Over the previous few days in Sepang, one of many predominant sights of the opening 2026 exams was starting to gauge what reasonable goals Toprak Razgatlioglu ought to purpose for in his rookie MotoGP season. And people expectations don’t look the identical now, after the shakedown and take a look at periods, as they did beforehand.
That’s not a lot right down to the plain limitations of a brand-new Yamaha M1, however relatively to these of the Turkish rider himself, who obtained a harsh actuality examine in Malaysia.
The Pramac rider completed 18th on the mixed timesheets, virtually two seconds off Alex Marquez, the quickest rider over the three days, and eight tenths slower than Alex Rins, the very best of Yamaha’s representatives. His tempo over lengthy runs was no higher. Past the now-famous stoppies, one factor that should be credited to the rider from Alanya is his honesty and lack of excuses.
“I’m indignant as a result of the lap instances simply aren’t there. I’m making an attempt to adapt my driving model,” Razgatlioglu defined on Thursday afternoon. “Beneath braking, I really feel good and cozy, however I wrestle in quick corners. Once I open the throttle, the rear tyre begins sliding and doesn’t cease, and that makes it exhausting to show.”
In his try to convey his driving nearer to the requirements required by a MotoGP prototype, Toprak has additionally requested for sure adjustments to the bike, which, in his view, ought to make the transition from the WorldSBK-spec Yamaha R1 much less traumatic.
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Pramac Racing
Photograph by: Hazrin Yeob Males Shah / Icon Sportswire through Getty Photographs
Along with becoming a wider handlebar, he additionally feels extra snug relying extra on the rear of the bike. That, nonetheless, has triggered different penalties: the elevated distance between the bottom level of the seat and the utmost top any a part of the tail unit can attain meant he needed to exit on monitor on a number of events with out the rear winglets, with the ensuing aerodynamic penalty.
“I journey the identical method as earlier than, however the lap instances don’t come. In WorldSBK, I used the rear tyre to show, with the throttle. Now, in MotoGP, you must journey like in Moto2 and speed up very easily. Jack [Miller, his team-mate] at all times tells me I must be mild, however that’s a lot simpler mentioned than finished,” mentioned the #07, who made no try to cover his frustration – particularly given the place he finds himself simply three months after celebrating his third world title.
“It’s not simple for me to see myself to date down, particularly after Superbikes. The primary 5 races will likely be robust; I’m going to endure.”
For all the frustration attributable to his Sepang outing, the beginning of Razgatlioglu’s MotoGP story just isn’t so completely different from these of riders who, like him, made the soar from WorldSBK. On the horizon, the benchmark might be Ben Spies, who joined MotoGP full-time in 2010 with Yamaha, one 12 months after successful the Superbike title, and he went on to assert a grand prix victory (Assen 2011), six podiums and fifth place general within the championship.
Razgatlioglu’s magnetism is unquestionable, and that’s one thing broadly applauded all through the paddock. It solely takes a quick dialog with anybody at Yamaha to grasp how a lot hope has been positioned in him.
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Pramac Racing
Photograph by: Hazrin Yeob Males Shah / Icon Sportswire through Getty Photographs
“[Paolo] Pavesio [the managing director] is ‘in love’ with him,” is a line repeatedly heard from these leaving the manufacturing facility crew’s storage. The bond between the Italian government and the rookie goes again a good distance, to their time collectively within the production-based championship. The guess carries Pavesio’s signature, even when that devotion raises some reservations amongst sure key figures inside the construction.
In truth, with the rider market already simmering, there are those that are starting to level to the Turk as a possible candidate for a manufacturing facility Yamaha M1 in 2027, alongside Jorge Martin.
At Pramac, his present crew, the dedication to a rider who’s a pleasure to work with is equally sturdy. “As a result of he’s well mannered and a terrific man,” underlined Gino Borsoi, crew supervisor of Paolo Campinoti’s outfit. However Razgatlioglu’s attraction doesn’t cease with those that work alongside him daily; it extends throughout all the MotoGP paddock.
“Toprak is a quick rider, I’ve little doubt about that. I believe he’ll find yourself being aggressive,” mentioned one Ducati government when requested about Razgatlioglu’s potential ceiling. “The factor is, he must undergo an adaptation course of to MotoGP, and that has to occur at each degree, not simply driving. He’s come from a championship with a degree that’s clearly decrease than this one. Right here you might have the easiest of the very best, and I believe over lately he’s realised that.
“As occurs with most riders, their setting can both assist or hinder that adaptation interval. In his case, I get the sensation that individuals haven’t stopped telling him how good he’s — which might be true. However there are moments when that doesn’t assist, and when it’s essential to converse clearly and say issues which can be in all probability not nice to listen to.”
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