Toprak Razgatlioglu's Fate Twist Plot

Superbike racer Toprak Razgatlioglu moved from Yamaha to BMW. (Photo: Twitter/@PataYamahaWSBK)

JAKARTA - A surprise was made by Turkish World Superbike (WSBK) racer Toprak Razgatlioglu. Expected to "hijrah" to MotoGP, he took a surprising step.

Toprak has officially moved from Pata Yamaha's team to Rokit BMW Motorrad starting the 2024 season. This certainty clearly dismissed reports that the rider would move to MotoGP with Monster Energy Yamaha next season.

BMW himself will be Toprak's third manufacturer after previously defending Kawasaki and Yamaha.

By joining BMW next season, Toprak is officially spending four seasons with Yamaha.

Since making his WSBK debut in 2018 with Turkish Puccetti Kawasaki, he has won 33 races and a total of 93 podiums he earned during his career at WSBK.

He was also recorded as holding the WSBK title in the 2021 season with a collection of 564 points, 13 points ahead of the British racer from the Kawasaki Racing team Jonathan Rea, who was in the runner-up position that season.

This title also breaks the dominance of the six consecutive seasons of WSBK, which was previously always won by the British racer. The racer who was born on October 16, 1996, confirmed his world title after finishing in second place in the Mandalika Circuit race 1 race, Indonesia in November 2021.

BMW Motorrad chief Markus Schramm thinks Toprak is the best rider at the moment and has a good person off track. Schramn was enthusiastic about his arrival and believed the Turkish racer was able to adapt quickly to the team.

"Toprak is undoubtedly one of the best riders on the field today, which he has not only proven by winning the 2021 World Championships," Schramn said, as reported by the WSBK official website via Antara.

But he's not just a fast motorcyclist, he also has a great personality off track. We believe Toprak will soon adapt to the BMW Motorrad Motorsport family. We look forward to our collaboration and our future together," he added.

Schramn not only expressed his response and enthusiasm, but also Marc Bongers who served as Director of BMW Motorrad Motorsport.

Welcome to the BMW Motorrad Motorsport family, Toprak Razgatlioglu. We are delighted to welcome him to our WorldSBK factory squad starting next season," said Bongers.

"I am very proud that Toprak chose to join BMW Motorrad. This is a step forward for our project and a strong commitment from BMW Motorrad Motorsport to World Superbike," he continued.

This season, Toprak is in second place in the standings with 167 points, with a difference of 69 points from the Spaniard Aruba.IT Racing team, Ducati Alvaro Bautista, who collected 236 points at the top.