There was a key shift in mentality for Toprak Razgatlioglu which allowed him to take his third WorldSBK title in 2025, coming after a difficult beginning of the season.

The opening part of the 2025 season was in stark contrast to the second and final thirds, especially round three in Assen where he finished eighth on merit in Race 2.

But it was the extent of his defeat in Assen that allowed Razgatlioglu to mentally refocus on his riding, rather than things outside of his control, eventually winning 20 races and his third WorldSBK title by the end of the season, beating Nicolo Bulega by 13 points.

“We are going directly to Phillip Island for the first race, and there also the bike was not working good because the grip is less, turning less; the feeling is [that it’s] a completely different bike [compared to 2024],” Toprak Razgatlioglu told WorldSBK.com when looking back on the 2025 season.

“We didn’t do a good weekend there and I’m thinking immediately this: this season we are not easily winning the championship. The bike changed a lot and Ducati was very strong; I said: ‘This year we are not winning the championship.’ 

“After, we moved to Europe, especially the Assen race I’m again destroyed, I’m only doing the Superpole Race in wet conditions [well]; it’s perfect, but the dry condition bike is not working again, it destroyed all the tyres. 

“After, I’m just stopped to thinking about the new rules, new bike, I’m just focused on my job.

“I understand that when I started to focus on my job, I started to make the podium, win the races.”

Additionally, Razgatlioglu said that he was helped by the confirmation of his MotoGP contract ahead of the Misano round.

“Especially when I signed for the future I got more relaxed, I’m not thinking anymore about the future and I started riding [and enjoying],” he said.

“Especially Misano, I did a hattrick – this one was very important for me, because I was just focused on that race; Ducati is very strong there normally, all bosses are coming there. 

“I needed to beat Ducati there, because if I beat them there, maybe they are broken a little bit. 

“I just continued winning the races. The plan was working, I won the race in Misano, and after I continued winning many races.”