In motorsport, the editor who has followed for years focuses on the difficulties experienced in races and the technical obstacles drivers encounter. The events of this year's races created serious difficulties for some drivers. The relationship of Toprak Razgatlıoğlu with BMW, in particular, affected the performance of some rivals.
Estoril Races Were Challenging for BMW
Miguel Oliveira's performance in the first Grand Prix and sprint races at Estoril was considered the best result for BMW this season. However, Danilo Petrucci's performance presented a different picture. Petrucci failed to score points throughout the race and stated that the race was quite difficult.
Estoril was very tough. I did not expect there to be such big problems in the races.
Technical Differences and Riding Styles
Technical differences were observed between Danilo Petrucci's riding style and Toprak Razgatlıoğlu's style. Petrucci stated that his riding style was different from Toprak's. He expressed that this created difficulties at certain moments.
Perhaps there is only one way to ride a motorcycle fast, which is to stand upright while braking. This is when Toprak's rear wheel lifts. I am on the brakes, especially when taking a corner, I was very fast in that area in the past. Sometimes I was so fast that I could not stand upright on the motorcycle in time, and I lost speed because of that.
Weight Transfer and Braking Techniques
Petrucci emphasized that due to his physical characteristics, he could not slow down completely on a straight track. He said this was due to high weight transfer. Furthermore, he stated that Toprak's braking skills were different and that adapting to the Pirelli tires provided an advantage in some races.
Because of my height and weight, I cannot slow down completely on a straight track because the weight transfer is too high. Toprak's skills in braking are very different from my riding style. And he could adapt perfectly to the Pirelli tires, which provided immediate traction. As we see in MotoGP now, that is not the case, and he gets into trouble. What we see from him is not suitable for his actual skills; he could do much better. But if a driver has a special advantage, they become a driver who is not normally fast. I was good at corner entry and apex, but not when braking on an upright bike. Because of this, many difficulties emerged for me this year.
Performance Concerns and Career Decisions
Despite the poor results, Petrucci expressed that he began to question his own competence. This led to intense thought about whether to continue in the Superbike World Championship races. He also mentioned that he had four options for the future and that Yamaha might be an option if negotiations with BMW did not result in a deal.
Despite the poor results, you start to think about whether you are sufficient, whether you are better. I need to think intensely about whether I want to continue in the Superbike World Championship races. Regarding his future, no decision has been made yet. As SPEEDWEEK.com reported, his manager Alberto Vergani is talking to the Superbike World Championship team Go Eleven [Ducati] and the OrangeCat BMW team in MotoAmerica – Petrucci's withdrawal is also not ruled out. If negotiations with BMW in the USA fail, Yamaha is an option.
Toprak's Performance
Throughout his relationship with BMW, Toprak Razgatlıoğlu was shown on track 66 times and as champion 39 times. German officials believe that a motorcycle needs drivers who can be fast. In this context, Oliveira has shown better performance than the Turkish driver in some races, both in qualifying and during the race.
What he said:
- Toprak Razgatlıoğlu showed superior performances on the track.
Comments
Danilo Petrucci:
Not a part of Toprak's riding style. This was a difficult year for me.
Figures
- Archive: Petrucci: Toprak’s Riding Style is Not Mine in BMW (October 14, 2026)
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Go to sourceCompiled by Şükrü Utku Poyraz
