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One of the big talking points coming into the 2022 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship from a technical perspective is that reigning Champions Yamaha refuse to rest on their laurels. The Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK team has carried out two sets of tests so far and will do two more tests before the start of the season. Their main improvement has been centred around the electronics, with reigning Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu, crew chief Phil Marron and team principal Paul Denning all hailing the improvement.

In short, the electronics improvements should improve all aspects where the electronics are used, such as on corner exit with anti-wheelie and also traction control plus more. However, at the MotorLand Aragon test, Yamaha were also trialling new mechanical components on the engine that helped with corner exit, leading to better engine performance everywhere. With Toprak Razgatlioglu, that was already one of his plethora of strengths in 2021; getting out of the corners quicker than his rivals, coinciding with him being one of the latest on the brakes, making him one of the hardest riders to pass in the Championship.

Speaking about the upgrade and enhancement in the electronics, Toprak stated his delight: “We have an incredible step with the electronic, and now I like it. The anti-wheelie, engine braking, traction control… everything has made a good step and has improved. We will use it again in Catalunya and hope for the good weather. The Portimao test for me was incredible but now we are at Aragon, we have an incredibly big step.”

Also commenting on the bike, team boss Paul Denning said: “I’ve been really impressed with the team and in particular, the development group at Yamaha and how they’ve not sat back and gone, ‘OK, we’ve got Toprak, he’s clearly pretty special and if keep him on the same bike then we’ve got a chance again’. The way in which the development has gone forwards to keep focussing on all the small details to improve the bike… already, at our second test, we’ve got some good stuff on the bike that’s taken a step forward and that’s given the riders confidence.”

Concluding, Phil Marron, crew chief to Razgatlioglu, commented on where Toprak’s made gains and also where there’s still work to do: “He struggled a bit in the rain and before that, in Superpole, but they were two areas that he addressed quite well, with the help of us identifying what could possibly help in those areas, so fortunately, we made progress there.

“Believe it or not, he still wants the bike to stop better! This is his main complaint every time, even though the guys that he rides with will tell you that it is ridiculous where he’s able to stop and how he can get the bike turned. He wants us to improve that area and we want, along with him, to improve the turning of the bike. We’d also like to improve the electronic package in terms of traction control, power delivery and engine braking.”

Talking further about the electronics, Marron hailed the team’s progress between tests already in 2022: “I don’t know if it’s been the biggest single step, but between Portimao and Aragon, the team made a massive step. The engineers made a huge step… at Portimao, Toprak wasn’t really happy with the package electronically, but even between day one and day two at Portimao, they made a step. Between Portimao and Aragon, they made another step and then even during the nights at Aragon, they made yet another step. The guys are working and Toprak’s seeing what they can do and he was actually quite blown away; he was very surprised to see how much of a step they can make when they get their heads together. He understands now that the potential is quite big and he was pleasantly surprised.”

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