Türkiye’s motorcycle racing sensation and a two-time World Superbike champion, Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, is gearing up to make history.
In a groundbreaking announcement on Tuesday, Yamaha and Prima Pramac confirmed that Razgatlıoğlu will step into the premier class of motorcycle racing in 2026, becoming the first Turkish rider to compete in the MotoGP World Championship.
The news not only marks a seismic shift in the 27-year-old’s career but also signals Yamaha’s aggressive push to reshape its future in the sport.
The move reunites Razgatlıoğlu with Yamaha, the manufacturer he helped dominate the Superbike world, and places him in the cockpit of the Prima Pramac Yamaha team – a respected satellite outfit with a reputation for molding MotoGP contenders.
Yamaha’s General Manager Paolo Pavesio called Razgatlıoğlu’s return to the Yamaha fold “a homecoming and a bold new challenge.”
He praised Toprak as the most successful Yamaha rider in Superbike history, pointing to his two world titles and 63 race wins – a tally that makes him the second-winningest rider in WorldSBK history. “His spirit and skill align perfectly with our MotoGP ambitions,” Pavesio said. “We believe 2026 is the right moment for this highly anticipated move.”
Razgatlıoğlu’s rise from the city of Sakarya to international acclaim has been nothing short of electric.
Since his World Superbike debut in 2018, he has become one of the sport’s most electrifying figures, known for late-braking heroics, elbow-to-elbow duels, and a riding style that fuses finesse with fearlessness.
After clinching his first world title in 2021 by ending Jonathan Rea’s six-year reign, Razgatlıoğlu doubled down with another crown in 2024.
So far in the 2025 Superbike season, Razgatlıoğlu has amassed 221 points after five rounds, placing him second in the standings and maintaining his status as a title contender.
But it’s the challenge of MotoGP – the holy grail of motorcycle racing – that now beckons.
The jump from WorldSBK to MotoGP is a leap few have mastered, as it demands mastering prototype machinery, new tire dynamics, advanced electronics, and a roster of seasoned competitors.
But Yamaha is banking on Razgatlıoğlu’s adaptability and mental toughness.
The timing, too, is strategic. With sweeping changes to MotoGP’s technical regulations expected in 2027, Yamaha sees 2026 as a critical window for Toprak to find his footing before the grid is reshaped.
For Razgatlıoğlu, the move represents not just a career milestone, but the fulfillment of a dream he’s long kept in his back pocket.
“MotoGP has always been a dream,” he said in a past interview. “But I never wanted to go just to fill the grid. I want to fight, to win. Now, the door is open – and I’m ready to walk through it.”
The Prima Pramac Yamaha team – one of MotoGP’s most competitive satellite teams – offers him the perfect launchpad.
Known for developing top-tier talent and closely aligned with Yamaha’s factory program, Pramac has the tools and experience to support Razgatlıoğlu’s transition at the highest level.
For Turkish motorsport, this moment is monumental. Razgatlıoğlu’s debut will break new ground for a nation that has never before placed a rider on a MotoGP grid.
His Red Bull-backed brand, coupled with his popularity across Europe and Asia, promises to expand MotoGP’s reach into untapped markets.
