny in the last two laps, and the fact it’s a new season, testing went well and I’m excited, I know the package was amazing, so we need to see day by day. I think I am ready; I think we can fight for top positions.”  

Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team): “I want to stay with BMW”

“I’m really happy to be back racing again, especially at Assen. I’m always looking forward to here. Unfortunately, it’s only once a year but it’s nice to be back here at Assen! It was nice to ride again at the test after Indonesia. We had a lot of things to test and, for us, it was to see what direction we have to go for the future. Nothing really decided about what to use here but we had some swingarms. It was all to confirm the direction for the future. I want to stay with BMW for sure. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the results yet like we wanted for different reasons. One reason was my injury which cost us a whole year. I want to improve this project, to start winning with this project, hopefully we can stay together.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship returns to action at the TT Circuit Assen for the Pirelli Dutch Round and it gave Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) the chance to discuss his recent two-day MotoGP™ test at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto in detail with the media. The 2021 World Champion reviewed his test on the Yamaha M1 machine in Spain, his second test on the Yamaha MotoGP™ machine after the first was impacted by wet weather at MotorLand Aragon last season.

Razgatlioglu claimed the 2021 WorldSBK title in style after a season-long fight with Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and the test at Aragon was part of a reward for winning the Championship. Wet weather interrupted his running at Aragon but Razgatlioglu was able to get onboard the M1 machine at Jerez recently and, with good weather, he was able to complete a full two days of running in Spain.

Reflecting on the test, and also outlining how he had to adapt to the Yamaha M1, Razgatlioglu said: “The MotoGP™ test was an enjoyable two days. Last year, I rode just 20 laps because the weather wasn’t nice, and it started to rain. This year, I’m very lucky. At Jerez, it was very hot, and the track temperature was around 48, 50 degrees. I enjoyed both days with the MotoGP™ bike. Normally all young riders have a dream to ride in MotoGP™. I did and I’m very happy.

“It’s a completely different bike compared to the Superbike. The Superbike is a softer bike, the MotoGP™ a harder one. The tyres are completely different and also the riding style is completely different. You ride a Superbike more stop-and-go and, for MotoGP™, you need to keep the speed through the corner. I tried to adapt to this. The seat position is a big difference and I’m feeling very high. I enjoyed the Superbike more because I see more inside the bike; MotoGP™ is completely different.”

Razgatlioglu also went into specifics about how his riding style would need to change between his WorldSBK Yamaha R1 and the MotoGP™ Yamaha M1 machines due to their different characteristics. Razgatlioglu explained how the cornering styles between the two is different. He said: “I enjoyed the braking, but the problem was the first bike was not easy to stop. The Superbike and MotoGP™ bikes are different but the big difference is the style because the MotoGP™ style is completely different. You need to keep the speed through the corner more, not try to stop like the Superbike.”

The test was attended by Andrea Dosoli, Yamaha Motor Europe Road Racing Manager, who also gave his thoughts on the test from Yamaha’s perspective. Dosoli stated that they were two goals for the test and that were both were met from both Razgatlioglu and Yamaha and Dosoli also praised the job Razgatlioglu did at Jerez on the M1 machine as he adapted from the WorldSBK machine to the MotoGP™ bike.

Dosoli said: “From my point of view, it was a very positive test. We had a couple of targets in mind. One, from the rider point of view, to discover the MotoGP™ bike. He had the chance to ride for two days at Jerez in good weather conditions. The second objective was more from our side. Yamaha are probably the manufacturer that’s invested the most in riders. We have a good platform in WorldSBK and MotoGP™. We really wanted to see what is the level of a rider, the most talented riders, who recently won the World Championship, to understand how long it takes to adapt to the MotoGP™ machine. I’m glad to say that both targets have been achieved. It has been a positive test. Toprak understands what the MotoGP™ bike needs in terms of riding style. There’s a big difference from the production-based machine; a different approach to corners and different tyres. Toprak understood this and tried to modify his riding style. He has already achieved some results in terms of feedback but there’s more work to be done.”

