World champion Toprak Razgatlioglu has threatened to quit the WorldSBK championship after Ducati dominated the opening round at Phillip Island.
Ducati’s Nicolo Bulega completed a hat trick of wins while the manufacturer scored eight out of a possible nine podiums over the weekend.
The Turkish rider was the sole non-Ducati to make the rostrum but suggested he will reconsider his future in the championship if this pattern continues.
“Last year, yes, [Nicolo] Bulega [was strong], this year I’m not surprised that he is still fast and Alvaro [Bautista] also not bad,” Razgatlioglu told WorldSBK.com after Race 2.
“But, this year, all Ducatis are on the front, this is not normal, [it’s] why I say Superbike is almost like a ‘Ducati Cup’.
“I hope not to continue going like this because everyone is not enjoying like this.
“If Superbike continues like this in the future, I’m not thinking to race anymore here.”
Razgatlioglu: ‘I’m never happy in the first WorldSBK race of the season’
The Turkish rider had a difficult weekend in Phillip Island after taking his podium in Race 1, he could only manage 11th in the Superpole Race and retired in the final race of the weekend.
Razgatlioglu explained that a number of technical problems amounted to the issues in Sunday’s races.
“For me, especially the Superpole Race was not really good at the start. I feel some brake problem and we are lucky I didn’t hit someone and nobody crashed,” Razgatlioglu said.
“For Race 2, we say it’s better to ride yesterday’s bike because I feel we are really improving and grip is much better than before and we started to use yesterday’s bike.
“But, in the race, we see there’s some technical problem, and after I didn’t continue the race.”
He added: “I’m never starting very happy the first races in the season. Also last year, and two years ago – always I’m starting very strange, [and] this is the same.
“But I’m just focused on the next race because finally we are going to Europe and I’m just starting to fight with all the Ducatis.
“We have a long break, almost one month. I will keep working and try to come back stronger.”
The world champion admitted BMW need to find something ahead of testing before the second round at Portimao.
“We have a test there, we need the test,” the Turkish rider said.
“Two days for me are very important because we are trying to improve the bike and we are still not 100 percent.
“But everyone is pushing hard, I know, and we will see because these two days for me are very important.”
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