Toprak Razgatlioglu broken after shocking accident: “whole body hurts”

Toprak Razgatlioglu's return to WorldSBK racing was nothing short of remarkable. After a shocking crash at Magny-Cours that sidelined him since early September, the Turkish racer made a brilliant but painful comeback at MotorLand Aragon to secure second place. Despite the physical strain and technical problems he faced during the race, Razgatlioglu's sheer determination was visible to all.

“The feeling is good because after the big crash I come back and finish the race on the podium,” Razgatlioglu said via Crash.net.

He had hoped to take victory on his return, but had significant difficulties with tire performance.

“This is incredible for me. My goal is to win the race, but the front tire broke in the last five laps.” [had] “A really big drop and I’m just trying to ride the bike,” he said. These problems occurred despite his decision to use a development version of the SC1 front tire for the race – a gamble aimed at avoiding performance drops noticed in the series tires after just 10 laps.

During the race it became apparent that the new tire did not hold up as expected over the entire 18 laps. Razgatlioglu continued:

“I use the new one [development] Front tire, but I didn't use it for 18 laps [before the race]He added: “But I used the standard SC1 yesterday and after 10 rounds there is a big drop.” I say I think so [development] One is a little better because I haven’t tried the SC2 yet – I don’t know what the grip and lifespan of the tire is like.”

Razgatlioglu is planning adjustments for the future:

“Looks like I'll be using the SC2 tomorrow because with the SC1 it's not easy to ride the bike in the last five laps, especially in the long corners.”

Razgatlioglu also praised his rival Andrea Iannone, alluding to his impressive pace, which Iannone maintained, especially in the final stages of the race.

“Andrea [Iannone] “drives really well because his pace is incredible, especially in the last laps,” noted Razgatlioglu. “Unless I have a problem with the front tire, I don’t know if I’ll win or not because his pace is really strong.”

Aside from the tire issues, Razgatlioglu struggled with persistent mechanical issues, particularly engine braking.

“I'll do my best again tomorrow and hope that we can improve the bike a little and I'll ride more relaxed because I always feel the limit because especially the engine brake side doesn't work well,” he remarked. Nevertheless, Razgatlioglu's adaptation to the new tire was commendable, even if he had less preparation time compared to his competitors.

“We used the new tire [but this is] When I tried the new tire for the first time, the other drivers also tried it on the last two laps. But I adapted quickly, [I] We just need further improvements for tomorrow,” he added.

However, it was Razgatlioglu's physical condition that attracted a lot of attention. After hopping on the bike for the first time in a month, he opened up about the physical toll it had taken on him.

“After a month it’s not easy. I understand it because I just get on the bike.” [this weekend]” he shared. The pain was pervasive and affected his shoulder, rib side and back. “I'm on the podium – that's good, but I feel my whole body [in] Pain. Just muscle pain, the general feeling is good, but especially the shoulder, the rib side, the back, everything hurts.”

Despite the pain, he expressed his joy at being able to race again: “On the bike the feeling is good, but when I am.” [standing] it's a bit difficult.

“Anyway, I'm enjoying it. It's important to ride my bike again, it's really good for me. I really have fun on the bike and don't feel tired straight after the race – that's normal.” “I enjoy the race,” he said. “Tomorrow we have two more races, I’m fighting for victory again,” he confirmed.