From WorldSBK to MotoGP: For Toprak Razgatlioglu, there’s a change that’s hard to accept

First year difficult in MotoGP, but the Turkish rider somewhat expected it and is trying not to get discouraged: for 2027 he believes in the Yamaha project.

Toprak Razgatlioglu was the benchmark of the Superbike World Championship and could have stayed in his comfort zone, confident he could continue to be competitive. Instead, he decided to take another path, to test himself in MotoGP with the awareness that he would face many difficulties.

Debuting in the top class with the least competitive bike on the grid is a big risk, but the three-time WorldSBK champion has always said that 2026 would be a year of preparation for 2027, when there will be new technical regulations and a new tire supplier (Pirelli). A calculated risk on his part? We’ll see if time proves him right. Certainly, going from constantly being in the top two or three positions in the production-derived world championship to struggling to score points in MotoGP is a scenario he’s finding hard to get used to. It takes a major mental effort not to crumble.

The Turk took part in the Red Bull Rookies Cup in 2013 and 2014, but then his career didn’t develop in the Grand Prix paddock, as happened for other colleagues who went on to Moto3, Moto2 and finally MotoGP. He followed a different path and, once he became a Superbike World Championship legend with three titles to his name, he decided to test himself at the highest level: “I was starting to get a bit bored there,” he told AS — “because I was winning many races. It’s fantastic, but sometimes you feel it’s not enough. We’re always looking for something more. So I thought: ‘Why not try MotoGP?’ Maybe this isn’t the ideal moment to do it. Everything is very difficult, but maybe next year we’ll see much better results.”

In 2026 Yamaha decided to race in MotoGP for the first time with a V4 engine, a move to prepare for 2027 that is heavily affecting even riders far more experienced than Razgatlioglu. He trusts the future, although he admits it’s not easy to adapt to the current situation: “We all know Yamaha is a very strong brand and I think it will soon become more competitive again. But this moment is very difficult for me because I’m a winning rider. I came to MotoGP and now we are practically in the opposite situation. When I watch TV, I see my name at the bottom and that’s very hard. When I return to the box, I start looking for my name from the bottom up. In Superbike I looked straight to the top because I knew I was always there, and this reality is very tough. There are really bad weekends and sometimes I lose motivation.” Getting used to being at the back of the standings is complicated after years of always being at the front.

The Michelin tires aren’t easy to interpret, and the fact that next year Pirelli will be the new sole supplier to MotoGP could play into Toprak’s hands, as he knows the Italian brand from his SBK days and has already tested the new tires in Brno.

But it’s not only the tires that could help the Prima Pramac Yamaha rider; he could also benefit from the new 850cc prototypes with reduced aerodynamics: “As for my riding position,” he explains, “I’m still not as comfortable as I was on a Superbike, but I’m trying to adapt. This year the regulations don’t allow me to use a lower seat. Next year the rules will change and maybe then I’ll be able to start using a lower seat and also a slightly higher handlebar, more in line with my riding style.”

Razgatlioglu isn’t comfortable on his M1, and this complicates his riding, forcing an adaptation that isn’t easy after his Superbike years. In 2027 he might feel much more at ease; he has often spoken about the need for a lower seat and a higher handlebar. We’ll see if next year’s Yamaha will allow him to make a big step forward and prove he’s a MotoGP-level rider.

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