The Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team with Rizla is ready to tackle potentially challenging conditions in the fight for victory this weekend, when the seventh round of the restructured 2020 FIM Superbike World Championship visits Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours in France.

Previously an F1 venue and a stronghold of the WorldSBK championship, having hosted its first WorldSBK event in 2003, Magny-Cours will be unique in 2020 terms as it officially welcomes spectators to the races this coming weekend. Double podium finishers at the track in recent times, the Pata Yamaha squad hope to give them their money’s worth as the team aims for the top step of the podium.

After winning his first race of season in Barcelona, Dutchman Michael van der Mark is looking to go one better than his career-best Magny-Cours second place (achieved in Race 2 last year and in Race 1 in 2016) and to add to the tally of five podiums from Nevers that he already has to his name.

Although it is still only Toprak Razgatlıoğlu’s first year in official Yamaha colours, the young Turkish rider has paid special attention to the double podium performances achieved by the Pata Yamaha team in the past. He himself is also no stranger to this particular rostrum, as it would be hard to forget Razgatlıoğlu’s spectacular maiden victories, both achieved after incredible fight-back performances from P16 on the grid in 2019.

But now, autumn has arrived in France, with cold temperatures and periods of rain forecast into the penultimate 2020 WorldSBK race weekend. Both Van der Mark and Razgatlıoğlu will get their first opportunity to assess what that means on track during Free Practice starting at 10:30 and 15:00 local time (GMT+2) on Friday 2 October.


Michael van der Mark

“I’m looking forward to Magny-Cours this weekend, it’s a track I’ve always had good results at and especially given the flow we’ve had at the last couple of races I think that we can be really strong. Unfortunately the weather doesn’t look amazing, but I think we have a good set-up with the Yamaha R1 both in the wet and the dry, so we don’t have to worry a lot. I can’t wait to go out on Friday.”

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu

“After a week of rest and physical therapy, I am already feeling much better after the big crash in Barcelona. There are still some days left between now and Friday morning, so I will continue working to come back fit for Magny-Cours. It is a circuit I really enjoy, especially after my victories there last year, and the Yamaha R1 has been strong in the past so I am looking forward to seeing what is possible. The weather prediction is not so good and wet conditions are not my favourite, but I have more confidence than before. I hope we can fight for podiums and challenge for victory once again.”