It is the second week of January, and there as yet no substantial rumors of MotoGP rider contracts being signed.
Compared to recent years, that is a bit of a late start to Silly Season, given that all but a handful of riders have their contracts up for renewal at the end of 2022.
Yamaha Motor Europe is making the most out of Toprak Razgatlıoğlu’s WorldSBK Championship title (along with the tuning fork brand taking the triple crown in the World Superbike series), and they have something special for 21 lucky buyers.
Making a limited-edition replica of Toprak Razgatlıoğlu’s Yamaha YZF-R1, the PATA Yamaha squad is making the bikes in Crescent Racing workshop.
Episode 254 of the Paddock Pass Podcast is out, and it is a WorldSBK show, which means that this one sees Steve English and Gordon Ritchie on the mics.
This round sees the guys reporting on the WorldSBK action in Indonesia, for the final chapter into what has been a fascinating story about the 2021 season.
Episode 246 of the Paddock Pass Podcast is out, and it is a WorldSBK show, which means that this one sees Steve English and Gordon Ritchie on the mics.
This round sees the guys reporting on the WorldSBK action in Argentina, which added another chapter into what has been a fascinating story about the 2021 season.
Episode 244 of the Paddock Pass Podcast is out, and it is a WorldSBK show, which means that this one sees Steve English and Gordon Ritchie on the mics.
After some technical difficulties trying to publish earlier shows, this episode sees the guys recapping the racing and news from both the Jerez and Portimão rounds.
Episode 235 of the Paddock Pass Podcast is out, and this one is a WorldSBK show, which means that this one sees Steve English and Gordon Ritchie on the mics.
The pair talk about the WorldSBK round at the Magny-Cours, and the superbike racing action that ensued at the French track.
Toprak Razgatlioglu is to remain in WorldSBK for two more seasons. The Turkish rider agreed a deal with Yamaha that will see him continue with the factory World Superbike squad through the 2023 season.
Episode 133 of the Paddock Pass Podcast is out, and this one comes to us again from the WorldSBK paddock, as Steve English and Gordon Ritchie talk about the season-opening round at Phillip Island.
A special early episode (we’ll have another show for you on Thursday, of course), the guys talk about the exciting racing action from Australia, which saw some surprise finishes and promises good things for the season ahead.
The show also includes snippets of audio from riders, including Alex Lowes, Scott Redding, and Toprak Razgatlıoğlu.
It is news that has long been coming, ever since the Suzuka 8-Hours, but now it is official. Toprak Razgatlioglu will be leaving Puccetti Racing at the end of the season to race with the factory Pata Yamaha WorldSBK team in 2020.
Toprak Razgatlioglu will replace Alex Lowes in the Pata Yamaha squad, racing alongside Michael van der Mark, who will start his fourth season with the factory Yamaha team.
As expected, the result of the 2019 Suzuka 8-Hours was decided well after the podium ceremony for the Yamaha Factory Racing Team, with the factory Kawasaki team protesting Race Direction’s interpretation of the rulebook.
Agreeing with the Kawasaki Racing Team’s reading, the FIM concluded that because the race ended on a red flag, the results should be counted from the first full lap before the incident, which had KRT leading by a comfortable margin.
This overrules Race Direction’s opinion that KRT failed to return to the pits five minutes after the race ended, which saw the Kawasaki team declared a non-finisher, and thus off the podium box.
Round 6 of the 2018 Superbike World Championship saw Michael van der Mark make history, and Toprak Razgatl?oglu claim a first career podium.
It was the shot in the arm the series needed, and after great racing across all four classes, there is a renewed optimism within the paddock.