Yamaha chief tells Toprak Razgatlioglu where he needs to finish with Pramac in the 2026 MotoGP season

Add as preferred source on Google

Toprak Razgatlioglu will be one of the most exciting riders on the MotoGP grid in 2026. He will make his debut in the premier class with Pramac Yamaha.

The Turkish rider arrives in MotoGP with an incredible reputation, having won two World Superbike titles and being on course to win his third in 2025. Next season, Razgatlioglu will take on a new challenge in the premier class.

The 28-year-old has signed with Pramac alongside Jack Miller, who beat Miguel Oliveira to the second seat at the Tuscany-based outfit. Razgatlioglu’s record against his teammates is alarming for the Aussie, but the WSBK champion will have his work cut out.

Razgatlioglu will have to get accustomed to entirely new machinery in MotoGP’s 1000cc bikes, as well as Michelin tyres. Not to mention, he is joining Yamaha’s satellite team Pramac, with both outfits being bottom of the manufacturers’ and teams’ standings in 2025.

Paolo Pavesio targets consistent ‘fifth to 10th’ place finishes for Toprak Razgatlioglu in 2026

What’s more is that Razgatlioglu will not have his WSBK crew chief with him at Pramac. He had been pushing for Phil Marron to join him in MotoGP, but he will instead have to get accustomed to working with new personnel.

Despite these potential limitations, many people are waiting eagerly for the Turkish rider to make his debut in the premier class. Some are even expecting him to be competitive right from the off.

Many on the MotoGP grid think Razgatlioglu will win races during his debut season. But it seems that Yamaha have more realistic expectations for their new signing.

Speaking via Speedweek, managing director Paolo Pavesio has set the target of consistent finishes between fifth and 10th in 2026. He believes these would be ‘good results’ for Razgatlioglu.

“We’re letting him ride exclusively with the new V4; there’s no point in confusing him,” he said. “If he consistently finishes in the 5th to 10th positions next year, those will be good results. It also depends on how powerful our bike is. He might manage to pull off some highlights.”

READ MORE: Everything to know about Toprak Razgatlioglu from net worth to nickname

Is Paolo Pavesio’s target for Toprak Razgatlioglu realistic in 2026?

Looking at Pramac’s 2025 season on the YZR-M1, Pavesio’s target for Razgatlioglu seems like a huge ask. Miller and Oliveira have collectively finished in the top 10 six times thus far, with the former breaking into the top five only once.

But in 2026, Yamaha will introduce their new V4 bike, with Razgatlioglu set to run a private test in November. The Iwata outfit think it is important to get him up to speed as quickly as possible, with Razgatlioglu having equal machinery to star rider Fabio Quartararo.

Quartararo has pushed Yamaha to bring forward development of the V4, putting pressure on the manufacturer to deliver a strong bike. At present, the V4 is 1.5 seconds slower than the M1, but it is far from the finished product.

With further development, it is plausible that the Turkish rider could achieve Pavesio’s target, but the V4 will certainly not have the power to compete with Ducati for a championship. Even so, Razgatlioglu will be expected to provide ‘answers’ as to whether Yamaha can be fast next season.