It’s an important Pirelli Portuguese Round for Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK), as he needs to do everything in his power to take the title race with Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) to the wire at Jerez. Despite languishing down the order across the Portimao Free Practice sessions, Razgatlioglu managed to take a fourth place on the grid before getting his elbows out, digging deep and being his usual relentless self.

A bright start from third place, courtesy of a penalty for teammate Andrea Locatelli which left the Italian starting from the back of the grid for ignoring the technical flag during his Aragon Race 2 DNF, Toprak muscled his way into the lead. However, the Turkish star was soon under attack at the start of Lap 2 by Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), before his teammate Jonathan Rea and Championship leader Bautista got involved too. Try as he might by fighting back at Turn 1 and making up time throughout the twisty sector two and sector three, Razgatlioglu was consistently gapped by the #1 Ducati at the end of sector four and start of sector one on the main straight. With Bautista clearing off to take victory and thus the Manufacturers’ Championship for Ducati, Razgatlioglu was P2 at the chequered flag.

Assessing his opening race at Portimao, Razgatlioglu spoke of his Saturday before and during the race: “This morning, I didn’t use the SCX tyre, we just kept trying the SC0 tyre for the race as it’s always important. In Superpole, I did a good a lap time but it wasn’t enough and I was at my limit. We made a good start in the race and we fought a little bit with Alvaro, with a very strong pace. Every lap, I kept pushing a lot, more than 100%, to try to take the best position. At the final corner and on the straight, Alvaro was really strong but, in every corner, we were coming step by step but it’s not easy. In the last lap, I felt the rear tyres drop but I was waiting for Alvaro’s to do the same but his pace was very strong in the final laps.”

Talking about the strategy of the opening encounter, the 26-year-old said: “The biggest problem for me was that I didn’t attack him into Turn 13 and then on the exit of the last corner, he was alone. I tried to follow him but his bike is faster and then it’s not easy to attack him because I am not closing. Every lap, it was the same; I was closing but then at the corner, he was strong. We gave more than 100% in the race and I understood something for Sunday. In the Superpole Race, it will be very difficult and everyone will enjoy it more. I will be pushing more than 100% to try and win. I will keep fighting and never give up.”

Razgatlioglu’s title chances are slim but not impossible; to keep the title race alive to Jerez, he can afford to finish P2 to the #1 Ducati in both remaining Portimao races on Sunday, although the gap would go up to 60 and it is then a mountain to climb at Jerez. A third place in any race on Sunday if Bautista wins both will see the title stay in the hands of Ducati. Razgatlioglu can’t lose more than nine points to Bautista on Sunday.

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