Toprak Razgatlioglu braced for tough rookie season in MotoGP

Toprak Razgatlioglu says he is prepared for a “tough” first year in MotoGP in 2026 as he makes the transition from the World Superbike Championship at the age of 29.

The Turkish rider will make his highly anticipated debut in MotoGP next year, partnering four-time grand prix winner Jack Miller at the Pramac Yamaha team.

Razgatlioglu has enjoyed immense success since he stepped up to the WSBK in 2018 and is on the verge of securing his third title at this weekend’s decider in Jerez.

However, MotoGP is expected to pose a much greater challenge, both due to Yamaha’s current lack of competitiveness and his own lack of experience with grand prix machinery.

In fact, many believe Razgatlioglu won’t be able to fully showcase his potential until 2027, when new regulations and the switch to Pirelli tyres are expected to reset the playing field.

Razgatlioglu himself is realistic about the task ahead of him, saying he is willing to treat 2026 as a “learning year” as he gets up to speed in MotoGP.

"This will be a tough year for me," he told Speedweek. "I've always won races or finished on the podium. It will be different in MotoGP. Maybe next year I'll only make it into the top 10, or finish 12th or 14th. 

“Dealing with that won't be easy. I'm prepared for my first year to be a learning year. Even if I only finish 13th or 14th, I still have to focus on my job. 

“Thinking like that will hopefully help me a lot. I don't expect anything in the first year and will try to adapt to the bike and enjoy it.”

Toprak Razgatlioglu, BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team

Razgatlioglu, however, draws encouragement from his immediate success with BMW in 2024 following his high-profile move from Yamaha.
 
“When I signed for BMW, I saw my first year as a training year and wanted to be successful in the second – but then we managed to do it right away in the first year,” he said. 

“Maybe it will work out the same in MotoGP. Maybe I'll start like I do in a training year and we'll achieve good placings after five or six races."

Yamaha is currently enduring a tough spell in MotoGP, with factory rider Fabio Quartararo recently admitting that it hasn’t made any “big steps” since last November’s post-season test in Barcelona.

The Iwata-based brand currently sits at the bottom of the constructors’ standings, but is hoping to regain some ground next year as it switches to a V4 engine.

In the meantime, Ducati continues to go from strength to strength in MotoGP, having already sealed all three championships this season.

Razgatlioglu faced a similar situation in WSBK following his maiden championship in 2021, when Ducati began to dominate Japanese brands such as Kawasaki and Yamaha.

"For me, it's quite simple: Every MotoGP rider who comes into this paddock will have great difficulty unless they're on a Ducati,” he said.

Except after his title-winning years, Razgatlioglu has raced with the #54 plate on WSBK. However, this number will be unavailable to him following Fermin Aldeguer’s debut this year with Gresini Ducati.

Although Razgatlioglu hasn’t confirmed it directly, it is likely that he will switch to #7 he used in the early years of his racing career.

"Unfortunately, it's impossible for me to use #54,” he conceded. “Fermin has been racing with that number since Moto2, he even has it tattooed on his arm. 

“Sometimes money can make a difference, but in this case it doesn't work. 

“I have another favorite number. Not #1. I like #54, but I had another number that I used in the first races of my sporting career. I'll probably use that one. If you look at old photos, you'll see it.”

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