WSB Catalunya. Toprak to bring the fire again ?

[weeksy]

https://www.worldsbk.com/

Getting to the pointy end now, so who's it going to be ? Toprak is on fire and it's hard to see past him or Rea for this weekends wins... but can Redding or another get into the mix ? I somehow doubt it.

https://www.worldsbk.com/en/news/2021/R ... %20emerged

Master vs apprentice no more – it’s 3-3 in terms of last lap battles

The 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is witnessing what is vastly becoming one of the most emblematic rivalries in the Championship’s history. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) are head-to-head for the title, leaving nothing on the table and both going all-out for victory. The Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours saw them battle victory hard, both at the top of their game, particularly in the Tissot Superpole Race, where there were two overtakes for the lead in the final two sectors on the last lap. However, this rivalry has been building ever since Toprak’s move to WorldSBK: let’s look at it in detail.

2018: a rookie’s good first impressions

Razgatlioglu graduated to WorldSBK in 2018 with the Puccetti Kawasaki outfit, where he had a rather unassuming start to the season, although consolidated his status as a solid top ten finisher. However, by the time the Championship reached the UK and Donington and having only had a best result of eighth prior to this, Razgatlioglu erupted onto the scene. He battled hard with Jonathan Rea in Race 2 and eventually got second place from him on the final lap, making a bold move at the Old Hairpin. Beating the factory Kawasaki of Rea on an Independent Kawasaki, the Turkish youngster was the apprentice learning his trade from one of the best. A star was born, and a rivalry ignited.

2019: the fight for victory ignites

Into his second full season of action, Razgatlioglu was now aiming to start challenging for regular podiums – however, it was at Misano where it was clear that Toprak could be a real threat to Rea. A last lap battle in Race 2 would be just the first of many battles to come. At Donington Park, Race 2 saw them locked together, although Rea resisted Toprak’s pressure in the closing stages. Despite this, the biggest battle was to come at Magny-Cours in France, when Toprak stormed through from 16th on the grid to take the lead at Turn 13 on the last lap of Race 1, taking his first ever WorldSBK win. He repeated it in the Tissot Superpole Race, doubling up and again, pipping Rea. With a switch to the factory Yamaha team for 2020 coming, the rivalry was only going to grow stronger.

2020 and 2021: things get serious

With Toprak moving into the Pata Yamaha team, he was always going to be a direct threat to Jonathan Rea. With Rea crashing in the first race of the year, Toprak drew first blood, but a final corner, final lap pass from Rea on Toprak in the Superpole Race saw the Champion fight back. It was the only time in 2020 where both went head-to-head on the final lap, although they enjoyed plenty of podiums together.

However, 2021 was the year we were waiting for, a vintage season where the top two in the world are riding at the top of their game and with huge hunger to win. They locked horns at Donington Park in Race 2, after Toprak’s mesmerising opening lap in the first race. With both on the limit of adhesion, mistakes came, a big one for Rea at Coppice, as he crashed out of the lead. Then, Rea was invincible at Assen meanwhile it was Razgatlioglu’s turn for misfortune, being taken out at Turn 1 by Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team). Toprak was irrepressible at Most as Rea crashed not once but twice in Race 1. They battled hard again in the opening laps of the Superpole Race at Navarra, before then moving to Magny-Cours and their biggest on-track fight yet in the Superpole Race, which then spilt off-track too.

The future: it’s only going to get more intense

The good news is that both riders are going to stay in the WorldSBK paddock for at least the next year (in Toprak’s case, until 2023), meaning we can get used to our Saturday and Sunday afternoons being filled with both going head-to-head. As one beats the other, the other’s desire to win will only increase. However, it’s a rivalry with great respect too, with both riders pushing themselves and each other to the limit, whilst always reflecting on the moment together and having nothing but admiration. With the latest off-track turn of events regarding the Kawasaki protest at Magny-Cours for Razgatlioglu exceeding track limits, it’s another dynamic and another storyline in what is quickly becoming one of the most entertaining rivalries. Razgatlioglu has a seven-point lead over Rea, but it could all change in a moment’s notice.

