News

The Autodrom Most has played host to some of the biggest headlines since it was inaugurated onto the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship in 2021. In 2024, it was the scene of more history being made, huge declarations about the rider market, a philosophical approach to a podium return and teammates caught up in a racing incident. The Czech Republic certainly provided rather pikantni quotes.

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team): “An incredible year for me… I think Alvaro will come back strong”

A hat-trick of hat-tricks and ten on the spin, Toprak Razgatlioglu and BMW are in the form of their lives: “A Turkish style celebration with backgammon! It wasn’t too long because normally the game takes ten minutes but we only played for 30 seconds because we don’t have a lot of time at the end of the race. If we played it fully, maybe the others would be waiting for me on the podium. Now, I think each weekend for the celebration so perhaps if I win at Portimao, I’ll jump in the swimming pool. This weekend is finished and again, we achieved a hat-trick. It’s an incredible weekend and incredible year for me. I need two more wins to break the consecutive wins record. I hope we can stay like this all season, I need the world title. We have many races and I think Alvaro will come back strong. I was almost crying for the Turkish fans that came here to support me. Everyday, we’re getting famous and especially in Turkey, people are learning about me. Thanks to all the Turkish fans and I’m hoping for more each weekend. I’m not as popular as Kenan but I think Zayn is more popular than even Kenan!”

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “We’re speaking with Ducati to renew the contract; if they want me to sign at World Ducati Week, they need to give me what I want… we have some Plan Bs”

The biggest hints yet came from Alvaro Bautista’s future, with him saying about his wish to continue on Sunday afternoon: “Honestly, I want to continue. We are speaking with Ducati to renew the contract. It’s not fair to end my career like this. I need to enjoy the bike and feel strong on it, especially after this weekend where I have more things clear. In the end, we’re speaking with Ducati to renew the contract. That is my intention and then I’ll see. My main choice will be to stay in the same team but it’s in Ducati’s hands as well. It’s not 100% about me. Last weekend, I got more points but the feeling with the bike was s**t. This has been the first weekend in 2024 that I can ride the bike as you want. If Ducati wants me to sign at World Ducati Week, they have to give me what I want. Simone Battistella has other options for sure but I can’t tell you which one; we have some Plan Bs.”

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “Alvaro apologised to me…”

Another P2 for Nicolo Bulega in his rookie season, with the #11 at least able to battle with Razgatlioglu: “We changed something in the bike setup to conserve the tyres better; at the end, it was a good modification because although I didn’t check the total race time, I think I was faster than yesterday. At the moment, I’m not the only one who can fight with Toprak. Maybe now I have some advantage over Alvaro but I don’t care about the Championship because it’s very long and I don’t look at it. I look race by race and try to be fast every weekend, gaining experience each weekend. I’m satisfied as I am a rookie but in the first laps, I’m not really fighting with Toprak as he’s going at 90% then. I’d be fighting with him if he was at 100% and I don’t think he is. After the Superpole Race, Alvaro apologised to me but he’s an intelligent guy with a lot of experience. I don’t have any problem with him.”

Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team): “Three months ago, I nearly died in a motocross accident… I didn’t know if I was able to come back racing”

Talking about one of his best WorldSBK races, Danilo Petrucci was emotional in P2 on Saturday: “I’m so happy; three months ago, I nearly died in a motocross accident and for a moment, I didn’t know if I was able to come back racing. Then, I was recovering well; since I got on the bike, I’ve been struggling because I’ve been riding with just one arm and I use a lot of energy with my back and legs. It was a good fight with Andrea, a friend of mine; he’s always a special rider in the last laps but I closed all the doors. It’s one of the best rides in WorldSBK; I still miss my biggest target which is the win. With Toprak, it’s impossible to win but it’s one of my best races here. Despite the age, I still feel good. When everything is going well, I’m not doing good. Then, when everyone thinks I am dead – this time, I was almost dead in reality – but when there’s a lot of pressure with no strength, I can do really good races. I don’t know why and I don’t like it but I perform better when I’m under pressure. I simply hate this feeling!”

Reviewing his Race 2 clash with Bautista, ‘Petrux’ said: I feel very sorry, but I just went to Race Direction, just to confirm, to check the images and they also saw that Gardner was the one moving without a reason, as from the right he moved all the way to the left and squeezed me between him and Bautista.I feel sorry both for me and Alvaro, but I had to lift the foot as Gardner took my foot away while breaking. I tried to keep the bike up but then Alvaro closed me on the other side and I didn't really know where to go. I feel deeply sorry for both me and Alvaro but it wasn't on me, I didn't stretch the breaking or anything. I feel sorry because we ruined a beautiful weekend.”

Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team): “Toprak’s performances are motivating… all I can do is learn from him”

Back in the top five, Michael van der Mark spoke of how he’s adjusted his riding style following Toprak’s influence: “I gave so much energy to stay with Toprak and Nicolo but I rode too hard and lost a bit of pace. The difference is so small that I tried to stay away from the group behind me but then Locatelli passed me. Personally, it was very nice to be fighting in the top positions again; I set the fastest lap which gave me a big confidence boost. I was disappointed to miss the podium but also because I threw away Superpole on Saturday. That’s where it all started. Toprak’s performances are motivating a lot and it’s good within the team to compare all the data. I knew when Toprak joined the team that he’s the best rider on the grid and all I can do is learn from him. I think I showed today that I’m adjusting my riding style and getting the best out of the bike.”

Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha): “There’s no substitute for out and out power… it’s the one thing that if we could have right now, it’d help”

Jonathan Rea began by summarising his Most weekend: “Difficult, educational and character building. A tough weekend but if we look at it as a whole, it’s been a positive trajectory. I felt like the pace was as good as the guys in front and in clear track, I could exploit all the clear strengths of the bike. In traffic, I really struggle to pass, take strengths of the bike and even though I was good on the brakes into Turn 1, I was never going to pass them. It was educational as, although we know it already, I need to qualify better but I need to understand how to take the best out of the Pirelli tyres when they’re new because when we put new tyres with this bike, I don’t make a difference. We need to understand why; maybe it’s a style thing as I have a more conventional Superbike style, so maybe the other Yamaha riders use more angle as the overall setups aren’t that different. My race pace hasn’t got faster; I’m too slow at the beginning, not fast enough in the middle and I’m acceptable at the end. There’s no substitute for out and out power; we have to take consolation of there being three Yamahas in the top six in Race 2 and I’m not the top one, so there’s clearly work to do. It’s the one thing that if we could have right now, it’d help.”

Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven): “I think this was the most difficult race of my life”

Talking on Saturday after a rostrum return, ‘The Maniac’ told it straight with great philosophy: “I’m not at 100% in every area. Thanks to my experience, it was possible to achieve this result but it’s also possible to improve a lot; we have more potential, both me and the bike. In any case, I’m happy as it’s not easy with it being my first time here. Last year, I watched the race from the sofa. I think this was the most difficult race of my life; I didn’t know what to expect from this track, the distance but now I understand that my physical condition is not at 100%. My arms, my back… I need to improve something but I start to recover the feeling. Last year, I didn’t believe that I could do this comeback. I put 100%; sometimes, I stress the people a lot but I do everything for us. Everyone needs to believe, anything is possible. We didn’t have data from last year here together so this podium has double value.”

Follow all the action throughout 2024 with the WorldSBK VideoPass, now with 50% off!