Assen's now infamous Haarbocht (turn one) has seen Toprak Razgatliolgu involved in two high profile no scores in consecutive seasons.
Last year’s was clearly the fault of another rider, Garrett Gerloff. This year? For the Pata Yamaha man, it wasn’t his own fault. “I tried a little bit hard brake first corner,” he said, after Rea had tried to pass him on entry.
“I went a little bit wide, but not outside of the track. I stayed in. I came back again on the race line. I’m not coming inside. I think Jonathan’s plan was to try to pass me. I think he’s a little bit mistake because he’s not looking (at) me.
"I think we crashed for this, because I think this is a race crash. Just Johnny was not looking at my line, because he’s just looking his race line - but I’m here the left side… and after we crash.”
Rea had said earlier that as Razgatlioglu had run wide, he should be looking out for Rea.
“I think he needs to watch again the crash with my camera, not his camera,” said Razgatlioglu. “I’m in front. Not possible looking him. I go a little bit wide, I close the gas. I was looking back. This is not the race. I think he needs to check. He’s not looking left side. I think his plan try to push me outside, because I was a little bit wide. He try to pass me easy, but he’s not looking me.”
They were not on speaking terms straight afterwards.
“But after crash, I’m not talking with him. Not say anything, because he knows and I know. Also, he’s voting his side. I talk in reality. But, I think everybody watching this video, very clear. After the crash I’m not talking. Also now I’m not talking. Better now we are not talking. Maybe later.”
When told that the main TV cameras missed it all, Toprak said, “Better understand my camera, because I stay race line. I stay the curb. He is coming like this. Because I’m watching. I think I watched ten times for understand my mistake or his mistake. Okay, this is a race crash. Nobody directly touching. Just we crash together, but his mistake because he needs to look at me.
"I’m not outside the track. I’m in the track. He saw me (enter the corner). I go a little wide. He try more stop the bike and open gas very early, better exit, but he’s not looking that side. We crash for this. Also, Bautista saw everything. I’m very scared after the crash because I know he is coming, and directly turning back I’m looking. We are lucky because we crash the straight, not the corner.”
In the earlier sprint race Razgatlioglu could not get second on the road, so to speak, but got given that result when Bautista had touched the green track limits line. In this short race it was a drop in grip from his rear tyre, not his front, that stopped any greater potential to win.