Marco Bezzecchi
Pramac Yamaha star Toprak Razgatlioglu is trying not to look at the timesheets amid a tough start to his switch to MotoGP, as he is finding it “really difficult” to stay positive.
The 29-year-old will finally make his MotoGP debut in this Sunday’s Thailand Grand Prix. But Razgatlioglu is not holding out a lot of hope for a strong result in Buriram, as he struggled to adapt to the new V4-engined Yamaha YZR-M1 and find pace throughout pre-season testing.
Razgatlioglu was only 21st out of the 22 riders in the combined timesheets after two days of testing in Buriram last weekend, as he set a personal best lap time of 1:30.772. Only Michele Pirro set a worse time (1:31.777) while deputising at Gresini for the injured Fermin Aldeguer.
Factory Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo and Pramac partner Jack Miller offered their help to Razgatlioglu during testing in Buriram. Quartararo felt Razgatlioglu looked “quite desperate” given his lack of speed on the M1, which looks like the worst bike on the 2026 MotoGP grid.
What’s your podium prediction for the Thailand Grand Prix?
Pramac rider Toprak Razgatlioglu suggests Yamaha may not be ‘stronger’ until 2027
Yamaha will not have an upgraded V4 engine ready for the Thailand GP, and the Iwata team are also unlikely to deliver an updated unit before the Spanish Grand Prix in round four. The Japanese constructor will only have new parts available in Buriram to improve its reliability.
READ MORE: Everything to know about Toprak Razgatlioglu from net worth to nickname
Razgatlioglu believes in Yamaha’s ability to improve their bike “significantly”, but he accepts that it may take until the 2027 MotoGP regulations. So, with a lack of pace proving tough to handle, Razgatlioglu suggests Pramac ought to “turn off” the timing screens in their garage.
“I have to maintain my positive attitude and enjoy riding,” Razgatlioglu told SPEEDWEEK. “But sometimes that’s really difficult.
“In the last test, I tried to improve but didn’t achieve anything. Everyone tells me I need time. I understand that, but I did very well in Superbikes for the last six years. I adapted quickly and was able to show what I could do. But now it’s very difficult.
“I’m trying not to look at the timesheets. Maybe we should just turn the monitors off. I expected it to be difficult. It’s tough with the Yamaha at the moment, but I believe this brand can improve significantly.
“They’ve already celebrated many successes. Everyone is working hard. Maybe Yamaha will be stronger in the middle of the year, at the end of the year, or even next year. But I also have a lot to learn.”
Toprak Razgatlioglu must find a way to adapt to Yamaha’s MotoGP bike soon
Razgatlioglu arrives in MotoGP as a three-time World Superbike champion, having lifted the 2025 title in his final act as a BMW rider in the production bike series. He also won the 2021 title at Yamaha’s World Superbike team, before lifting the 2024 title in his first year at BMW.
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Where do you think Toprak Razgatlioglu will finish on his MotoGP debut?
The Turkish talent, famed for being a demon on the brakes, also won 78 out of his 258 races, scored 24 pole positions and reached 173 podiums in World Superbikes from 2018 to 2025. He even won 21 out of the 36 races held in 2025, as the only rider able to win on the BMW.
But Razgatlioglu is now watching how Miller rides the Yamaha M1 in his efforts to adapt to a very different prototype package to the production bikes he rode in World Superbikes. He is having to learn a new approach to braking, Michelin tyres and MotoGP’s ride height devices.
Pramac have pleaded with Razgatlioglu to brake earlier on Yamaha’s MotoGP bike, as he can then carry more speed through the corners which was not possible in World Superbikes. He has struggled to adjust, however, and his fastest lap times are not coming down as a result.
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