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I ’ m very tall ! In 2014 I raced it again because I don ’ t have an option .” Razgatlioglu knows that already his age may be against him for a big chance in MotoGP™ , but he is entirely open to going up and over there someday . “ Maybe I go MotoGP™ and maybe I don ’ t like . Maybe I like . Maybe I see the podium . Maybe win - I don ’ t know ! But , I like it here . I just focus on my dream , just Superbike .” Toprak is just one of many riders from Turkey who have been mentored and guided by all-time great WorldSSP champion Kenan Sofuoglu , who was instrumental in placing Toprak inside the Superbike paddock . “ I came into this paddock , and now I ’ m really happy . Also , in 2015 I rode a STK600 machine . Five race wins and I was champion . After that European Championship , I spoke with Kenan . He said , ‘ You will go into STK1000 .’ I said , ‘ OK ,’ but inside I said ‘ not OK !’ Because my dream was to be teammates with Kenan and the WorldSSP champion . Kenan changed my way but now I understand . I am here and now I am WorldSBK .”
As well as Yamaha signing Toprak to stay , Garrett Gerloff was announced as another who will continue in WorldSBK in 2022 , although he was linked to - if not outright offered - the apparently vacant Yamaha MotoGP™ seat . His reasons for re-signing in WorldSBK are at least as much to do with stability and career progression as any theoretical jump up to MotoGP™ right now . “ I ’ ve been with the Yamaha family for so long , and I ’ ve always just really gotten along with GRT for one , and then also the whole Yamaha Europe group ,” said Garrett At Assen . “ They ’ ve been really good to me . They presented me with the offer and for me it was the best place to stay . I was more than happy to re-sign again for another year . I ’ m really happy with the whole group of guys that I work with there and that whole team in general , and their mentality and passion for racing and everything .” Gerloff feels he is ready to go to MotoGP™ now and he seems fully in the frame for any replacement GP rides next year , and possibly more very soon , if things work out that way .
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