Toprak Razgatlioglu admits his MotoGP rookie season in 2026 has been tough. But the Turkish rider is already setting his sights much higher for 2027, where he wants to be a genuine contender at the front.
After the first 12 races with Pramac Racing, Razgatlioglu sits 21st in the standings with a best result of P11. A far cry from his WorldSBK dominance, where he clinched back-to-back titles. However, he insists this year is all about learning, and every bit of progress will be geared towards preparing for 2027.
"This year is like half a Superbike season because Superbike is 12 races total. So I've almost done a Superbike season, and now I have half a season more," Razgatlioglu said in an exclusive interview with Crash.net ahead of the British Grand Prix. "I hope I learn more, I hope I improve more. I'm just focused on this because next year my target is big. This year I need to learn more, and next year I need to start stronger."
The difficulties Razgatlioglu faces are partly due to Yamaha's major transition. The Japanese manufacturer is switching to a V4 engine, a very new project. His teammate, Jack Miller, even said luck wasn't on Toprak's side as he had to spend his first MotoGP year developing a fundamentally new bike.
Razgatlioglu himself understands the situation, though he calls it a difficult year. "It's not easy for me. After two really good years in Superbike, now I finish P15, P13, P14. This is not easy," he said. "But this is the first year for Yamaha with the V4 and also for me. I believe Yamaha will improve more because I know the history of Yamaha, they are always the best. I think they will come back soon."
Despite the lackluster results, Razgatlioglu is targeting a top-10 finish in the remaining races. He also stressed that everything he's going through now is a long-term investment for his big ambition in 2027. If Yamaha can develop the V4 bike well, Toprak could become a serious threat at the front.
With plenty of races left in the season, all eyes will be on Razgatlioglu and Yamaha's progress. Can he adapt quickly and spring a surprise? We'll just have to wait and see in the second half of the season.
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