Razgatlioglu is arguꦦably the WorldSBK championship’s biggest attraction at present, and one that could be lost to MotoGP in 2023. 

But before the rumour mill runs wild with speculation, although let’s face it, it might already be too late for that, Razgatlioglu will have one of theܫ most talented rider line-ups we’🅺ve ever seen in WorldSBK coming for his title. 

In last week’s Catalunya pre-season test, Aruba.it Ducati rider Alvaro Bautista, both factory Honda riders Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge and&nbౠsp;rookie Philipp Oettl (GoEleven Ducati) showed huge potential aboard their new machines, as did the likes of six-time world champion Jonathan Rea, Andrea Locaꦓtelli and Garrett Gerloff. 

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How💝ever, Razgatlioglu will start the 2022 season as the favourite to repeat ꦿhis exploits of 2021, a season in which he says ‘I fight for me’.

Razgatlioglu told ꦅWorldSBK.com “After the season, everybody sees your character, and this is very important for me. There’s been no change to my life. 

“We are working nonstop and also; we are fighting again and we are ready to fight thi𒅌s season. 

“We will see because I see everybody is working in 2022. Last year, I was fighting for the championship for my father… this year, I fig🎃ht for m🍸e.”

Should we get similar battles between Razgatlioglu and Rea throughout the year, then fans will be in fo♕r a treat. 

2021 was a seaso🌱n that saw four different riders win races, the other two being Scott Redding and Michael Rinaldi, and although this year’s grid is even stronger, Rea isn’t convinced that number will change, or at least not dramatically. 

Rea added: “It’s exciting to have many rivals, so m𝓡any guys in WorldSBK can be ♉on the podium. 

“Not many can win but the ones who can win, if they can put꧑ it together every weekend, it’s going to be an incredible season. 

“The battles last year with Toprak and Scott were incre𒀰dible… that tended to b🐠e the triangle of rivalry. I’m sure we can have a lot of good battles like that this season.”

Reverting back to his #65 after losing out on a first world title since 2015, Rea has stated the goal for him and Kawasaki remains the same in 2022, winnin🧜g the title. 

Rea continued by saying: “The target’s the same, the way we worked in the off-season is the same and we’ll just try to🐟 learn from a difficult 20𝓰21 and learn from our mistakes… we made too many mistakes last year, myself as a rider and also on the team’s side.”

O🌌ne rider who’s not expected to be much of a factor when it comes to winning the title is former Ducati rider Scott Redding. 

The new BMW man made an unlikely switch, leaving a perennial race winning team to join more of a ‘project’, and while pieces may fall into place further down the road, his replacement Alvaro Bautista is the rider making all th🌳e headlines. 

Quickest in the Misano test, underneath lap record pace at Portimao on what was his first official test, and again quick in all conditions at ♏Catalunya, Bautista is clearly a rider to watch out for. 📖;

Although it’s hard to look past Razgatlioglu, Rea and Bautista when talking about legitimate title contenders, several riders🐬 such as Andrea Locatelli, Garrett Gerloff and Axel ☂Bassani are clear contenders to challenge for a maiden victory.

While maiden WorldSBK podiums could also be on the cards for Lecuona, Vier🐼ge and Oettl based on their impressive adaptation to Superbike machinery. 

In other WorldSBK news, Motoxracing Yamaha, who were rumoured to be ditching their plans to join the premier class before having even competing in a ra🍒ce due to financial reasons, have instead confirmed Italian rider Roberto Tamburini for the 2022 campaign. 

Tamburini will take over as the team’s lone rider f꧟ollowing Motoxracing’s split🧸 from Isaac Vinales. 

Speaking about the decision to r꧒emain in WorldSBK, but without Vinales, who is believed to have left the team because of said financial reasons, Team Principal Sandro Carusi called the situation a complete ‘misunderstanding’. 

Carusi said: “I’m very pleased and excꦰited to be able to debut inꦦ the Superbike World Championship, a goal I’ve had ever since founding the team. Unfortunately, some misunderstandings meant that we had to replace our rider and we’ve chosen Roberto Tamburini, with whom we’ve collaborated for a long time. 

“We’re all highly motivated and keen to do well, so I’m sure we’ll give it our all. I want to thank our sponsors for supporting us and allowing us to embark on this exciting pro🎐ject.”

Riders and teams will take part in one final pre-season test at MotorLand Arago💃n on April 4-5, before𒁃 the season-opener which comes late that week (April 8-10).