Marco Bezzecchi
Yamaha have finally tempted Toprak Razgatlioglu to move to MotoGP, with the two-time World Superbikes champion joining Pramac on a two-year contract from 2026.
The 28-year-old had previously opposed any moves to MotoGP if Razgatlioglu would not get on a competitive factory bike. But Yamaha treating Pramac as their second works entry and Razgatlioglu’s fear that 2026 may be his last chance to move to MotoGP secured his signing.
Now, the 2021 and 2024 World Superbikes champion will leave the production bike class for the premier class of prototype racing. Razgatlioglu will replace Jack Miller or Miguel Oliveira at Pramac in 2026, while also helping Yamaha to develop their 850cc bike for the 2027 rules.
Luigi Dall’Igna is certain Toprak Razgatlioglu must adapt his braking style ‘a lot’ in MotoGP
Razgatlioglu can help Yamaha prepare for the 2027 MotoGP season with his vast experience of using Pirelli tyres in WSBK. But the Turkish talent also faces a huge learning curve in 2026, as Michelin will still supply MotoGP’s tyres next year and he must learn various new circuits.
Ducati general manager Luigi Dall’Igna also thinks Razgatlioglu will need to adapt his braking style to suit a MotoGP bike, having exclusively ridden production bike machinery in the past. The differences between the series also make it hard to predict how competitive he will be.
READ MORE: Everything to know about Toprak Razgatlioglu from net worth to nickname
“He is difficult to evaluate,” Dall’Igna told GPOne. “He’s beaten us so many times, so we can only say he’s absolutely a champion.
“But the two championships are so different that it’s hard to compare and say what he will be able to do here. He will definitely have to adapt to different tyres and a bike that is quite different from SBK.
“His braking in MotoGP? In my opinion, he will have to adapt a lot because these bikes and these tyres allow you to do very different things from what you have to do with Pirelli and an SBK to go fast.”
Luigi Dall’Igna hints Yamaha overlooked the ‘winning solution’ Ducati have with Nicolo Bulega
Ducati are even preparing a World Superbikes rider for a potential move to MotoGP, having handed Nicolo Bulega a MotoGP test rider role as part of his new WSBK contract. The 2025 WSBK championship leader will help Michele Pirro develop the Bologna Bullets’ 850cc bike.
Bulega currently leads BMW World Superbikes rider Razgatlioglu by only nine points in the 25-year-old’s pursuit of his first title. But Dall’Igna is studying Bulega for a move to MotoGP with a seat at VR46 potentially his should the Italian impress in his MotoGP tests next year.
READ MORE: Everything to know about Ducati from the MotoGP team’s riders to hierarchy
And Dall’Igna believes Ducati established a ‘winning’ plan by having Bulega test their 2027 MotoGP bike without the challenge that Razgatlioglu faces at Pramac Yamaha of spending next year racing on Michelin tyres, only for Pirelli to become the sole tyre supplier in 2027.
Dall’Igna continued: “In my opinion, it was a winning solution for both of us. He will get to understand how to adapt his riding to go well with MotoGP and he will adapt immediately to the new Pirellis without going through a year with Michelin. It will also be a help for us because Pirro needed help to do all the checks and tests we have in mind.”
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