OFFICIAL PROGRAMME
“ My dream always one day is to
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world champion . MotoGP for me like a galaxy , always ,” help from Turkey .” Kenan is Toprak ’ s manager , and a good one says Toprak , but even more than that as a kind of mentor / guide / coach … boss ? The latter , maybe less than some people think . “ In the Navarra race , before the first race I spoke with Kenan and he said , ‘ You ’ re voice is not good .’” said Toprak . “ He understands the rider . I spoke with him , but I ’ m not really happy . I had no good motivation . He understood directly . He said , ‘ Just you try good position . You try fighting for a podium .’ Before the second race , when I called him , he says , ‘ Your voice is much , much better now . I think you ’ re fighting for the win ,’ and I won . He really understands . In Misano , in the short race , I see Rinaldi . He ’ s not really strong but in the short race always everybody is fast . But the second long race , not like the short race . I understood it ’ s possible to win .” And Toprak did . He ’ s now won , after Magny-Cours , 13 races , and had over 40 podiums . He leads a championship title chase for a prize he covets greatly , the WorldSBK crown . He wants it so much that he has already said ‘ thanks , but not yet thanks ’ to a Yamaha ride in MotoGP™ . The world was amazed when he turned it down , but it is an important signal that Toprak will follow his own path , the outsiders ’ path , beyond the logics of conventional wisdom . As a rider from another continent , country culture and mindset from the vast majority of his rivals , maybe we shouldn ’ t be surprised ? And yet , we all were . “ My dream always one day is to world champion . MotoGP™ for me like a galaxy , always ,” explained Toprak . “ Now I have MotoGP™ door open , the MotoGP™ way , but I think better I go step by step . For me .” Not a better decision for Kenan , as many suspected . Like the early days ? “ No ,” said Toprak , “ Kenan always asks me . He said , ‘ I think better we stay here , but you say we go , we go .’ Kenan say always like this . I say , for me now better world champion in Superbike and after maybe MotoGP™ . Also , you see Lin Jarvis , who spoke to BT Sport . We are talking . Maybe after being world champion ( WorldSBK ), maybe I will go MotoGP™ . But , we will see . I ’ m happy here . I like it in the WorldSBK paddock , more relaxed . And also I know everybody . I talk withs everybody . I like it here , but we will see .” He also almost forgot to mention another opinion of someone close to him . “ Also , my brother said , ‘ Why you don ’ t go to MotoGP™ ?!’ Also he doesn ’ t understand . Better , step by step . My mum , does not watch my races because she ’ s scared . My brother is always watching .” For years it seemed like Toprak was some kind of fish-out-of-water off the bike inside WorldSBK racing . Even though he spends as much time at home in Turkey as he can , he is now turning into the biggest shark in the WorldSBK global oceans , and quite at home even inside the goldfish bowl of publicity generated by TV and social media . No matter if and when Toprak becomes WorldSBK champion , or a MotoGP™ rider , he is already a truly unique and talented rider . Wherever he ends up there can be few who don ’ t think he is a major entertainment asset for WorldSBK in the here and now
EXCITING CONTENT
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