Toprak Razgatlioglu’s MotoGP debut is less than six months away, and he might be in the best form of his career currently.
The Turkish rider has won 11 of the last 12 World Superbike Championship races, and he leads the championship by 26 points over Nicolo Bulega.
Razgatlioglu has toyed with a move to MotoGP for some time, and finally announced the switch in June this year.
He’ll join Pramac Racing, who are yet to announce who his teammate will be. It could be current riders Jack Miller, Miguel Oliveira, or a talent from Moto2 such as Diogo Moreira.
Razgatlioglu could jeopardise his MotoGP move after Herve Poncharal read that his crew for 2026 won’t have as much experience as required to help him adapt to a new type of bike.
Ahead of picking a number, Razgatlioglu has extended an offer to Fermin Aldeguer as he looks to initiate talks over the number 54. The young Spaniard is likely to demand a strong sum for the honour.
Photo by Fabrizio Carabelli/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesToprak Razgatlioglu reveals he has told Marc Marquez he is ‘looking forward’ to fighting him in 2026
Razgatlioglu may have to sacrifice a ‘demon’ strength when he arrives in MotoGP, as he adapts to how differently the Yamaha will be under braking.
He has now spent the best part of six years riding superbikes, which do have quite different characteristics to handle.
Understandably, he wants to make any switch as smooth as possible. That has involved private calls with current championship leader Marc Marquez.
Speaking to GPOne, Razgatlioglu detailed exactly what he has told the Spaniard over the phone so far in 2025.
“Marc is an extraordinary champion,” he said. “He went through a very difficult period in life, having to deal with a major injury, but now he is deserving the moment he is having because of his tenacity and what he is showing on the track with Ducati.
“We talk often by phone, he knows that I am looking forward to confronting him and for me it will be an honour.”
READ MORE: Toprak Razgatlioglu has one ‘genius’ trait that will help him be fast on a Yamaha MotoGP bike
Why Toprak Razgatlioglu’s MotoGP switch for 2026 is such a bold move
At the age of 28, Razgatlioglu’s MotoGP dreams were starting to reach now-or-never territory. He doesn’t want to waste the best years of his career.
However, leaving the BMW ranks he is currently in, is a risky move. Since joining them at the start of 2024, he has won 33 of the 54 races he has competed in.
Claiming victory in 61% of those races is an incredible feat, and shows why Marquez is the man he has sought advice from recently.
He’s the only other rider on the planet capable of delivering that sort of form on a motorcycle. From 2026, they will get to fight each other.