Marco Bezzecchi
Toprak Razgatlioglu will be making his highly anticipated debut in Grand Prix motorcycle racing this year with Pramac Racing, becoming the latest rider to make the switch from World Superbikes to MotoGP.
The Turkish rider arrives in the premier class as a three-time world champion in the production motorcycle racing category.
Razgatlioglu will be riding atop Yamaha machinery, the same constructor that he won his first WSBK title with in 2021.
He joins an exclusive list of riders who have taken an unconventional route to the premier class of Grand Prix motorcycle racing, and will no doubt try and emerge as the greatest rider to make the switch.
Can Toprak Razgatlioglu replicate his World Superbike success in MotoGP?
5. Colin Edwards
Colin Edwards, known as the ‘Texas Tornado’ on track, moved to MotoGP after having already claimed two WSBK titles with Honda at the start of the new millennium.
Despite spending over a decade in the premier class during his active riding career, Edwards was unable to replicate his race-winning form atop a prototype bike.
Best known as a teammate to Valentino Rossi and a beloved figure in the MotoGP paddock, the American-born rider secured a total of 12 podiums over the course of 12 seasons.
His best result over the course of a season came during his third MotoGP campaign in 2005, when he finished fourth in the riders’ standings as his factory Yamaha teammate, Rossi, secured his fifth championship.
4. Troy Bayliss
Troy Bayliss had the shortest MotoGP career of every other rider on this list, but arguably the most storybook.
He spent three seasons as a full-time rider in the premier class between 2003 and 2005, notching a total of four podiums for the factory Ducati team.
However, Bayliss’ MotoGP legacy was cemented in the following year after accepting a substitute ride for Borgo Panigale at the final round of the season.
Replacing the injured Sete Gibernau at Valencia, Bayliss led the entire Grand Prix after qualifying in second place on the day prior.
The unprecedented feat marked the only time a rider has ever won a race during a substitute appearance, and it is highly unlikely to ever be replicated in the future.
Bayliss was also the first and only rider to have won a race in both World Superbikes and MotoGP in the same calendar year.
- READ MORE: Ranking the top five MotoGP wildcard appearances of all time including an overshadowed race winner
3. Ben Spies
Known as ‘Elbows’ in the MotoGP paddock for his riding style, Ben Spies secured a full-time ride in the premier class one year after producing one of the most dominant rookie campaigns ever in World Superbikes.
The Tennessee native joined the then-Yamaha satellite outfit Tech3 Racing team, and his impact on the premier class was immediate.
Spies took pole position at his first home race in Indianapolis and clinched his second podium of the season during his rookie of the year campaign, before one-upping himself and securing a maiden win at the Dutch TT in the following season.
Unfortunately, a relentless string of injuries and mechanical misfortunes would eventually stall his trajectory, leaving many wondering what might have been for one of the most naturally gifted riders of his generation.
2. Chris Vermeulen
Chris Vermeulen arrived in MotoGP with a reputation for precision, particularly in difficult weather conditions.
He got a full-time move to the Grand Prix format in 2006, joining the factory Suzuki outfit after finishing as the runner-up in WSBK with Honda in the year prior.
His crowning achievement would come in his sophomore season of competing in the premier class, and he did it in style, too.
Whilst the rest of the grid languished in the poor conditions that hit Le Mans, Vermeulen thrived.
The race marked the first time in the 800cc MotoGP formula era where riders changed bikes mid-race as a result of the conditions, and Vermeulen ended up stretching out a 12-second lead to second-place as he lapped everyone up to P8 at the chequered flag.
It would prove to be the Australian rider’s only win in the category, but it was a memorable one nonetheless.
1. Cal Crutchlow
Out of all the riders who made the move from WSBK to MotoGP in the modern era, Cal Crutchlow is the most successful.
Across a career that spanned over a decade of racing in the premier class, the Briton notched three Grand Prix victories and 19 podiums.
His maiden victory at Brno in 2016 ended Britain’s 35-year wait for a premier-class victory and was close to notching consecutive victories after taking pole position at his home Grand Prix at Silverstone in the following round.
Unfortunately, he would be beaten to the punch by Maverick Vinales, who, in turn, claimed his first win in the category during his sophomore season.
His tenure, largely spent with LCR Honda, was defined by a fearless riding style that earned him the respect of a grid that included Marc Marquez, Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa.
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