Back at Jerez, Toprak Razgatlioglu had already started saying he couldn’t wait to take part in Monday’s test at Brno. It was his first chance to get a feel for the 850cc bikes and Pirelli tyres that will hit the track next year. It was a successful test for the Turkish rider, who shared his first impressions with reporters ahead of this weekend’s race at Assen.
“I’m happy after the test. We’re not 100% ready with the new bike yet, but we tried the 850 and the new tyres, and everything is looking very positive already,” commented Toprak.
Although Yamaha test rider Augusto Fernandez said that the Pramac team rider has returned to braking the way he used to in Superbike while using Pirelli tyres, Toprak himself doesn’t yet feel as comfortable as he once did.
“I don’t feel ‘at home’ yet, but my confidence will grow as I ride the bike. I’ve felt more comfortable in every session, especially with the front end. Brno isn’t exactly a track with aggressive braking points, but I’ve already felt good there,” he said. “Is the tyre philosophy similar to what I was used to? There’s room for improvement on the rear, but the grip is still incredible. The feel, especially with the front tyre, is the same as in Superbike.”
And the power? “It’s lower. After the 1000, I felt very slow on the 850. But rules are rules, and we have to adapt,” he replied. “I’m talking about power in general. If you asked all the manufacturers, they’d say they’re very slow. You can feel it coming out of corners, when you shift into third or fourth gear. It’s difficult: even though it’s still a fast bike, after riding a 1000 you really feel a big difference. This bike is strange. The first thing I thought was that we had some issues on the straights, but then I realized what everyone’s been saying.”
Since it lacks power coming out of corners, with the 850 we’ll need to carry more speed into them. “Yes, just a bit more,” confirmed El Turco. “That’s how it is for now. Maybe next year we’ll find more speed in the corners, but for now we’ve only done one day of testing and we need to work harder, since next year will be a clean slate for everyone because of the new regulations. I think they’re already giving more than 100%, but we’ll see next year.”
For Toprak, it’s too early to talk about the competitive landscape or say whether he got the impression that any manufacturer has built a better bike than Yamaha.
“I don’t know. I focused solely on my own work, partly because I didn’t have an easy schedule for that day: I rode a lot, focusing on myself, my work, and understanding the bike and the tyres,” he said. “Was I overtaken by any Ducatis? No.”
Although it was just a familiarization test with the bike and tyres for next season, the positive results from Brno could still give Razgatlioglu a little extra boost for the remainder of the season.
“Why not?! It motivates me to see that the test went well. The Michelins and the current bike, however, are completely different. We’ll see,” he concluded. “I always try to give it my all every weekend and in every race, and I hope to keep learning and improving a lot.”