Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, who secured his second World Superbike Championship title in 2024 with BMW, revealed that when he first joined the team, there were people within BMW who were skeptical about his potential.
Razgatlıoğlu had faced heavy criticism when he announced his switch from Yamaha to BMW in 2023. At that time, Yamaha was occasionally fighting for victories, whereas BMW struggled despite having accomplished riders like Scott Redding.
Despite the criticism, Toprak not only transformed BMW into a winning team in 2024 but also broke records and delivered the team’s first championship title at the end of the season.
Speaking to NTV Spor, Razgatlıoğlu described his achievements with BMW as a win-win situation for both himself and the manufacturer.
“In 2021, becoming a world champion was special because it was my first. But winning the world championship with BMW in 2024 is something completely different because BMW had no previous success or championship in motorcycle racing.”
“BMW wasn’t a winning motorcycle before. We needed to achieve something and prove ourselves. We were under a lot of stress when the season started.”
“As podiums and victories started coming in, we became more relaxed. We began proving ourselves, and we finished the season beautifully.”
Skepticism within BMW
Razgatlıoğlu revealed that some people within BMW doubted him, mainly because Scott Redding, who had switched from Ducati, failed to make an impact, and they didn’t expect such a level of success from him.
“At the start of the project, I didn’t feel this from the person who signed the deal with me, but I sensed skepticism from some of the team members. They were thinking, ‘What can he do? A famous rider came from Ducati and couldn’t achieve anything. What can he possibly do? Maybe he can get a podium at best.’”
“I sensed things like that. But we managed to become world champions in the first year. They were extremely proud because this new team has been working tirelessly on this project for six years, trying to achieve success.”
“They were all hungry for victory. And after a long season, we finally achieved the world championship. We made everyone’s dream come true.”
“It was a bit of a win-win. We elevated BMW’s brand value significantly, and BMW did the same for me.”
“BMW was not a winning brand in motorcycle racing before. Now it has become one.”
“On the other hand, my skill as a rider was brought to light. That’s why I say it was a win-win. Thanks to this, my name has reached a different level.”
“I’ve taken my riding to a new level”
“We’ve raised my riding to a different level. Now, when people are asked, ‘Who is the best rider in Superbike?’ everyone points to me.”
“Reaching this point is truly great. I’m very happy because when I started my motorcycle racing career, I couldn’t even dream of this. I never imagined I would get this far. Now everyone sees me as ‘the star of Superbike.’ That’s an amazing thing.”
“And it’s important to carry this forward in the best way. You must not lose your character. As I always say, of course, winning championships is very important, but it’s just a title.”
“Having that title is wonderful. But character is something entirely different. So, even though I’m a world champion, I always try to remain the same Toprak.”
