Yamaha Legend Backs Toprak Razgatlioglu’s MotoGP 2026 Prospects

Giacomo Agostini believes Toprak Razgatlioglu has what it takes to succeed in MotoGP, as the World Superbike star prepares for his highly anticipated premier-class debut in 2026 with Yamaha.

Razgatlioglu will step up to MotoGP next season after Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP announced last summer that it had signed the three-time World Superbike champion to a multi-year deal. The Turkish rider will line up alongside Jack Miller at the Yamaha satellite team, coinciding with the Japanese manufacturer’s introduction of its new V4-powered MotoGP bike.

The move has generated significant attention across the paddock, with Razgatlioglu’s aggressive riding style and late-braking prowess seen as a potential asset in MotoGP. However, his adaptation path will not be straightforward. In 2026, he will have to acclimatise to Michelin tyres, before the championship switches back to Pirelli rubber in 2027.

Agostini, a 15-time grand prix world champion and the 1975 500cc title winner with Yamaha, attended Pramac’s launch event earlier this week and shared his views with Italian outlet GPOne. He stressed that while the gap between Superbike and MotoGP is not enormous, it remains decisive.

“He has proven himself to be very good in Superbikes,” Agostini said.
“Of course, MotoGP is a bit more sophisticated and more difficult, but if he has the talent, he will succeed there too.”

The Italian legend added that optimism must ultimately be backed up by results on track.

“When you love this sport and the riders, it’s logical to always think they will do well,” he continued.
“We have to hope, but then it’s the facts that count. So we’ll see in the first few races.”

Agostini also reflected on his own career transition to underline the contextual differences facing Razgatlioglu.

“When I made the leap to Yamaha, I won two world championships and even won the first race straight away,” he recalled.
“But I was already coming from grand prix bikes, while he is coming from Superbikes.”
“It’s not a big difference, it’s a small one, but it’s an important difference.”

Razgatlioglu himself has taken a measured view of his MotoGP prospects. Speaking during Pramac’s launch, he acknowledged that his rookie season is likely to be demanding, describing 2026 as “really hard” given the scale of the technical and stylistic adjustments required.

Despite that caution, his manager Kenan Sofuoglu remains confident that Razgatlioglu can make an immediate impact in the premier class.

“I believe Toprak can score a couple of podiums in his first year,” Sofuoglu said, underlining his faith in the rider’s ability to translate his Superbike success to MotoGP.

With Yamaha embarking on a new technical direction and Razgatlioglu arriving as one of the most accomplished Superbike converts in recent history, his MotoGP debut will be one of the defining storylines of the 2026 season. Whether his talent can bridge the subtle but critical gap between Superbike and MotoGP will become clear once the racing begins.