Toprak Razgatlioglu, the standout Turkish WorldSBK rider, is being tipped to bring a familiar face with him if he makes the leap to MotoGP—his trusted crew chief, Phil Marron. Eugene Laverty, who knows both personalities well, thinks this partnership could be key for Toprak’s success in the premier class.
Laverty himself has won all 13 of his World Superbike races with Marron from 2011 to 2014, and even took him along when he tried his hand at MotoGP with Aspar in 2015. That transition, according to Laverty, was smoother thanks to their existing relationship and Marron’s rare skill: “Phil uses his ears better than any crew chief I’ve worked with, he really listens.”
Since forming a duo at Puccetti Kawasaki, Marron has been the man in Toprak’s corner through every one of his 72 WSBK wins and both his world titles. Laverty points out that having a crew chief who truly understands the rider makes a huge difference, especially when facing the new challenges of MotoGP—different bikes, new tires, and the whole learning curve that comes with the move.
Although nothing is confirmed yet, there’s hope that Marron will follow Toprak into the MotoGP paddock. Marron himself has said he’d be interested in making the jump, and as Toprak gets ready to take on MotoGP after his move was announced in June (ahead of the Emilia-Romagna WorldSBK round), the paddock will be watching to see if this winning duo stays together in the next chapter of their journey.
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