Former BSB Champion and sixth-year WorldSBK rider Scott Redding says that Toprak Razgatlioglu’s success on the BMW M1000 RR in 2024 triggered him to doubt himself.
Redding, who moved from BMW to Ducati equipment over the winter after spending three seasons in World Superbike with the Bavarian model, mentioned that his struggles on the M1000 RR meant that he began to doubt himself, and indicated that Razgatlioglu’s arrival and fast success on the bike led to additional self-questioning.
“I’ve had three troublesome years and it’s by no means straightforward, you do begin to doubt your self,” Redding instructed WorldSBK.com.
“Then Toprak [Razgatlioglu] got here and he did a fantastic job with the bike and it’s like, ‘Possibly it’s me’. As a rider, for those who begin to doubt your self, it’s most likely the largest enemy you can have.
“However then I assumed I’ve had this up to now, and I’ve re-grouped. I really feel I can do extra, I’m simply not capable of present it.
“To have these races, it simply fuels my fireplace of believing in myself once more. In racing, that could be a huge issue.”
Redding was capable of finding an instantaneous enchancment in outcomes on the opening spherical of the season in Australia, taking three top-five finishes though he was by no means capable of clinch a podium.
“The primary spherical of the season, I used to be pleased,” he mentioned.
“I actually needed a podium and I anticipated to get one after I was there. I’m trustworthy, I’m not going to say I didn’t.
“However to be there preventing once more, it actually acquired that fireside burning in my abdomen that I can struggle with these guys and be aggressive once more.
“The largest factor I took again was confidence after Australia. Combating with the entrance guys is all the time totally different, it’s a special technique and racing. It’s one thing I wanted to brush up on my expertise slightly bit, studying once more within the race within the second.
“Additionally, being on the grid, considering I might doubtlessly go on the rostrum is a complete totally different psychological sport. Then racing and battling with these guys was very nice.
“Overtaking Alvaro [Bautista] one time, overtaking Toprak, being on the again of Bulega and Iannone, it was a fantastic feeling to be again in that space of racing and that’s what I race for.”
