Paolo Pavesio admits what Yamaha fear could ‘confuse’ Toprak Razgatlioglu during private MotoGP test

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Toprak Razgatlioglu will ramp up his preparations for his MotoGP debut in 2026 with Pramac Yamaha with a private test at Aragon, prior to the official 2025 Valencia test.

Yamaha have hired out MotorLand Aragon for November 9 and 10 as the Iwata outfit strives to continue developing their V4 bike, which is set to make its full debut in 2026. But Yamaha will also use the test to let Razgatlioglu get his eye in, as he last rode a MotoGP bike in 2023.

Razgatlioglu tested with Yamaha’s MotoGP bike at Aragon in June 2022 and again at Jerez in April 2023. The tests ultimately proved insufficient to convince either party that the Turkish rider was ready to move from World Superbikes, which he will now do with Pramac in 2026.

Yamaha signed Razgatlioglu to a two-year factory contract this June to ride for Pramac from the 2026 MotoGP season. The 29-year-old will join the prototype championship as a three-time World Superbike champion, having added the 2025 title to his 2021 and 2024 crowns.

Yamaha do not want to ‘confuse’ Toprak Razgatlioglu by riding their inline four bike at Aragon

Razgatlioglu will now get two chances to get settled in to his new home at Pramac and with the Yamaha MotoGP bike at Aragon and then in the official 2025 post-season test after next week’s Valencia Grand Prix. MotoGP will stage a one-day test in Valencia on November 18.

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

Yamaha managing director Paolo Pavesio notes that the Aragon test is primarily for them to focus on developing their V4 bike. So, given Razgatlioglu is not due to race aboard the inline four Yamaha M1 next year, Pavesio does not want to “confuse” him by testing with the bike.

Pavesio told SPEEDWEEK: “We’ve been planning this private test with our test team for a while now. Our main focus is on developing the bike. At the same time, we see this as an opportunity to give Toprak a shakedown.

“We measured him a while ago, and now it’s time to make sure he’s not under the stress of the ergonomic adjustments in Valencia. He’ll probably only get half a day of riding. So, I wouldn’t call it a test, I want to make that clear.

“We’re hoping for good weather. The priority is the work of our test riders. We’ll adjust the test schedule so he can do a session with the V4. He has so many new things to get used to. We don’t need to confuse him further by having him ride two different bikes.”

Toprak Razgatlioglu faces enough challenges adapting to Yamaha’s V4 MotoGP bike

Razgatlioglu faces enough challenges adapting to Yamaha’s MotoGP bike, be it with an inline four or V4 engine, without the 2026 Pramac rider sampling both packages during a brief test at Aragon. Yamaha are also extremely unlikely to retain their current inline four M1 for 2026.

It would make no sense for Razgatlioglu to start to learn the characteristics of the inline four bike and then have to start again aboard the V4 package. Michelin’s tyres and how to brake on a MotoGP bike will be among the biggest obstacles for Razgatlioglu to adjust from WSBK.

Their test at Aragon and the official post-season Valencia test will also be crucial for Yamaha to gain data to develop the V4. After the V4 bike’s latest outing at Sepang, test rider Augusto Fernandez shared that Yamaha’s “only positive” is they know where to improve the V4 bike.