WSBK 2025: Toprak Razgatlioglu Faces Setback Ahead of 2025 Season

Toprak Razgatlioglu will miss Jerez’s winter tests due to injury, while teammate Michael van der Mark leads BMW’s preparations for the upcoming championship.

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Turkish Superbike star Toprak Razgatlioglu has been forced to delay his 2025 World Superbike Championship (WSBK) preparations due to an injury sustained during training. As a result, Razgatlioglu will miss the first official winter tests scheduled for January 22-23 at the Circuito de Jerez-Ángel Nieto, leaving his BMW ROKiT team without one of its key figures for this crucial phase.

The Jerez test, a staple for winter preparations, will feature both factory and private teams, with the Bimota team hosting the event. In Razgatlioglu’s absence, teammate Michael van der Mark will take the lead, supported by test riders Sylvain Guintoli and Markus Reiterberger.

Despite being sidelined for the Jerez tests, Razgatlioglu is confirmed to attend the BMW ROKiT team’s official launch on January 15 at the BMW factory in Berlin. At the event, he will update the media on his recovery and discuss BMW’s strategy for the upcoming season.

Other teams are set to make strong appearances at the Jerez tests. Ducati will bring Álvaro Bautista and Nicolò Bulega, joined by riders like Danilo Petrucci, Yari Montella, and Andrea Iannone on the Ducati Panigale V4R. Honda’s lineup includes Xavi Vierge and Iker Lecuona, while Yamaha fields Jonathan Rea, Andrea Locatelli, and GRT riders Remy Gardner and Dominique Aegerter.

Bimota’s KB998 will be piloted by Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani, with Garrett Gerloff representing the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing Team. Meanwhile, the Honda test team and Midori Moriwaki’s squad will also participate, though their rider rosters remain unconfirmed.

Toprak’s absence from Jerez could present challenges for his adaptation to the BMW M1000RR, a machine pivotal to BMW’s aspirations to challenge dominant brands like Ducati and Kawasaki. With 57 career wins, Razgatlioglu remains a cornerstone of BMW’s WSBK ambitions.

For now, the Jerez tests will proceed without one of the championship’s most celebrated riders, raising questions about how this setback may impact BMW’s early-season performance.