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Back to back rounds in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship are never easy. The paddock has to pack up and get on the move from one venue to another. Riders might be nursing injuries from the previous round. None of that matters if you’ve got momentum behind you though.

TOPRAK IS THE FORM RIDER: “The impossible now seems inevitable”

For Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) the impossible now seems inevitable; he’s the man to beat and the clear title favourite. On the road to Most, the same questions were being asked by many within the paddock. Who can stop him? How can you stop him? At Donington Park, Razgatlioglu made light of the inquiry from a rival about the legality of his BMW. Celebrating with a “Technical Inspection” was great gamesmanship from the Turkish star. He was clearly furious that questions had been asked about his package.

The easiest way to answer it was with a resounding victory. When a great rider has a package underneath them that gives them confidence, they find a new level of performance. In recent years, Jonathan Rea and Alvaro Bautista both had this form. Their ability to find ways to win despite different challenges was as impressive as what the paddock expects to see from Toprak.

One major difference is that the new regulation package should make it harder to curtail Razgatlioglu mid-season. The check points mid-season are now not to reduce the engine performance of a bike like it was for Ducati in the past with Bautista. Ironically, this is as a result of Ducati accepting the changes to regulations to bring in the 2024 minimum weight rule.

MOVING THE BAR: “The game has moved on…”

The game has moved on in WorldSBK and whilst Bautista is going faster than last year in races, it’s not enough. Razgatlioglu has raised the stakes and Bautista has been found wanting. Ducati has also come up short of what they need to do. Their double Champion is on the ropes and at Most this weekend, it’s hard to see how anyone can get close to Razgatlioglu.

Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW) will certainly fancy his chances of building on a strong weekend at Donington. The two circuits are two of his best on the calendar so the BMW man will have confidence of fighting for another podium and match his 2022 weekend for the German manufacturer. Redding has four podiums at the track and it can’t be underestimated that when his tail is up, he can still surprise people.

YAMAHA: Rea best in blue at Donington

Elsewhere and in blue, the scrap for top Yamaha honours has started to heat up. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) came out on top last time out and now returns to the scene of his 119th and most recent win. In changeable conditions, he was brave and made his tyre choice work. This weekend, the pressure has been lifted somewhat on his Yamaha crew. Having endured a miserable start to the campaign they qualified well and gave themselves a chance of a good result in the races. Rea’s Superpole Race podium was hard fought and well earned. Most is a very different challenge but the circuit has lots of challenges that are similar to Donington Park. In many ways it’s a distant cousin of the British circuit but will it offer hope to Ducati or offer more of the same as last weekend.

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