Toprak Razgatlioglu reacts to Yamaha falling to last place in MotoGP standings before his 2026 debut

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Yamaha are on course to finish bottom of the MotoGP constructors’ standings. For Toprak Razgatlioglu, who’s joining Pramac next year, there’s arguably cause for concern.

Fifth place would represent Yamaha’s worst finish of the MotoGP era. Fabio Quartararo’s German GP win around three and a half years ago remains their most recent victory.

Razgatlioglu will partner Jack Miller at a Pramac team who are bottom of the teams’ standings. They’re the only outfit without a podium finish of any description.

Yamaha are expected to ditch their inline-four engine at the end of the year and switch to a V4 instead. Thus, three-time World Superbikes champion Razgatlioglu joins as a new era begins.

Toprak Razgatlioglu says he’s ‘not worried’ about Yamaha form

Razgatlioglu accepts that Yamaha’s M1 isn’t ‘the best bike right now, but he still has faith in Yamaha. Only Honda (54) have won more total championships than the Iwata brand (37).

They’ve been in constant dialogue with their new superstar signing, who has received assurances about the project. Razgatlioglu’s contribution to development may be limited at first as he adjusts to a new series, but he wants to spark their resurgence.

The MotoGP regulations are changing in 2027, which gives Ducati’s rivals an opportunity to end their monopoly. 2021 world champion Quartararo remains the last rider to win the title on a different bike.

“I’m not worried, because the guys at Yamaha believe in me,” Razgatlioglu, who signed his contract in June, told GPOne. “We talk often, and everyone is working really hard to improve the bike.

“Maybe it’s not the best bike right now, but I think Yamaha is improving all the time, and they’ve always been strong in the past.

“Ducati is very strong now, both in MotoGP and Superbikes, but I think Yamaha will come back even stronger. We’ll see. I’m ready to work for them and try to improve the bike, and I always give my best in races. I’m very focused.”

When is Toprak Razgatlioglu’s MotoGP test?

Yamaha were 12km/h down on the straights with their V4 engine when Augusto Fernandez wildcarded in Malaysia. While this may seem worrying, they aren’t running the new machine at full power just yet.

Fernandez was ‘frustrated’ with Yamaha’s progress, though, and Quartararo seems to share his concern. An updated model will likely arrive at the post-season test in Valencia.

With the WSBK season now concluded, Razgatlioglu will take part in a private test to step up his preparations. It will be his first time on a MotoGP bike since a 2023 outing in Jerez.

That test is scheduled to take place at Aragon this weekend, coinciding with the Portuguese GP.