MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Toprak Razgatlioglu has openly admitted he is still searching for the limit of the Yamaha MotoGP machine after completing pre-season testing in Thailand, highlighting a lack of confidence in the front end of the bike.
The Turkish rider, who made his name as one of World Superbike’s leading figures, described his MotoGP transition as an ongoing learning process. During time attack simulations in Buriram, he attempted to follow team-mate Jack Miller, only to quickly realise the gap in corner-entry confidence.
“I tried to follow Jack on his fastest lap, but I lost him after two corners,” Razgatlioglu admitted.
He explained that the time loss came primarily in the opening sector, where Miller’s commitment through fast direction changes exposed Razgatlioglu’s hesitation on corner entry and mid-corner phase.
“When I saw Jack lean into the first corner, my first thought was that he would crash. But he turned, and I was surprised.”
The core issue, according to Razgatlioglu, lies in his limited trust in the front tyre of the Yamaha M1. While comfortable under braking, he struggles to fully understand the grip threshold when carrying speed through corners.
“I usually ride quite relaxed because I don’t have much confidence with the front tyre. I feel confident under braking, but in the corner I don’t really understand the limit,” he explained.
In a candid assessment, Razgatlioglu even suggested that discovering that limit might require pushing beyond it.
“Maybe to understand the limit, I need to crash,” he reflected.
Despite setting a best lap of 1m30.7s, he acknowledged there remains significant performance untapped. Having Miller alongside him has proven beneficial from a technical standpoint, with access to comparative data accelerating his adaptation.
“It’s positive because he’s my team-mate. It’s easier to look at the data. For now, this is the right direction.”
The adaptation process has also been mentally demanding for a rider accustomed to fighting at the front in Superbike. During moments of frustration, Razgatlioglu revealed that Fabio Quartararo has advised patience.
“He told me to stay calm. Sometimes my motivation drops, but it’s normal because I’m learning,” he said.
With major regulation changes looming in 2027, Razgatlioglu’s immediate focus remains clear: accumulate mileage, understand the Yamaha’s behaviour in different conditions, and above all, build confidence in the front end.
“The problem is not the tyre. It’s confidence,” he concluded.
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