Watch WorldSBK action throughout 2023 in style using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

With the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship returning to racing action at the TT Circuit Assen for the Pirelli Dutch Round, the status of riders previously injured is becoming clear following their medical checks. One of these riders is Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) who suffered leg and ankle injuries in a crash with Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team) in Indonesia, and he has undergone his medical check in the Netherlands.

Baz was diagnosed with a fracture of the right proximal fibula, an avulsion fracture to his right medial malleolus as well as a ligament injury and Baz underwent surgery on his injuries between rounds. After a visit to his surgeon, he was given the all-clear to travel to Assen where he underwent medical checks at the circuit. Following these checks, Baz has been declared fit for Free Practice 1 in the Netherlands and will be reassessed after Friday’s first practice session.

After the check, Baz said: “Just out of the medical check-up and I’ve been declared fit, so the first target is done. It was the main target that I had over the past six weeks so super happy. It was a big, hard job to get there so I’m looking forward to riding at this amazing track. I don’t have any special target, just to have fun and hopefully the weather is good.”

Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) has been declared fit following the fractures to his fingers he suffered in Indonesia and will race on home soil. In WorldSSP, Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) will return to action after his collarbone injury from Australia while Nicholas Spinelli (VFT Racing WEBIKE Yamaha) is also fit after he had arm pump surgery between rounds.

Watch all the action from Assen in style using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Championship is about to return for its third season, with the calendar kicking off at the TT Circuit Assen from April 21^st – 23^rd alongside the third round of the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship.

This season will see a total of 20 full time riders battle it out to win the title and a much-coveted place in the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship for 2024, with numerous wildcard entries also sure to be present throughout the six round season which includes Barcelona, Misano, Donington, Imola and Magny-Cours as well as the opening event at Assen. These 20 young hopefuls represent 12 different countries from almost every corner of the globe, and all were born between 2004 and 2008.

Last season was hotly contested as the youngsters fought hard to prove their abilities and continue on the path to the bigger classes of the FIM Superbike World Championship. The eventual title winner was Brazil’s Enzo Valentim, who secured a fully supported Yamaha ride in the FIM World Supersport 300 class, where he will once again do battle with his season-long title rival Devis Bergamini. Meanwhile, last year’s contenders Krittapat Keankum, Marc Vich, Dawid Novak, Eduardo Burr, Kevin Fontainha, and Gustavo Manso all return for another season in the R3 bLU cRU European Championship.

All the riders recently completed a two-day induction and test session at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”, where they were paired with their machines, given advice and guidance, and met Yamaha professional racers, Franco Morbidelli and Andrea Locatelli. They will next take to the track on Friday in Assen for FP1, after safety briefings and circuit familiarisation on Thursday. A 30-minute free practice session will be followed by a qualifying session of the same length, and on Saturday the young stars will contest their first two races of the season.

This latest season of the R3 bLU cRU European Championship is sure to unearth fresh talent, bring tense and exciting races, and keep everybody in suspense until the final flag. You can follow all the action throughout the season via the WorldSBK website and keep up to date on the go via the WorldSBK app, as well as via the Yamaha bLU cRU Official social media channels on Instagram and TikTok.

Source: WorldSBK.com

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship returns to action at the TT Circuit Assen and the Pirelli Dutch Round marks the start of the campaign for Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) as he embarks on his first campaign in the Championship. Assen will mark his first round with Yamaha machinery in WorldSBK as he jumps onboard the Yamaha YZF-R1 machine for 2023 as he prepares to compete in the European rounds in 2023.

Although two rounds of WorldSBK have been completed, Ray did not take part in Australia and Indonesia with him and the team competing in the European rounds this season. It means Ray’s season starts at Assen, but the team have been getting valuable mileage under their belts with Ray during test, although these have come with disruptions. He tested at Jerez at the end of January, Aragon in March where he had technical issues and Barcelona, also in March, where a crash on Day 2 interrupted his running.

