New Pramac Yamaha MotoGP rider Toprak Razgatlioglu is a “very special talent” who can “make magic happen” on a motorcycle.
That’s the verdict of Sylvain Guintoli, who witnessed the reigning World Superbike champion’s talents first-hand during his work for the BMW test team.
Guintoli, who raced in EWC last season alongside his MotoGP punditry role at TNT Sports, is sure Razgatlioglu will be a “proper weapon” when the premier class switches to 850cc machinery and familiar Pirelli tyres in 2027.
Until then, the main question mark surrounds how quickly Razgatlioglu can adapt to the current 1000cc Michelin-shod bikes in his rookie season, and how competitive Yamaha’s new V4 machine will be.
Toprak Razgatlioglu, 2025 Valencia MotoGP test
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Toprak “does things on a bike nobody else can”
“It’s all about adaptation to a different package,” former grand prix rider and WorldSBK champion Guintoli told Crash.net.
“Next season for Toprak is going to be a huge difference. Because of the tyres, because of the ride-height devices, a MotoGP bike needs to be ridden in a different way.
“But he’s such a talent. Toprak is one of those guys who is able to make magic happen and do things on a bike that nobody else can. He’s a very, very special talent.
“It’s difficult to predict. It’s certainly going to be a lot to take on board, and we also don’t know how competitive the Yamaha package is going to be. So that’s another question mark.
“But I think that in 2027 – obviously, the DNA of the Pirelli tyres suit his style a lot, and we know how fast he can be with, let’s say, more conventional bikes, without ride-height devices, like in superbikes.
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“So I think in 2027 he’s going to be a proper weapon.
“Next season is a bit of a question mark in terms of how fast will he be able to adapt? But clearly, Toprak is extremely talented. He’s one of the special guys.”
Toprak Razgatlioglu, 2025 Valencia MotoGP test
Asked whether Razgatlioglu should treat 2026 purely as a learning year ahead of the regulation changes, Guintoli isn’t ruling out a rookie season surprise.
“We’ll see! I really hope that he’s going to be there straight away, but it’s going to be a massive ask. That transition is not easy, and you have to use the bike in such a different way,” he replied.
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“Is he going to be able to excel in the same riding phases where he excelled on the BMW? Is he going to be able to replicate that and gain an advantage on the MotoGP bikes versus the other MotoGP riders?
“I don’t know! That’s what we’re going to find out.
“Toprak knows it’s probably going to be tough to begin with, but what an exciting prospect to see him in MotoGP!”
After riding alongside his MotoGP rivals for the first time in November’s Valencia test, Razgatlioglu will try the latest version of the new Yamaha V4 during the Sepang Shakedown test at the end of this month.
Sylvain Guintoli is running the 2026 London Marathon, wearing his racing leathers, in memory of his son Luca.
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To support Guintoli in raising funds for children’s cancer charity PASIC, visit: https://2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/sylvain-guintoli
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