The title fight between Jonathan Rea and Toprak Razgatlioglu is becoming increasingly exciting, one of the greatest battles motorcycling has seen in recent years in fact. So much so that it has also attracted the attention of the MotoGP riders, who tell the official WorldSBK website that they’re following the Johnny-Razga duel with interest.

Fabio Quartararo and Brad Binder

“I’m following it closely, the last race was a lot of fun” admits championship leader Fabio Quartararo. “Both suffered crashes but are still there, so there’s going to be a really exciting championship finale. On our side, at Yamaha, we have to support Toprak of course. I also saw my friend Loris Baz score two podiums at Portimao. It’s going to be a really interesting finale”.

“I love watching WorldSBK! It makes my Sundays better”, comments KTM rider Brad Binder. “It looks like a really good fight, Johnny and his experience versus Toprak and his strength, he’s insane on the brakes”.

Valentino Rossi and Franco Morbidelli

Nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi doesn’t want to hedge his bets either way: “it’s a great battle, one of the best of recent years, because you have two top riders, always there and so close. Who will win? It’s hard to say. Before Portimao race 2, I’d have said Toprak, but now Johnny is 24 points behind and it’s easier for him to catch up”.

The other Yamaha rider Franco Morbidelli sees Razgatlioglu as the favourite: “It’s still wide open, both are incredible riders and are battling hard for this title. I think Toprak has a chance, but he’ll need to do a really good job. I wish them both the best of luck".

Franco Morbidelli, Jack Miller and Pol Espargaro

An opinion shared by Pecco Bagnaia: “It’s going to be a finale to watch. It’s always great to see a really close battle where the contenders are separated by just a few points”.

Ducati rider Jack Miller reveals he sent a message of support to the Turk after he crashed in the second Portuguese race: “That was a pity, it looked like a mechanical problem but he’s ridden phenomenally all year. He’s fantastic”.

Lastly, Pol Espargaro touches on the behaviour of the pair: “They are both respectful of each other but race hard. I like to see racing like that, as it makes for a really passionate show for the fans”.

Translated by Heather Watson

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