Nothing is being rushed, but Yamaha’s racing program in the Superbike World Championship (WSBK) is thinking about the future. The driving force behind the factory team is Toprak Razgatlioglu. The 2021 World Champion is now in his fourth year as a factory rider with Yamaha and looks set to remain so.
The question is whether Razgatlioglu would rather continue his career in the Superbike World Championship in order to win more races and world titles there, or whether he is drawn to the Motorcycle World Championship and the MotoGP premier class there. A few days ago, Razgatlioglu tested the Yamaha M1 for the second time, but wasn’t quite able to convince Yamaha race director Lin Jarvis.
In Yamaha’s WSBK team it’s not Lin Jarvis who’s in charge, it’s Paul Denning. As head of the Crescent team, his team in the Superbike World Championship, Denning initially managed Suzuki’s WSBK program for many years. Since 2016, Yamaha has been the manufacturer that relies on the experience and expertise of the Crescent squad.
Razgatlioglu has spearheaded the team since 2020, but will it stay that way? Denning knows Razgatlioglu very well from their fourth-year collaboration and hopes the Turk will stay with the team beyond the ongoing 2023 WSBK season. Most importantly, he hopes to continue to see him in Yamaha colors.
If Razgatlioglu goes, is Yamaha already looking for alternatives?
“The goal is to keep him at Yamaha. If that means he’s on a Grand Prix machine then that’s good. If he stays here then that’s good too,” Denning told ‘ Motorsport-Total.com’ about Razgatlioglu and states: “From our point of view it would of course be perfect if he stayed here. That would be our dream.”
“I hope he decides in the next few months that he has a good work-life balance here and is enjoying life and duels. Bautista has a technical advantage at the moment. But I hope that [Razgatlioglu] has the dream of winning many more world titles with Yamaha,” said Denning.
In the event that Razgatlioglu is lost to the Yamaha factory team in the Superbike World Championship because he either switches to the Japanese MotoGP program for 2024 or even docks with another manufacturer, Yamaha’s WSBK team has “so far not had a plan B “, as Denning admits.
Both the contract with Razgatlioglu and the contract with his teammate Andrea Locatelli expire at the end of the season. Is Denning already looking for alternatives just in case? “I have some idea what the best option is for the future, but there have not been any formal discussions and we haven’t contacted any other drivers,” he says.
Does Andrea Locatelli have what it takes to be number 1 at Yamaha?
With or without Razgatlioglu: Denning is impressed by Locatelli and its development. The Italian has been riding for the Yamaha works team in the Superbike World Championship since 2021, having won the World Supersport Championship on Yamaha in 2020. In the current WSBK season 2023, Locatelli has already clinched several podium finishes after three race weekends and only collected a few points less than Razgatlioglu.
“I’m very happy with his performance and the way he’s working, both in the winter tests and in the events so far,” says Denning of Locatelli and reveals: “We as a team put a little more pressure on him, but in a positive way and Wise. We made him believe in himself more.”
“He’s a rider who has dominated World Supersport and who has now had two years of Superbike experience, so why shouldn’t he be able to take another step forward?” The Yamaha team boss describes the work that Locatelli has contributed to the further development of the R1 as “excellent”.
During the winter test drives, Locatelli was “quicker and easier to get answers than Toprak,” as Denning notes. “His mental strength has also improved,” praises the team boss and is convinced of the Italian. Only: “There is still more room for improvement. He can believe in himself even more.”
When asked specifically whether Locatelli has what it takes to be number 1 in the team, Denning replies: “Why not? The next step is to win a race. He’s already fought in a few races with Bautista or Rea and did great. But the result was always second or third place.”
“He just has to fight for victories at the top. Then he can take the next step in terms of his confidence. He has the right balance of age and experience,” said the Yamaha team boss about the 26-year-old Italian.
Denning on Aegerter and Gardner: “We’re watching both very closely”
In the event that Razgatlioglu should leave Yamaha’s WSBK program in the coming winter, Denning already has a potential successor sitting right in the pits.
But Locatelli isn’t the only one impressed by the Yamaha team boss. He also praises the performances of Dominique Aegerter and Remy Gardner, both of whom are currently riding their rookie season in the Superbike World Championship with the Yamaha satellite team GRT.
Denning says of Aegerter and his career, the highlights of which have been winning the Supersport World Championship titles in 2021 and 2022 on Yamaha: “‘Domi’ is very clever. He was dominant in the Supersport World Championship, although he had really strong opponents. “
And about Gardner, whose career highlight so far is winning the title in the Moto2 World Championship in 2021 in Aki Ajo’s team, Denning says: “Remy won the Moto2 World Championship in a very considered and controlled way.”
The Yamaha Team Principal’s conclusion on Aegerter and Gardner: “Both are very promising. That’s good for Yamaha and good for the team. I hope they continue to develop. Of course it’s our goal [im Werksteam]to be the best Yamaha team. But I also remember how the Tech 3 team was able to put the factory team under pressure in the MotoGP class.”
Not only the Tech 3 team, especially the Petronas team as a Yamaha satellite team was able to put the Yamaha factory team under pressure. This pressure was so strong in the 2019 and 2020 MotoGP seasons that the then Petronas rider Fabio Quartararo was promoted directly to the factory team, replacing none other than superstar Valentino Rossi.
Can Denning imagine something similar in the Superbike World Championship? Are you saying that Aegerter or Gardner will be promoted from GRT-Yamaha to the Yamaha factory team? “Both are very fast,” said Denning and continued: “I’m very happy for GRT, even if it’s not my team. They now have two very hard-fighting, aggressive and hungry drivers who are able to get good results .” Postscript: “We’re both watching very closely.”
Dominique Aegerter flattered by Denning’s praise but cautious
And what do the drivers involved say themselves on this subject? Aegerter feels flattered by Denning’s positive statements, but deliberately keeps the ball low. “That sounds good,” says Aegerter to ‘Motorsport-Total.com’ about the words of praise from the Yamaha team boss. After just three race weekends in the Superbike World Championship, the Swiss doesn’t want to think about moving up to the works team: “Let’s wait and see whether it will happen in the end.”
Aegerter admits that he himself has doubts as to whether he would even be considered for such a change. “Switzerland is a small country. It’s not easy and I’ve gotten to an age that some people are no longer interested in,” says the 32-year-old.
However, Denning can take away his doubts about age directly. “For me, age makes no difference. Performance is everything,” assures the Yamaha team boss and points out: “At 37, Jonathan Rea is still as hungry as ever. Bautista became world champion at 38. That’s for So no problem for me.”
Remy Gardner is enjoying life in the Superbike World Championship
Similar to Aegerter, GRT Yamaha teammate Gardner is not yet thinking about a possible switch to the Yamaha works team. “To be honest, I haven’t thought about it yet. That thought hasn’t crossed my mind at all. At the moment I’m just enjoying driving,” says the Australian to ‘Motorsport-Total.com’.
While Aegerter was Supersport World Champion for the second time in a row in 2022, Gardner struggled in 2022 as then-current Moto2 World Champion. In the MotoGP class, the Australian rode as a rookie for Tech-3-KTM. But there he found out in the summer, before he could really get used to the MotoGP bike, that he would no longer be needed in 2023.
Gardner is all the happier now in the Superbike World Championship: “I had a difficult year in 2022. Now I’m enjoying spending a little more time at home with my girlfriend and my dog. To be honest, I haven’t even thought about any contracts. “