Six🍸-time WorldSBK champion Jonathan Rea feels Toprak Razgatlioglu is the early season favourite, although hype surrounding the Yamaha rider’s future could play into his hands. 

Even before winning the 2021 title, rumours about Razgatlioglu𓂃’s future in WorldSBK were a hot topic of discussion. The 25 year-old has and continues to be heavily linked with a switch to MotoGP for 2023. 

Whether a move to MotoGP comes to fruition or not, Razga🍌tlioglu will first look to defend his WorldSBK title against Rea who believes that the Turkish rider is the favourite as it stands. 

But with that said, Rea himself has spoken about the rumours linking Razgatlioglu with a move away from Superbik✱e racing and that the hype surrounding his future could have a positive effect on his 2022 campaign.

"Is Toprak the guy to beat? Well, let’s see! You’d be silly to bet agains🦹t him and I really feel that he starts as favourite," Rea told WorldSBK.com. "I think that it really helps our prepa🍬rations with the hype surrounding him and his future. 

"I’m curious to see🌸 how he is going to perform in 2022. In WorldSBK, you never know. After Toprak, so many guys filled the podium in 2021, a lot of♍ unexpected guys and a lot of race winners, it was incredible!

"I expe🅺ct the same kind of season (as 2021); rookies with more experience, factories learning more, rider changes such as Bautista to Ducati, Redding to BMW and also MotoGP riders coming into Hond🌱a! It’s all change! 

"With that, you need to understand everyone’ꦡs place and I’m sureꦓ that after three or four rounds, we’ll understand the evolution of the championship but for me, I’m just focussed on myself. 

"If I c𒊎an do that, then I’ll be fighting for podiums and ♛hopefully a little bit more."

The first pre-season test in which Razgatlioglu and Rea will both be 🔜on track together ta🍷kes place in four days time at Portimao.