What Cal Crutchlow said about Toprak Razgatlioglu’s first MotoGP test at Yamaha in 2022

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Toprak Razgatlioglu will finally make his move over to MotoGP from World Superbikes in 2026 after years of speculation and private testing.

Razgatlioglu will join Jack Miller at Pramac in 2026, reuniting with the Yamaha family. He won the 2021 WSBK title with the team and finished runner-up in 2022 and 2023, before moving to BMW and winning the next two championships.

The Turkish rider’s move to MotoGP has been met with huge excitement, and major plans are already in motion. Razgatlioglu is being lined up for a factory Yamaha seat in 2027, but first, he must tackle next season with Pramac on an entirely new bike.

Yamaha will introduce their V4 machine next season, which Razgatlioglu will have to get accustomed to, as well as Michelin tyres. The Iwata outfit wanted him to test the bike straight away rather than on the M1, which he had previous experience on back in 2022.

Cal Crutchlow said Toprak Razgatlioglu hated engine braking during his first MotoGP test with Yamaha

Razgatlioglu got his first taste of MotoGP with Yamaha in 2022, with the team offering him his first test at Aragon. He completed 40 laps that day before torrential rain ended the session early.

Cal Crutchlow, who was a Yamaha test rider at the time, was on hand to help out, and he told the then-defending 2021 WSBK champion to make the move to the premier class.

“I think he should take the plunge,” he said via Paddock GP. “Ben Spies also did MotoGP with Tech3. Colin Edwards was in Tech3… He could go to MotoGP.”

However, with his first outing came limitations, as Crutchlow noted that he did not enjoy ‘engine braking’ on the M1: “He didn’t like engine braking… engine braking? The rear wheel was six feet off the ground!

“But I think he would enjoy it with more time because he would be fighting at the front in MotoGP. “He’s a smart rider. He understands…”

Those problems have persisted in his most recent test at Valencia on the V4 in 2025. Razgatlioglu realises his ‘stoppie’ technique will not be as effective in MotoGP when he makes the move across in 2026.

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

What Toprak Razgatlioglu said after riding Yamaha’s MotoGP bike for the first time in 2022

Speaking after his first test in 2022 via the official WSBK website, Razgatlioglu detailed his experience on the M1: “This was my first day on the Yamaha M1 MotoGP bike and it felt completely different to my R1.

“More horsepower, different electronics, seamless gearbox, all of which is completely new for me.  With every lap I learned more, because after WorldSBK it’s not so easy to adapt to the MotoGP machine.

“Fortunately, I had Cal Crutchlow on hand to offer advice and he was able to help me a lot. The bike feels good, especially on the straight where it’s very fast, and it was interesting to experience the carbon brakes.

“The conditions were really hot today, so we stuck to doing five or six lap runs only after the initial run of 12 laps to get a first feeling for the bike. When I watch the MotoGP bikes on television here at Aragon you can see it is a bit bumpy, and I can feel it here today.

“It’s not so bad, you have to keep the gas open to ride through the bumps, because if you close then it becomes more unstable.

“Overall, a very positive test, even if it was cut short by rain this afternoon, which meant I didn’t get quite as many laps in as I’d have liked. I really enjoyed riding the MotoGP bike, so many thanks to Yamaha for allowing me this opportunity.”