After successful back-to-back World SBK titles with Toprak Razgatlioglu, BMW supervisor Sean Muir admitted his crew will “miss” the Turkish star in 2026.
Razgatlioglu joined BMW in the beginning of the 2024 season and has since gained 39 races within the two contested World Superbike seasons, successful the title yearly.
The 29-year-old’s capability and significance to BMW is underlined by the truth that teammate Michael van der Mark failed to complete on the rostrum as soon as in 2025 and solely gained as soon as in 2024, in a wet race at Magny-Cours.
In consequence, ROKiT BMW Motorrad crew boss Sean Muir believes the Bavarian model will “miss out” on a consecutive winner in 2026, even when three-time World Superbike race winner Danilo Petrucci and five-time MotoGP race winner Miguel Oliveira be a part of the crew in 2026.
“In fact we’ll miss Toprak (Razgatlioglu),” Muir advised WorldSBK.com after the Jerez last.
“I believe we’ll miss Toprak within the championship as nicely. He is an ideal character and you do not discover individuals like him fairly often.”
“I give credit score to Nicolo (Bulega) as a result of Nicolo was additionally sensational. They had been two of the standouts this 12 months.”
“Each time we went right into a race and had a dominant end result, typically we might solely take three factors from second place as a result of Nicolo was at all times there or Toprak was there.
“However Toprak left his mark on this championship.
“He is been as dominant as he has been and is the primary Turkish rider to win three world titles. I believe everybody, together with us and this entire paddock, want him all the very best and I believe MotoGP has an actual character.”
Razgatlioglu’s 2025 crown follows his 2024 title, which was BMW’s first two-wheeled world title.
For Muir, successful back-to-back titles was much more spectacular. The British SMR crew took on the BMW manufacturing facility effort in 2019 and managed only one win by the 2024 season.
“It is unbelievable,” Muir summed up. “It is a first for BMW, we gained our first ever world title final 12 months and naturally we have now labored laborious for the producer, nevertheless it could not have occurred.
“Toprak form of single-handedly led the crew in factors this 12 months and Michael was struggling a little bit bit, however that was the fact.
“It is nice to win one title, however to win two is unbelievable.
“I do not know if I am going to have the ability to repeat it a 3rd time subsequent 12 months, however I will do my finest.”
“Everybody again in Berlin and Munich and everybody in England the place we’re making ready every part needs to be pleased with themselves. It has been a sensational season.”
BMW Motorrad Motorsport boss Sven Blasch echoed Muir’s ideas, paying specific tribute to Razgatrioglu, who says he leaves WorldSBK as an “ambassador” not only for BMW however for the championship as an entire.
“We’re simply glad, simply glad for the model, glad for the crew and glad for Toprak (Razgatlioglu),” Brash mentioned.
“I need to say that Toprak wrote the historical past of BMW. We’re very grateful to him.
“The door is at all times open for BMW. He’s now household to us.
“His complete crew, the entire Turkish group. It has been a wild journey collectively and I am unhappy to see it finish.
“However I’ve to say we will likely be rooting for him subsequent 12 months and I believe he will likely be leaving this paddock as an envoy for World Superbike, not simply on our (BMW) aspect however as an envoy for World Superbike. And I believe everybody on this paddock actually believes that he’s doing nicely in MotoGP. We will likely be watching intently and preserving in contact.”
