Sunday saw Pata Yamaha’s Toprak Razgatlioglu wrap up the 2021 WorldSBK Championship in Indonesia’s debut race.

As a five times champion himself, albeit in the WorldSSP class, nobody has got a bigger handle on what makes Razgatlioglu tick than his mentor, manager and training partner, Kenan Sofuoglu. He was, after all, the architect behind Toprak’s move from the Rookies Cup, and all that has happened after.

Minutes after Razgatlioglu got the championship title wrapped up in Lombok’s opening Sunday morning action, he was asked what it meant for Sofuoglu, for the project that he has with Toprak, and for Turkish racing and national pride in general?

“First time I took him in 2014 season to do the European Championships, this day we knew he is going to be a future world champion,” Sofuoglu said. “In the first season, I understand maybe we have to move to WorldSBK to make history. We have to build the first Superbike World Champion.

“In the first race of 2018 season, I shared one picture of him and said he is the next world champion. I was correct. He won the championship. For our country, he brings to motorsport another level, his title. For me, as a teacher, as a coach, as a brother, as a manager, of course I’m very proud. When I won my last title in 2006 season, even I couldn’t cry. It was becoming normal. Today, Toprak made me cry. I was really living the moment, feeling the things maybe I feel first time I won the world title.

“It meant a lot for Toprak. His father gave everything to make Toprak a motorcycle racer. He is not here with us. He lost his life on a motorcycle. But Toprak makes his father very proud. He made everybody very proud. Also, Manuel Puccetti. I went to Puccetti and I told him ‘You believe me,  you invest in him. You are the big part of Toprak’s career.’ Thanks to him. I have big respect. If Puccetti didn’t believe me, maybe Toprak is today not here. He was the first one who believed me and gave a bike to Toprak. Not Kawasaki, not Yamaha, not another one. We did this together with Manuel.”

When asked about Toprak’s particular hard braking riding style - so much apparent risk with almost never any negative outcome - Sofuoglu said, “Toprak is making the braking when the bike is straight. The others are braking on the lean angle. That is the difference. He is a late braker, but Toprak never brakes on the lean angle. This is the difference. I trust Toprak very much. This is the key, actually, to be really strong and less crashing. He knows where to do, which lean angle to do correct. But again, not easy to do that. This is also, as a coach very nice. You are telling your rider the things even maybe you can’t do yourself, but this boy is putting those things on the track, on the race, in qualification.

“Toprak is very calmed down and cool rider, but he is on the track and he can handle the situation. Today was a very hard situation in the (first) race. He made a mistake. Johnny and Scott go. Johnny was going to win, and the championship could be decided in the final race, which could be difficult. But Toprak managed and did a good job and won the title. He deserves it.”

It was put plainly to Sofuoglu, the five times WorldSSP champion, if Razgatlioglu is a better rider than he was. The reply was direct and delivered with a smile. “He’s better than anybody. I think he’s better than anybody in the world, at the moment. He’s not in the MotoGP but… I don’t believe anyone can beat him in WorldSBK.”

Asked about the obvious move up to MotoGP, Sofuoglu replied, “If Yamaha want, there’s a possibility in 2023.”
But not next year? “If Yamaha want, if they come to us with interesting offer, also possible, because we are a Yamaha rider next two years.”