Toprak Razgatlioglu's crash must be a wake-up call / Superbike World Championship

Toprak Razgatlioglu had all the luck in the world when he hit the tire wall before turn 14; the accident could have ended badly.

“It's a difficult section,” said Nicolo Bulega, who finished second in the World Championship. “You go very fast there, you're leaning and then you have to brake very hard.” For me, it's the highest corner on this race track, because it's also slightly downhill. I didn't look at it in the data recording, but at full throttle in fifth gear, you really go very fast there.”

Jonathan Rea has won nine times at the Circuit de Nevers, and he knows the place better than anyone else. “That was a terrible crash, I don't understand why the TV director had to show it again,” criticised the Yamaha factory rider. “We discuss the wall there every year. But there needs to be a wall there, otherwise bikes can be hit by other riders who have fallen. Toprak crashed into the wall. If that had happened at a different angle, the consequences would have been disastrous. I screamed under my helmet when I saw the replay. He was very lucky that he hit the wall with the side of his body and not with his head. I don't know why they repeat an accident like that when we have to drive out again afterwards. That's pretty stupid of the TV people.”

After the accident, everyone was wondering why there were no air fences on the wall. “Unfortunately, that's the case on many tracks,” said Rea. “The bikes are getting faster, but the tracks aren't getting any bigger.” Everyone will go faster, Pirelli will make better tires, Dorna will make sure there are super concession parts. Everything will go forward, but the track barriers won't be moved back. The FIM has a program to simulate crashes. But sometimes unusual crashes happen, for example when driving straight ahead where you don't expect them. Unfortunately, we aren't lucky enough to be able to choose the tracks we ride on. We have a championship with 12 events and we're lucky to ride in Most, for example. That's our reality, in a way we have to accept it. We can't always have A-grade tracks. We race motorcycles and we have to accept certain risks. I'm sure they'll put air fences there on Saturday.”