[weeksy]

POS RIDER NAT TEAM TIME
1 Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team 1:42.419s
2 Toprak Razgatlioglu TUR PATA Yamaha +0.159s
3 Tom Sykes GBR Motorrad BMW WorldSBK Team +0.189s
4 Alex Lowes GBR Kawasaki Racing Team +0.279s
5 Andrea Locatelli ITA PATA Yamaha +0.296s
6 Leon Haslam GBR Team HRC +0.324s
7 Michael Rinaldi ITA Aruba.It Ducati +0.353s
8 Michael Van Der Mark NED Motorrad BMW WorldSBK Team +0.444s
9 Garrett Gerloff USA GRT Yamaha +0.500s
10 Isaac Vinales SPA Orelac Racing Kawasaki +0.763s
11 Axel Bassani ITA Motocorsa Ducati +0.789s
12 Lucas Mahias FRA Kawasaki Puccetti +0.959s
13 Scott Redding GBR Aruba.It Ducati +0.959s
14 Alvaro Bautista SPA Team HRC +1.079s
15 Chaz Davies GBR GoEleven Ducati +1.092s
16 Jonas Folger GER Benovo BMW +1.311s
17 Kohta Nozane JPN GRT Yamaha +1.479s
18 Leandro Mercado ARG MIE Honda Racing +1.594s
19 Samuele Cavalieri SPA Barni Ducati +1.602s
20 Christophe Ponsson FRA Gil Yamaha +1.932s
21 Loris Cresson BEL Pedercini Kawasaki +3.728s

[Bigyin]

Unfortunately i pretty much discount Tom Sykes lap times in practise now as he has always been good at one lap pace but seems to tail off in race trim. Looks like Toprak and JR to bang bars again which should be fun

[Skub]

I can see Locatelli being in the mix for a while and Lowes,if he can stay on.

Micky VDM was awesome to watch smoking and sliding in practice...all for 8th place. I can see a meltdown coming there.

[KungFooBob]

I'll have 50p each way on Rinaldi for a podium.

[Skub]

Gerloff needs help from a headshrink,Yamaha must have put the fear of god into him.

[Bigyin]

Gerloff needs help from a headshrink,Yamaha must have put the fear of god into him.

One thing he doesnt fear is God, have you heard any of his post race interviews ?

He owes everything to his Lord, Jesus H Christ, and the poor wee donkey

[Skub]

Gerloff needs help from a headshrink,Yamaha must have put the fear of god into him.

One thing he doesnt fear is God, have you heard any of his post race interviews ?

He owes everything to his Lord, Jesus H Christ, and the poor wee donkey

I didn't know that,but perhaps my inadvertent comment carries even more weight then.

[Skub]

Well.

Maybe Toprak and Garrett won't be wanting those 'lucky' Yamaha colours again.

What a crazy race.

[KungFooBob]

I'll have 50p each way on Rinaldi for a podium.

Where do I claim my prize money?

[Skub]

I'll have 50p each way on Rinaldi for a podium.

Where do I claim my prize money?

The cheese is holding it forya.

[wull]

He’s pleased with his wet race pace, just a pity about the mechanical. Fingers crossed for tomorrow, hopefully JR goes backwards. The twats blocked me off his Instagram page

[Yorick]

It's no secret that Scotty is one of my favourite riders.

Conversely, Rea one of my least faves.

So

[weeksy]

Toprak and JR going at it in a big way.

Chaos throughout the rest of the bunch!

[wull]

Damage limitations this weekend for Toprak, hopefully a better result in race 2 later on. JR got lucky with Toprak having the mechanical yesterday, no more mechanicals please………

[Skub]

Awesome racing. We are seeing the best Rea has got thanks to Toprak pushing him like none of the others are able to do.

[wull]

Awesome racing. We are seeing the best Rea has got thanks to Toprak pushing him like none of the others are able to do.

I’m noticing Rea taking many more risks because he has to I suppose.

[KungFooBob]

Well Sykes can't be too bad if they're restarting it, right?

When the camera cut to Mahias crouched down next to him not getting a response it made me feel ill.

[wull]

Well Sykes can't be too bad if they're restarting it, right?

When the camera cut to Mahias crouched down next to him not getting a response it made me feel ill.

He was conscious before getting carted to the hospital.

[wull]

What a championship this is turning out to be………JR is still a Fanny though!