In this interview the Turkish tightrope walker talks about his 2023 season and gives credit to Alvaro Bautista for being a very strong rider on a very competitive bike. Although he didn't win many races, being in front all the time allowed him to contend for the world title with Alvaro until the end. The Turkish tightrope walker races to win and therefore cannot be completely satisfied, but having always given 100% (and sometimes even more) makes his defeat less bitter.    

The BMW is undoubtedly an exciting challenge. Toprak has made the R1 competitive, he has tailor-made it to be the perfect weapon with which to express its full potential. Now it is a question of doing the same with the German bike. Adapting it to his riding style to allow him to ride it the way he prefers and consequently make it a winner. It will not be easy, because for now the M1000RR is not competitive, but thanks to his talent the young Turkish rider is confident he can do it. To this we have to add that if Razgatlioglu were to win the SBK World Championship with BMW he would make history, as so far nobody has succeeded.

Toprak is the son of “Tek Teker Arif”, which can be translated as 'Arif (his father's name) on one wheel'. Razgatlioglu senior was a stuntman and from him Toprak undoubtedly inherited the ability to ride any two-wheeler and to wheelie it. Even now that he is a professional rider and a former SBK World Champion, he still enjoys riding motorbikes. He drives and wheelies everything, scooters, bicycles and electric vehicles. Give him a motor vehicle and he will take it to the limit of both performance and physical laws. He likes cars ('they are my hobby' he admits) but in the future he would not like to take up flying.

MotoGP is not a closed chapter, but we will talk about it in 2025. 

Toprak is a rider, but he is also a sensitive and intelligent guy. Commenting on what is happening in the Middle East, his thoughts turn especially to the children, the innocents who suffer and die because of the wars.