Marco Bezzecchi
Marco Melandri believes that Toprak Razgatlioglu’s motivation at Yamaha ‘will start to fade’.
The 2026 MotoGP season got off to a terrible start for Yamaha as they scored three points during the opening Grand Prix of the season in Thailand.
At the Buriram International Circuit, Fabio Quartararo finished in 14th, with his teammate Alex Rins in 15th. However, both Jack Miller and Toprak Razgatlioglu were outside of the points.
Razgatlioglu made his MotoGP debut with Pramac Yamaha at the Thailand Grand Prix, and struggled with his first pre-season tests as a MotoGP rider on the Yamaha M1.
Has Toprak Razgatlioglu made a mistake moving to MotoGP in 2026?
Toprak Razgatlioglu’s motivation with Yamaha will ‘start to fade’
Ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix, Marco Melandri discussed the 2026 MotoGP season on Chiacchiere da Box and the difficult start for Yamaha and Razgatlioglu.
The former MotoGP rider believes that Razgatlioglu’s positive strengths and motivation will ‘start to fade’ due to the lack of performance from the Yamaha.
Melandri said, “Well, in the end, Toprak has taken very little from the others. The problem, as I always say, is that when the bike or car breaks down tomorrow, the rider’s positive strengths start to fade because, inevitably, their motivation starts to fade too.
“You can see from the photos that Quartararo looks really down. So it’s going to be a tough season. Yamaha have been testing with Dovizioso and Toprak over the last few days, so we’ll see. But the feeling is that it’ll be a tough season, like a climb full of c—.”
Prove me wrong: Toprak Razgatlioglu will be faster than Fabio Quartararo by the end of 2026
Marco Melandri believes Yamaha may cut funding to MotoGP
In a separate interview ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix, Melandri discussed the chances that Yamaha may cut their funding to the MotoGP project.
Melandri said, “Yamaha can’t afford to mess up another season, because if they do, the funding will be cut off from above.”
Former Yamaha rider, and premier class World Champion, Giacomo Agostini has been surprised that Yamaha cannot produce a competitive MotoGP bike.
Agostini said, I’m surprised that such a large company, so technologically strong, can’t produce a competitive bike.”
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