Toprak Razgatlioglu “just waiting and watching” before pulling 9-second gap in Estoril Race 1

“I’m not pushing immediately but starওted to build slowly.❀”

Toprak Razgatlioglu, 2024 Estoril WorldSBK, grid. Credit: Gold and Goose.
Toprak Razgatlioglu, 2024 Estoril WorldSBK, grid. Credit: Gold and Goose.
© Gold & Goose

Toprak Razgatlioglu took his 16th win of the 2024 World Superbike Championship in Race 1 at the Estor𝔉il World Superbike round, winning by nine seconds.

Razgatlioglu t💟ook an alternative tyre choice compared to the norm on the grid. He chose the SC0 tyre, while the majority went for the softer SCX tyre.

This discrepancy saw Razgatlioglu go bac👍kwards at the start, but get stronger after a few laps.

“The race was really difficult,” Razgatlioglu told Worl🍃dSBK.com after his nine-second win. “We👍 didn’t know what the weather would do, it’s been a bit strange and, also, we used a different tyre.

“All riders used the soft [S🎶C🦹X] tyre, I used the standard SC0.

“My pace 💙was very strong. At the beginning of the race, I’m just waiting and watching. I’m not pushing immediately but started to build slowly. I did a good job and I’m very happy.”

Improvements are needed for tꦜomorrow, Razgatlioglu insisted, for some specific corners and also for tyre life.

“At the end of the race, I felt like there was a little bit of tyre drop,” he sa🎃id.

“I n𒊎eed to improve my bike because I wasn’t happy at some corners. Maybe we’ll use the soft tyre because I tried it for the race, it felt like a Q tyre; after𓄧 using the SC0, the grip is completely different.

“This would’ve been a gamble for me because I didn’t know the tyre life, I used the SC0 because I know it. Tomorrow, the weather is much better, looks like it’ll be warmer, so I’ll us𒁃e the soft one.”

With his victory and Nicolo Bulega finishing in second place, Razgatlioglu needs to extend his poꦗints lead by 18 in Sunday’s two races in order to be crowned champion.

🦂“I don’t know if, tomorrow, I win the race and Bulega finishes second, 🐠I’m not champion. I’m not thinking about this.

🉐“I’m just focused on the championship finishing at Jerez and enjoying the race. My target is three wins ꦬthis weekend and I’m here for this.”

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