BMW’s attempt to replace Toprak Razgatlioglu with a MotoGP rider reportedly fell flat.
The rumour in the World Superbike Championship paddock is that Danilo Petrucci will swap Barni Ducati for BMW in 2026, when Razgatlioglu heads to MotoGP.
Razgatlioglu is joining Pramac Yamaha creating an attractive vacancy at BMW – but there could even be two bikes available.
The future of Razgatlioglu’s BMW teammate Michael van der Mark is also in question.
According to Motosprint, Maverick Vinales was approached about a switch to WorldSBK on a BMW in 2026.
But Vinales will not be taking the opportunity up, the report claims.
BMW searching for 2026 WorldSBK riders 
Toprak Razgatlioglu, BMW World Superbikes 2025
© Gold and Goose
That leaves BMW with a decision to make over Van Der Mark’s seat assuming they do sign up Petrucci to replace Razgatlioglu.
Alvaro Bautista, Jonathan Rea and Andrea Iannone are fellow veterans with uncertain futures in WorldSBK. None of them have a contract for 2026 yet.
Vinales, however, has seen his stock go up in recent times at the Tech3 KTM team.
He has been credited with a major role in the development of their package which struggled at the beginning of the season.
Vinales sits a point above factory KTM rider Brad Binder in the standings, in 11th. Pedro Acosta, in seventh, is the best-placed KTM rider.
He finished fifth at the Spanish MotoGP, after a tyre pressure penalty cruelly demoted him from the podium. Still, he received plaudits for an outstanding ride.
Vinales finished fifth at Le Mans and Assen too.
KTM enjoyed their best round of the 2025 MotoGP season last time out at Brno, with Acosta on the podium on Saturday and Sunday.
Vinales is expected to stay put aiding the KTM project next year too.
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