Pramac Racing's Turkish rider, Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, finished 15th at the German Grand Prix in Sachsenring, adding only 1 point to his championship tally. Razgatlıoğlu, who hadn't raced at the narrow and winding Sachsenring since the Red Bull Rookies Cup, struggled to adapt to the tire structure and bike settings. In his post-race assessment, he emphasized that the weekend was a major loss for him.
Crutchlow battle and Honda surprise
Razgatlıoğlu spent a significant portion of the race battling with LCR Honda's experienced rider, Cal Crutchlow. The British rider overtook the World Superbike champion in the middle sections and managed to stay ahead for about six laps. Although Toprak later passed Crutchlow again, the British rider soon crashed and was forced to retire from the race. Honda's performance clearly surprised Razgatlıoğlu: “I couldn't believe it when Cal overtook me; his bike was much more stable in the corners and the grip was completely different from mine. If his tires hadn't been worn out, I wouldn't have been able to overtake him again.”
In his overall assessment of the race, he said: “I didn’t enjoy this weekend, I did my best, but if it weren’t for the drivers ahead of me who crashed, we wouldn’t even have finished 15th. The only positive thing about Sachsenring is that now I know what I need to work on when I return here next year.”
The variety of tires makes adaptation difficult.
Razgatlıoğlu explained that the introduction of different tire specifications specific to each track on the MotoGP calendar disrupted the adaptation process, and admitted that his motivation was negatively affected: “As soon as you get used to one tire, another race comes along and you have to ride with a completely different compound. Experienced riders have known these tracks and tires for years; the picture is a little more set for them. As for me, I encountered things I didn't expect at all during the weekend.”
The Turkish rider stated that he appreciated Yamaha's work ethic, but added that he had not been able to achieve the progress he expected, especially in the second sector: "Everyone works very hard every day, I thank Yamaha. But I just couldn't make any progress in the second sector."“
He addressed the Turkish flags in the stands.
Razgatlıoğlu, noting the large crowd of Turkish fans in the Sachsenring stands, concluded the race with a sense of disappointment at not being able to give them the desired result: “I saw Turkish flags in the stands many times. They even came to support me, yet I finished 15th. They continue to be by my side, and I want to reciprocate that support; however, I couldn't this time. We'll see what happens next year.”