Despite some disruptions in testing, Ray, speaking at the Catalunya test at the end of March, was optimistic heading into the Dutch Round. He said: “I’m feeling good. It’ll be nice to go to Assen, into a full race weekend, and understand the way it all goes and get my first race under my belt. You always want to win, don’t you? That’s the trouble! We’ve got to be realistic. I think we can look at fighting in the top ten. I know who the people are around me that I need to be fighting with and I think it’ll be difficult in the first round. I need to get more time under my belt with the bike. Going into an actual race weekend will be different. I think we can definitely learn a lot more there and get some races under our belt, understand the package more and I think we can do a very good job from maybe mid-season onwards; we can start pushing to where we need to be. Just steady away until we find our feet. A little bit nervous but in a good way. I’m excited.”

The Dutch Round will mark Ray’s first race since his season in the British Superbike championship ended in October which culminated with him being crowned champion. He was also riding a Yamaha YZF-R1 in Britain but with different specifications to the WorldSBK machine primarily on the electronics side of things. Ray’s testing has been about getting up to speed with the new electronics in order to be in the best possible shape heading into Assen.

Assen is a circuit Ray knows from his time in BSB when the championship visited the Netherlands between 2017 and 2019. He raced there six times in those three years, taking a best result of sixth place in 2017. He has finished in the top ten there on five occasions with his only race not in the top ten in 2018, in the first race, when he was 17^th.

Follow Ray’s first WorldSBK campaign in style using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

With the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship returning to action for the Pirelli Dutch Round at the TT Circuit Assen, the tyre solutions brought by Pirelli have been revealed for all three classes in action. Teams and riders will have plenty of solutions and compounds to choose from in the event of either dry or wet conditions, while there’s also a new size front tyre in WorldSSP which looks ahead to the future.

In WorldSBK, the riders will have two front solutions to choose from of differing compounds and both are from the standard range. The SC1 tyre is the standard medium tyre used a lot by teams and riders, while the other compound is the standard SC2 hard compound tyre; offering a better mechanical resistance and therefore ideal for circuits that stress the front tyres more. These are the two slick tyre options for the front, with eight of each to use throughout the weekend. there are three options in case of wet weather.

Pirelli will bring the standard intermediate tyre to Assen to help in conditions that are not fully wet or fully dry and there will be two full-wet tyres if needed. One of these is the standard SCR1 full wet tyre and riders will have six of the standard tyres to use. Pirelli will also have the SCR-X development rain tyre, aiming to offer better grip in corner entry and at maximum lean angle even in low track temperatures or with smooth asphalt; riders will be able to use four of these during the weekend.

For rear tyres, the WorldSBK field will have four slick options to choose from, ranging from soft to extra soft. The SCQ tyre is back for Assen, to be used in the Tissot Superpole session and Tissot Superpole Race, while the three race tyres are the standard SC0 soft compound, standard SCX super soft compound and the SCX-A development super soft compound which was used in Indonesia this year. Riders have eight of both SCX tyres, four of the SC0 tyres and four of the SCQ tyres.

In WorldSSP, there’s a new tyre size available to the field which comes from the WorldSBK class. The SC1-A tyre is the standard medium tyre from WorldSBK in the 125/70 size as Pirelli evaluate whether to bring this tyre size to WorldSSP; Assen will be the first test. Also available for front tyres is the standard SC1 soft tyre, in 120/70 size as usual, and the standard SC2 medium tyre. In the event of rain, WorldSSP riders will have either the standard intermediate or wet tyre. At the rear, the tyres WorldSSP riders can use will be the standard SCX super soft compound or the standard SC0 soft compound. As with the front tyres, standard intermediate and wet tyres are available if it rains.

