Sofuoglu on Razgatlioglu’s future: "I have an offer from BMW, Yamaha have offered us a long-term contract"
Toprak Razgatlioglu’s manager, Kenan Sofuoglu, was speaking in the press about the future of the 2021 World Champion
As the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship continues its Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, talk about the 2024 rider line-up is continuing. With very few riders being contracted for the 2024 season, there are plenty of riders who could be on the move for the 2024 season. One rider whose future is not yet known is Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) with the 2021 Champion’s contract with Yamaha expiring at the end of the 2023 season.
Only Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) have contracts for the 2024 campaign so far but Razgatlioglu’s future has been one of the key talking points in Barcelona. Last time out at Assen, his manager, five-time WorldSSP Champion Kenan Sofuoglu, said that he believes Razgatlioglu will continue in WorldSBK after rumours of a possible switch to MotoGP™ resurfaced following a test with Yamaha and that continuing with Yamaha is their first choice.
In Free Practice 2, Paul Denning, the Team Principal at Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK, said that he was “blown away” by Yamaha’s offer as the Japanese manufacturer aims to keep hold of the rider who delivered their first WorldSBK title since Ben Spies in 2009 when he beat Rea in an incredible 2021 season.
However, Sofuoglu has recently spoken to Speedweek.com about Razgatlioglu’s future. He said: “I rejected Yamaha's offer. They didn’t offer us what I imagined. I had told Yamaha that I wanted a commitment in Catalunya, I wouldn’t talk to any other manufacturer until then. Now I'm talking to others too. I have an offer from BMW and I also talk with Kawasaki and manufacturers in MotoGP™. Toprak thinks highly of the BMW. I don't have an offer from Honda.
“When we went to Yamaha in 2020, many also advised me against it and said that this would destroy Toprak's career. Toprak is not completely satisfied at Yamaha at the moment, so we don't see the best Toprak at the moment. On the positive side, Yamaha have offered us a long-term contract and that we have very close relations with Yamaha Turkey. I won't rush anything, maybe we won't decide where Toprak is going until the summer."
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