Toprak Razgatlioglu brings the number 7 back to MotoGP in honor of his father and Turkey

From his past in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, in fact, Toprak Razgatlioglu (in the opening photo Red Bull Content Pool), except for the two seasons as reigning Superbike World Champion and for the “bench” at the 2019 Suzuka 8 Hours, has always raced with 54. The number of his mentor and manager Kenan Sofuoglu, however, is already taken in MotoGP by Fermin Aldeguer. For this reason he chose 7, more than just a race number for him.

With 7, the three-time Superbike World Champion has already raced between 2011 and 2012 when he competed, in addition to the Turkish national championships, also in Germany in the Yamaha R6 Dunlop Cup. With the move to international motorcycle racing he later took on Kenan Sofuoglu’s 54, which became his own trademark. From the 2013 and 2014 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, through the European Superstock 600, Superstock 1000 and, finally, the Superbike World Championship.

The return to 7 is due to a dual motivation and, at the same time, a dedication. First and foremost to his late father Arif Razgatlioglu, a motorcyclist and stunt rider known as T.T.A. (acronym for Tek Teker Arif, meaning “One-wheel Arif”), who passed away following a road accident on November 17, 2017. He was known by the number 7 in his homeland and beyond, chosen for the second reason.

The number 7 in fact identifies the province of Antalya (translated as Adalia), where Toprak Razgatlioglu himself is from. The license plate code is 07, while 54 belongs to the province of Sakarya, where Kenan Sofuoglu is from. With the move to MotoGP with Prima Pramac Yamaha and a two-year contract signed directly with the parent company, “El Turco,” with 54 already taken, he could only choose number 7...

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