There is also a slight change to the solutions for WorldSSP300 riders who start their season at Assen. Previously, the standard SC1 tyre was the reference tyre for the Championship but for 2023, with the aim of guaranteeing better performance on colder tracks and to allow the riders to understand the differences between the two compounds, there will be a SC2 tyre available. At Assen, the riders will have the SC2 tyre at their disposal.

Watch all the action from Assen in style using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

During my time working in the MotoGP™ and MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship paddocks, only a handful of riders truly move the needle and do things that take your breath away. Casey Stoner was the man to watch when I first ventured into a Grand Prix paddock but I remember Cal Crutchlow telling the media that “the second Marc Marquez jumps onto a MotoGP™ bike, he’ll be the best rider in the world. 

RAZGATLIOGLU TO MotoGP™? It’s a hard switch

We took it with a pinch of salt and assumed Crutchlow was exaggerating how good Marquez is…history has shown that he might even have undersold us on the Spaniard! Stoner and Marquez found new ways to ride their bikes and did things that other riders couldn’t do. They made the super-talented look ordinary. In the WorldSBK paddock, Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) is the rider that has emulated this feat.

The Turkish superstar can do things that others can’t; he has an ability on corner entry that for much of the last four years has almost seemed like a cheat code! Toprak lives up to the hype and speaking to riders about him, they all say the same thing; he deserves a shot at MotoGP™. Whether he gets it will depend a lot on circumstances.

Yamaha gave him a two-day test at Aragon last week to assess whether or not he can make the switch. It was fitting that Toprak was on track with Crutchlow, who made the switch in 2011, to MotoGP™ from WorldSBK. The move almost broke the Brit and he admitted many times that he thought about returning to his production racing roots, such was the challenge of adapting to a prototype. That’s an adaptation that Toprak would have to make too.

LIN JARVIS: “It wasn’t easy for him to really the get the feeling on the bike”

Lin Jarvis, Yamaha Motor Racing Managing Director, didn’t beat around the bush when he spoke to MotoGP.com about the challenge: “Riding an R1 on Pirelli tyres and riding a MotoGP M1 on Michelins is very different,” said Jarvis from the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas. “You need more time to adapt. If I would sum it up, probably it was not easy for him to really get the feeling on the bike. If you watch Toprak riding a Superbike, he is able to do miracles, he has an incredibly good feeling on the front end in particular; we’ve seen that from his stoppies and incredible corner entry and braking. That was not so easy to find on the M1. The bike is much more rigid than the superbike, so really, I think to gain the speed on a MotoGP bike he would need to adapt his style quite significantly.”

Toprak’s area of expertise is the front-end confidence and generating tremendous braking performance with the rear wheel in the air. A MotoGP™ bike with a much more rigid chassis and aerodynamics is all about trying to maintain that rear contact in braking. If the rear wheel is in the air the engine braking doesn’t work. This is one area where Toprak would need to adjust his style. 

MORBIDELLI’S PLACE AT RISK? Jarvis says he is “number one choice” for 2024, IF…

Whilst Yamaha gave Toprak two days on the bike and he would have learned a lot, it’s also been rumoured that at the Aragon test his riding position wasn’t optimised. This is something which he would certainly address if he was to move to MotoGP™ and can be a huge factor in performance. Toprak has the talent to switch to MotoGP™ and be a success but circumstances could work against him. Franco Morbidelli has had a miserable run of form in recent years. His top five finishes at Argentina this year are, until he backs them up with similar results, an outlier and to hear Jarvis talk about the Italian is clearly where hope rather than expectation is the key.

“The ideal scenario for us is that Franky continues to show the speed he displayed in Argentina. Our number one choice would be to continue with Franky but if not, we will be obliged to find another candidate and that’s also why we were interested to look at Toprak. The test was a chance for Toprak to start to understand better the needs for MotoGP™ and for us to see his speed. We can’t say very much from two days of testing. I think the conclusion he’d would probably give you and from our side as well, is that it’s very different to his R1 on Pirelli’s. You need time to adapt.”

