Andrea Dovizioso is impressed by Toprak Razgatlioglu’s rise to the top: What the former MotoGP rider expects with regard to the Superbike World Championship in 2025
BMW celebrated their first Superbike title this year. New signing Toprak Razgatlioglu was the dominant rider of the 2024 WSBK season. The Turk won 18 of the 30 races he competed in. Despite missing six races, Razgatlioglu secured the title before the final race weekend.
Former MotoGP runner-up Andrea Dovizioso, when visiting the EICMA motorcycle show, revealed himself to be an absolute WSBK fan and said he watches every race. “Toprak and BMW have achieved something special,” “Dovi” told WorldSBK.com.
According to Dovizioso, there is no question that Razgatlioglu has a special talent. “Toprak was already very strong with Yamaha last year. This year he has also been very fast with the BMW. It was fun to see that he could reach this level with a different manufacturer,” explains the Italian, who also praises the achievements of compatriot Nicolo Bulega.
The 2025 WSBK title will only be won by BMW, according to Andrea Dovizioso.
Looking ahead to the balance of power in the coming year, Dovizioso is certain that the title can only be won with BMW and Razgatlioglu. “BMW and Toprak will be even stronger next year. It will be difficult for the opponents,” predicts Dovizioso.
He expects Razgatlioglu to show further improvement in his second year with BMW. In addition to a better understanding of the M1000RR, Razgatlioglu can look forward to some technical improvements. BMW presented the 2025 model update a few weeks ago, which includes innovations in aerodynamics, the chassis and the engine.
“In his second year with BMW, he can only get better,” suspects Dovizioso. “Of course, the rules can have an effect,” warns Dovizioso in the same breath, referring to the maximum fuel flow introduced from 2025, which in theory will affect the powerful bikes the most.
Will Alvaro Bautista find his old strength in the new year?
In the past WSBK season, Ducati was the only real challenger to BMW. The Italians secured the title in the manufacturers’ championship and finished second and third overall in the riders’ championship with Nicolo Bulega and Alvaro Bautista.
According to Dovizioso, there was one main reason why title defender Bautista missed out on his third consecutive world championship: “I know Alvaro is struggling with the weight. It’s not good because I know how good Alvaro is. He has a very good riding style and he’s a champion. I’d like to see him race without the weights.”
It is unlikely that the combined minimum weight for the driver and motorcycle will be abolished. The rule introduced for the 2024 season only affected Bautista, who had a few problems with a full tank of fuel in particular. But even with a small fuel load, things did not go according to plan for the Spaniard. Bautista lost the qualifying duel with rookie Bulega 0:12.