It is a measure of how much the outrageous talent that is Toprak Razgatlioglu and his Pata Yamaha R1 have come on in recent times that they looked at three WorldSBK podium finishes and a Superpole win at record pace at Aragon as almost disappointing.

The 2021 champion - using 2021 electronics - had the same kind of problems in each race once his front tyre had dropped, hence he was unable to fight race winners Rea and Bautista for anything but the first half of races in Spain.

He took away the track best time in Superpole, and a new lap record of 1’49.375 after the Superpole race, but despite those three top threes, and dusting off the combative Michael Rinaldi more than once, he felt his Sunday improvements were still not quite enough.

“In the short race, the Superpole race, I felt much better. Also for second race, I tried for a different setup. That also felt good but maybe with some changes I felt much better," he told bikesportnews.com.

"But, again, same problem in the braking points I’m not really strong race two, because the bike rear does not stop. But, anyway, third position again and we are again on a podium and we took good points for the championship. Normally we are not really strong in this track, also last year. But after this track, we are starting to get stronger.

"We will see next race. We have finished the Aragon weekend. I’m really bored because I’ve been here since last weekend. Finally I go home. This is good.”

Asked if he thinks Bautista will possibly do the same as he did in 2019 and run away to lead each race in 2022, he replied with a bit of humour, “In ’19 I did not see Alvaro, because he goes alone all race. This year when we start, I always see Alvaro. This is good, I think.”

Now Assen beckons for Razgatlioglu, the scene of some troubles last year, but a track that should be better for him and Yamaha than Motorland.

“Last year was not a good race for me because I tried to keep the rear tyre, because we don’t know which tyre is better,” remembered Razgatlioglu. “Also the first race for me was not good because I wait last two laps after my plan after I passed Redding, and maybe second position, but I saw the red flag. Third position finish. In the second race there was a first corner I crash. I think we will come back very strong in Assen.”

Razgatlioglu also confirmed that after lot of positive comment about the new Yamaha steps in 2022, he went back to the ’21 way in the Motorland races. “Also, we come back 2021 bike. I think I’m feeling much better in Assen, but we will see. We will try everywhere."

He said that the new electronics were not the cause of the small but negative issues he had at Motorland.

“No, I’m not using the new electronics. I use the old one. All the weekend. I come back feeling better. The other Yamaha riders use the new one. The new one is also good, but some areas I like the old one. Also, for bike setup.

The main place Razgatlioglu saw improvement for himself and the new electronics was in the wet conditions he experienced at the Barcelona tests. So maybe he will use the new electronic strategies?

“I don't know, he said. “Also rain is very good when working the new electronics, but for dry I use now the old one. Also we are coming back old setups maybe for Assen, but we will see. We check, but we are working (on it). Maybe one race weekend I use new one, one I use old one."

Despite not being able to use his extravagant outbraking and stoppie-while-racing style so much in the Motorland races Razgatlioglu was still as pugilistic as he could be. Especially in the Superpole race.

“I’m always good fighting, but if one rider is a little bit fast and I’m a little bit slow, I’m not good fighting,” said Toprak. “I just try in some corners to catch him. But with Michael, also I pass him but because I’m fighting with him. Also, I understand he tried to early brake.

"I understand his turning on the inside. I go first wide and come back again inside first. I touched a little bit with him, but this is no problem because this is the race and he did not crash. Also not easy race for the Superpole race because very fast lap times. Anyway… three podiums.”