CLOCK TICKING: Many factors, limited time – a big decision for the future

Time…it’s the one thing that riders don’t tend to get too much of these days. At Yamaha, the paddock rumour mill has linked them to Jorge Martin to replace Morbidelli. The Spaniard, a Ducati protege since joining the premier class, is already a race winner and established front runner. Would anyone blame them for taking Martin over Razgatlioglu? 

Toprak has a major decision to make. Yamaha has a major decision to make. It could well be that they both make a choice that keeps Toprak off an M1, but could that also push him closer to another manufacturer? It’s always worth remembering that Toprak was once as close to Kawasaki as he is now to Yamaha. If he is offered the right opportunity, he could well look elsewhere. Toprak is the centre of attention once again, but he knows that the music stops very quickly when you’re looking for a seat at the biggest table in motorcycle racing.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2023 FIM Supersport World Championship is back in action at the TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands this weekend and with that, the FIM WorldSSP Challenge is also back. Eight riders will join the rest of the field to see if they can become the winner of the class, and there’s particular interest with one name. Maiki Abe (VFT Racing WEBIKE Yamaha), the son of the late great Norick Abe, will be making his World Supersport debut at Assen.

Abe has been racing in the Asian Road Race series in recent years and after showing potential, joins up with Fabio Menghi’s VFT outfit, already podium finishers in WorldSSP in 2023, building on their podium from 2022. Abe’s father, Norick, was revered in every paddock he raced in for his unique charisma and attitude, as well as he determination on-track. Norick won his home Grand Prix twice at Suzuka, in 1996 and 2000, as well as taking one other win and 14 other podiums. In 2005, he switched to WorldSBK aboard Yamaha R1 machinery, with plenty of top ten results and a best of fourth achieved at Brno, with two more fourth places coming in 2006. He finished 13^th in both seasons. Now, his son aims to follow in his footsteps and return the Abe name to the front.

Talking about his excitement ahead of his highly anticipated World Supersport debut, Abe said: “I am very excited because I can ride with world top class riders. My teammate is very fast so I am looking forward to join VFT team. My optimistic target is top ten or even top five, but first of all, I’d like to compete with my teammate.”

Abe’s teammate this year is none other than reigning Italian champion Nicholas Spinelli, who made an emphatic start in Australia, with second place in Phillip Island’s Race 1. Spinelli is currently ninth in the Championship standings, but just four points away from seventh-placed John McPhee (Vince64 by Puccetti).

Talking about the legacy of his father and what it means to return the Abe name to the world stage, if he’s proud to do so and which other Japanese riders have inspired his journey: “Of course, but Norick Abe name was made because of my father; I would like to make Maiki Abe a name by myself. I respect Katsuyuki Nakasuga because I rode together with him, and then I can see his technique and riding skill. He has been at the top for many years in Japan.”

Returning to the topic of his World Championship debut, the weekend-specific aims and ambitions are to firstly get through it without dramas: “First of all, I would like to complete race week without any mistakes. It’s my first time at Assen and my first WorldSSP race, and Assen is a difficult circuit, so I have to stay strong and riding as much as I can to get use to the circuits.”

The 2023 WorldSSP field has a next generational feel to it: Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing) is back on the grid, son of three-time WorldSBK Champion and MotoGP™ race winner, Troy. Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) returns and the 2022 WorldSSP Challenge winner is the nephew of five-time WorldSSP Champion, Kenan. Tarran Mackenzie (Petronas MIE Honda Team) is on the grid too, son of three-time BSB champion and seven-time Grand Prix podium finisher, Niall Mackenzie – fourth in the 500cc World Championship in 1990. Championship leader Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) is the son of top ten 250cc Grand Prix finisher Davide Bulega too.

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Source: WorldSBK.com