Yamaha boss reveals No1 hope for 2024 line-up - and it's not Toprak Razgatlioglu
168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:World Superbikes star Ra🐷zgatlioglu completed a private test with Yamaha at Jerez earlier this week, and - with rival manufacturers also present - lᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚap times soon leaked out suggesting a after 116 laps over the two days.
It has been confirmed to mahbx.com that Razgatlioglu’s best time was, as reported, 1.4s behind KT♓M’s Dani Pedrosa - the fastest rider on track - but closer to 1.0s from official Yamah🍃a test rider Cal Crutchlow.
Razgatlioglu (and Pramac Racing's Jorge Martin) have been linked with becoming 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Fabio Quartararo's teammate in the 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:2024 MotoGP rider line-up, taking the spot of the under-pressure Morbidelli. But unexpectedly heading into the 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:MotoGP Grand Pri♏x of the Americas, Morbidelli has outsc♔ored his esteemed teammate Q🥂uartararo.
Yamaha boss Jarvis explained to MotoGP.com: "The ideal scenario for us, to be honest, is that Franky continues to show the s🐻peed he displayed in [Argentina]. If Franky can continue to perform very well that's better for us right now and [would] auไtomatically guarantee him continuity in the future.
"So really&n🐠bsp;our number one choice would be to continue with Franky [in 2024].
"If not, we will be obliged to find another candidate and that's also why we were interested to look at Topra🅷k, because in our Yamaha road racing world, he's obviously one of the prime candidates. But I hope Franky is able to continue this newly found speed and✤ confidence."
In terms of Razgatlioglu's la🐓test test, Jarvis said: "I think any rider eventually has an interest to try and see how they would do in MotoGP, so it was a chance for Toprak to start to understand better the needs fo💃r MotoGP and for us to see his speed.
"We can't say vꦡery much from two days of testing. I think the conclusion he would probably give you and from our side as well, is that it's very different riding an R1 on Pirelli tyres and riding a MotoGP M1 on Michelinsꦺ. And you need more time to adapt.
"If I would sum it up⛦, probably it was not easy for him to really get the fe🔜eling 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 stopp💟ies 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."
As at Razgatlioglu's debut MotoGP test in Aragon last year, Crutchlow (who recently unde🏅rwent knee surgery) was present to help Razgatlioglu꧑ adapt to a MotoGP bike at Jerez this week, having successfully made the transition from WorldSBK himself in 2011.
But as ever wi💮th testing, Ra♔zgatlioglu's one-off best lap time of 1m 38.860s only tells part of the story.
For example, how many time attacks did Razgatlioglu conduct? What was his average pace like? How muc♊h does he still need to adapt his spectacular riding style?
mahbx.com understands that Razgatlioglu fitted several 🎐;new tyres, in the final hour, 𝓡to set his fastest lap time.
But perhaps more concerning in terms of a MotoGP move was that, during💜💦 the middle of the day, he was said to be running 1m 40s while the fastest MotoGP test riders were setting ‘38s. The official Jerez race lap record is 1m 37.669s and pole record 1m 36.170s.
Of course, it was only Razgatlioglu’s second MotoGP outing🍌, on a bike very different to his WorldSBK-spec R1. Razgatlioglu’s talent is also beyond question, having won 33 WorldSBK races and holding second to Ducati's Alvaro Bautista in the early 2023 standings.
But as things presently stand, it appears Razgatlioglu still has a clear gap to bridge to match the best MotജoGP test riders - widely regarded as a 'first step' towards being ready for a factory MotoGP race seat. In turn, more changes are needed to his famous riding style to suit the unique nature of a GP machine.
Razgatlioglu’s manager Kenan Sofuoglu has made clear he will only consider a factory MotoGP place for the 26-year-old. Yamaha is the only Mo🍸toGP manufacturer that could offer such an opportunity for 2024, with Morbidelli’s current contract expiri💙ng at the end of this season.
It is not kn🥀own when Razgatꦓlioglu might test the M1 again, but he will be back in WorldSBK action at Assen next weekend.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come an🍸d go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
