The 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship has gone from the UK to the Czech Republic for Round 6 of the 2024 season and it’s shaping up to be a classic. Ahead of track action starting at the Autodrom Most, riders from up and down the grid spoke about plenty of topics, from 2024 so far to the future and title aspirations…
Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team): “If we don’t win the Championship, I won’t be happy”
Expanding on the title fight, Razgatlioglu said: “My target is always to win the race, but this weekend I will try to get three wins. Every weekend we are going race by race, but now we are getting strong. We are looking at the Championship. It wasn’t in my plan this year, just some podiums. But we immediately started to win races, so my mind changed and now the title is possible with BMW. I’m still going race by race because I need more wins. I’m on seven wins in a row now, so I need three more here and then in Portimao two more to get to 12 wins. If we don’t win the Championship, I won’t be happy because everyone is working hard, and we are winning races. We are strong now and we need to be World Champions this year, but this is racing and sometimes you have problems.”
Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha): “All the ingredients are there to have a good weekend…”
Hoping to keep his momentum going at Most, Rea stated: “It helps coming off the back of our strongest weekend of the season at Donington. I was able to get a podium and fight at the front. It’s hard to understand if we’ve really made that big step or was it the Donington effect. It’ll be nice to see if we can carry on that momentum here at Most. All the ingredients are there to have a good weekend. It came at a good time because now we have some races in quick succession. It’s important to try and build that momentum, like a snowball, try to build confidence. I don’t feel we’re reaching our full performance yet, so it’s quite motivating that we’ve still got a way to go with myself and the bike. Racing is built on confidence, so the quicker we can get there, the better.”
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “We’re not in a position to think about any result…”
Still searching for the feel-good factor that he had last year, Bautista said: “I have good memories from last year because I could win my 50th race in the category. This year is different. The feeling with the bike is not the same as last year and we’re struggling more. Our approach is just to find something that allows us to ride as I want. We’re not in a position to think about any result. It’s always nice to arrive to that milestone (100 podiums). When I retire, I’ll see what I achieved or not. It’s more important to get the good feeling back than to get a podium. It’s important to recover the good feeling with the bike, after that maybe we can think about the Championship. Now, it’s stupid to think about that. After Donington, it was difficult because the feeling was very different with the bike and not as I wanted. At the same time, I’m eager to resolve this problem and to keep working and try to recover the good feeling as I had in the past. I want to be focused on this weekend, recover that feeling and then I’ll take a decision.”
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK): “2024’s one of my best seasons I’ve had so far”
Lowes declared 2024 one of his best seasons yet, saying: “The target is to fight at the front. We’ll work hard on Friday, like we did at Donington, and then we’ll understand our position. It’s not easy to be at the front every weekend in WorldSBK. It’s one of my best seasons I’ve had so far. In 2019, I was fast and consistent, but this year, the Championship is slightly stronger in depth. There’s lots of fast riders and teams. I would say I’m in my best moment. A perfect blend of my experience but also my speed is the best it’s been. Every weekend, I want to try do the best I can, get on the podium, win some races again at a track that’s not Phillip Island would be fantastic.”
Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team): “It could be a dream to ride that bike; being in a factory garage in MotoGP™ and WorldSBK isn’t something I expected”
Discussing whether he could ride a factory Ducati in 2025, Petrucci said: “I’d like to be considered at least. I’m feeling really good with the Barni team, I’m doing really good, and the bike is going fast. I have a lot of support from my team and there’s a good atmosphere. Let’s see what Alvaro decides for his future and then we will take any proposal. I can perform well, but the decision is in the hands of Alvaro, and I hope he will make the right decision for him. We’re always in contact with Ducati since I was a child! We have a really good relationship with them, there’s a constant chat between them. It could be a dream to ride that bike; being in a factory garage in MotoGP™ and WorldSBK isn’t something I expected in my life.”
Iker Lecuona (Team HRC): “We’re still improving one step sometimes, but so are the other factories so we need to improve two, three, four steps to catch them”
Lecuona struggled at Donington and is anticipating another difficult weekend: “We have maybe three tracks – Donington, Most and Magny-Cours – that are the worst tracks for us. At Donington, we struggled a lot. We worked very hard. After Misano, we had three days of testing. We tried many things including some items and we expected to arrive to Donington with more performance overall. The reality wasn’t this. It’s a new weekend, new challenge at a different track. It’s true we struggled last year but we never know if we’ll struggle tomorrow when we jump on the bike. We improved in a few areas more than others. We still think we miss something important on the bike that maybe we need to change, but it’s not easy to do it. It’s not easy for me. I think we’re still improving one step sometimes, but so are the other factories so we need to improve two, three, four steps to catch them.”
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “I’m proud of what me and my team are doing”
Bulega revealed his surprise at being so high in the standings five races into his rookie season, with the #11 saying: “I’m really happy to arrive at this point of the Championship in second position. It’s a surprise for me. I’m proud of what me and my team are doing. Most will be difficult, another challenge, but I will try to improve in every session and be on the podium again. I’m proud, because last year, when I signed the contract, I didn’t think I would be here, second in the Championship, a year later. I’m very happy and I want to enjoy it. Toprak now is at the best moment of his career, also his bike has improved a lot, I think he’s the only one using the BMW at 100%. They are very strong now, but we’re strong too. I think we can do a great job. It won’t be easy because this is my first time with this bike in this circuit. We have different tyre solutions, a bit harder. I think if you can have a good feeling, it doesn’t matter the tyres. I like Most, it’s technical.”
Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW): “I want to stay with BMW; that’s where I feel I should be…”
Another whose future is in the air, Redding said: “I’m very happy with how Donington went. Obviously, I had the small mechanical, but the pace was there, and I was able to come back in the next two races which was good for me and my confidence, knowing I could consistently be in that area. Now, we’re at another circuit which I tend to like and have good history here, a lot of consistent memories. The step we made with the bike was part of the puzzle and coming to some circuits I feel I can ride quite well, so I’m looking forward to this weekend. The field is super tight this year so even if you’re going well, you can still be down the order. I’m hoping we can make that step and feel that rhythm we had with the bike at Donington. If we can be knocking on the door of the top five again, that’s where I feel is acceptable. If you’re anywhere in the top five, you can be battling for a podium. As far as I’m concerned, I want to stay with BMW. That’s where I feel I should be, and I have the contract as well. I feel happy where I am, I feel content and I’m happy with the work BMW’s been doing. It’s interesting, it’s tough but I’m happy where I am, and I want to stay there.”
Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven): “Everything is open, I haven’t signed with anybody”
Iannone has been linked with different seats, but stated at Most he hadn’t signed with anyone while he also knows his priority. He said: “Happy to be here because it’s a new track for me and it’s always interesting. We come from Donington, where I struggled with my arms, especially in Race 2. I was at home these days to recover and I’m positive, but we will see after the first practice. My expectations are always high, it’s my mentality. But it’s clear and normal, this year is my first time after a long time, and I’m trying my best in every race, every practice, every condition. We achieved some very good results. In Donington we had good speed, but Superpole was a disaster. FP1 tomorrow will be important for us to try and get the feeling. I hope we get the best feeling immediately and not be too far. But it’s important to not forget it’s my first time here. I’m just waiting. I’ve been waiting many years at home, now it’s easier to wait here. I’m enjoying. Everything is open, I haven’t signed with anybody. I have my priority, my preference, but we will see.”
