SBK, BREAKING NEWS - Toprak Razgatlioglu will not race at Cremona!

After Johnny Rea's forfeit, there is another major absence ahead of the Cremona round. In fact, Toprak Razgatlioglu will not take part in the Italian round of the World SBK Championship, scheduled for this weekend at the circuit in Lombardy.

Following the pneumothorax injury suffered in Friday afternoon's free practice at Magny-Cours, the Turk has been forced to raise the white flag again. In fact, BMW has decided that it does not want to force the timing of his return, preferring therefore to continue along the path to a full recovery.

Replacing Toprak on the M 1000 RR will be an old acquaintance of the SBK paddock, namely Markus Reiterberger, who is involved in the World Endurance Championship with the Munich-based manufacturer.

So there is a lot of disappointment on Toprak's part, "I would have loved to be back on track in Cremona, but the recovery of the mild pneumothorax is taking longer than I initially hoped," said Razgatlioglu. “It’s important that I make a full recovery, and my goal now is to return on my BMW M 1000 RR at the next race weekend at Motorland Aragón. But we need to wait and take it step by step. One thing is certain: as soon as possible and when my health allows, I will rejoin the championship fight! I’ll be rooting for my team in Cremona, and I hope to see the BMW M 1000 RR at the front and on the podium. A big thanks to everyone who’s been supporting me through this tough time – we’ll see each other back on the track soon!”

Echoing his words is Sven Blusch: “Toprak’s complete recovery is the top priority for everyone. Everything else takes a back seat for now. That’s why we decided together that he will not return to racing at Cremona. He’s in good hands and working closely with the medical team to get back on his BMW M 1000 RR by the next race weekend at Motorland Aragón. However, we will take all the time needed. In Markus Reiterberger, we have an excellent stand-in for Cremona, who brings a wealth of experience with the bike, WorldSBK, the team, and BMW Motorrad Motorsport. He will focus on basic and preparation work during the weekend, gathering crucial information so that Toprak can fight for the championship with the best possible material after his comeback.”