WorldSBK: Toprak Razgatlioglu: ‘Easy for Ducati, I eat the tyre’ - should non-Ducati riders be worried?

Fears that Ducati could dominate in 2023 are beginning to take shape in WorldSBK, will this be a trend in MotoGP?
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Yamaha World Superbike Mandalika 2023
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Yamaha World Superbike Mandalika 2023

After their most successful year in world championship racing, Ducati look to be the clear favourites in MotoGP, while reigning WorldSBK champion 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Alvaro Bautista has already won five out of six races. 

In pre-season testing, Ducati showed an even greater side to their dominance from last season in MotoGP, as 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Luca Marini topped both the Valencia and Sepang tests.

In WorldSBK, Bautista was quickest in Portimao beforeꦿ going on to claim top spot in the two-day Phillip Island test.

Si🐼nce then, the Spaniard has been unbeatable aside from his Superpole Race crash in Mandalika which cost him the chance to keep up his 100%% win record in 2023.

Of course, in MotoGP Ducati have the talent to go along with a significantly greater level of pa♑rticipation numbers, as eight bikes compared to four from Honda, Aprilia a🍌nd KTM gave them a clear advantage last season, and should do so again.

But in WorldSBK,ꦺ Ducati don’t have the highes😼t participation numbers, yet their performance is beginning to be unrivalled.

Take Bautista out of the equation and another Ducati could have won half the races that have♛ taken place so far this season. 

168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Michael Ruben Rinaldi, rookie 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Danilo Petrucci, 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Axel Bassani and 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Philipp Oettl have all had impressive performances, while the con♌sistent pace shown by several of those riders has been a big step forward compared to this time last season. 

In MotoGP, 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Francesco Bagnaia is the favourite heading into the season, but there’s an argument to be made that 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Enea Bastianini and 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Jorge Martin are next on the list. 

That’s with the likes of 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Marc Marquez, 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Fabio Quartararo and 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Maverick Vinales being in the championship.

And while we’ve seen electric performances from Marquez and Quartararo more often than not in their premier class career, fighting Ducati for 𓃲a whole season a🔜ppears to be a difficult task. 

Marc Marquez, Sepang MotoGP test, 12 February
Marc Marquez, Sepang MotoGP test, 12 February

Just ask 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Toprak Razgatlioglu, who after six races is already talking ab🦩out ♎how difficult it’s become to challenge Ducati. 

"Easy for Ducati!" said the Pata Yamaha ri﷽der after Race 2 in Mandalika. "Ducati passes easy on the straights. This is a big advantage. I try to go on the corner to pass him but I eat the tyre and it’s a very easy pass on the straight because the ♛bike is very fast. He is also a strong rider I know, but he has a very good package."

All Ducati riders strong, but Bautista making the difference in WorldSBK

Rinaldi has been one of 🍰the big revelations in terms of speed in 2023, and although his results still lack consistency, there’s a case to be made for him being the second fastest rider on average. 

But what was again clear in Mandalika iꩲs that Bautista has the measu𓃲re of his opponents, whether they are Ducati riders or not. 

Talking about Race 2 and closing down Rin𝔉aldi before taking victory, but also his overall competitiveness in 2023, Bautista said: "We were very strong in Australia, also here, the last year we struggled but the confidence, the feeling I have with♊ the bike is the most important thing. 

"If we can keep this feeling for the next races♍ then we can be competitive and fight for victories. When I arrived to him [Rinaldi] I was basically stronger in all the areas. I just did a couple of laps behind him to be sure of the place I can pass him without problems. 

"The second sector - the right corners - I was a bit faster than him so I just tried to prepare to pass him at turn te🃏n because fo๊r me it was the safest place."

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