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Balaton Park in the First Corner Was the Key to the Challenge! Toprak Razgatlıoğlu’s Comments Increased Confusion
The first stop of the eagerly awaited World Superbike (WorldSBK) race, held at the Balaton Park circuit, a key location in the motorsport world, revealed an interesting situation behind the scenes of the championship battle. Yamaha pilot Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, who dominated three races on this track last season, unexpectedly performed poorly in the morning practice session on Friday, falling to 10th place. This highlighted particularly the grip issues at the first corner before the race, serving as an important warning.
Attention Was Drawn to the Complexity of the First Corner
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu stated that the track suited his driving style very well while expressing concerns about the grip problems in the first corner. “This is a track exactly my style,” Toprak said, “but I still haven’t fully understood the first sector, especially the first corner.” It was observed that the new asphalt work on the track, particularly at this point, negatively affected the grip. In particular, the locking of the front tires during straight braking posed a serious threat to drivers.
"I think they've put down some new asphalt there. There’s no grip there and I think everyone is experiencing the same problem because the front tire locks up when braking on the straights."
Struggle with Michelin Tires
It was also noteworthy that the driver emphasized the difficulty of stopping the motorcycle compared to WorldSBK days, stating that business was more complicated at Balaton Park with Michelin tires. Razgatlıoğlu reminded that Pirelli tires offered easier braking and control. “I’m trying to adapt to this situation because things aren't easy on this track with Michelin tires,” he said.
Balance Problems During the Transition to Soft Tires
The switch to soft rear tires in the race strategy created a significant change in the motorcycle’s balance. Toprak stated that the situation wasn’t so bad with medium tires, but when he switched to soft tires, he felt the rear pushing him too much. This negatively affected the motorcycle's turning and braking performance, making for a more challenging battle for drivers. “This also makes it harder for the motorcycle to turn and stop.”
Improvement Compared to Mugello But Saturday is Critical
Despite all these difficulties, Toprak Razgatlıoğlu acknowledged that the situation was much better than at the Mugello race. However, he emphasized the need to improve on Saturday. A strategic approach and improvement in these points were of great importance before the race.
Approval from Michelin: Slippery Surface Problem
Michelin, the tire manufacturer, also confirmed after the sessions that the 1st corner had been re-asphalted and that the surface was “very slippery.” This would affect racing strategies and force drivers to adopt different approaches.
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