Toprak Razgalioglu is finally a MotoGP rider.
The three-time World Superbike Champion was long touted as the best rider who plied his craft outside of MotoGP, and now will finally make his Grand Prix debut in the opening round of the 2026 MotoGP season.
For many years, fans, experts, and members of the paddock have dreamt about the possibility of the Turkish superstar racing against Marc Marquez, Fabio Quartararo, and Francesco Bagnaia. Yet it seemed like it would never happen.
That dream came true last June, when the deal was sealed with Pramac Yamaha to make Toprak the first Turkish rider to compete in the premier class of grand prix racing.
While the iconic #54 will no longer be his, the new #7 in MotoGP arrives with a stellar reputation and high expectations.
His career path, his persona, his outlook for 2026 and beyond. We’ll be taking a look through all of these in this feature piece about Toprak Razgatlioglu, and learning why he is the most hyped rookie in a very long time.
Toprak Razgatlioglu: Turkish Trailblazer of Motorsport
The son of Arif, a fine motorcycle stuntman, and one of the promising pupils of multi World Supersport champion Kenan Sofuoglu. It’s no surprise that Toprak
After showcasing his skills in Turkey, the kid from Sakarya made his first foray into the world in the Red Bull Rookies Cup in 2013 and 2014.
His opponents included future MotoGP champions Jorge Martin and Joan Mir, and eventual premier class race winners Enea Bastianini and Fabio Di Giannantonio. His results were solid, finishing 10th and 6th in the two seasons with a couple of podiums and a win.
That’s where his path diverged from the traditional Moto3 route, following the path of his mentor Sofuoglu and the Puccetti Kawasaki team towards WSBK.
Winning the 2015 FIM European Superstock title and strong performances over the following years led to a straight jump to the World Superbike grid in 2018.
The first year, he learned. In Year 2, he was a regular podium threat and race winner. In the third year (now a Factory Yamaha rider), he won more races. And finally, in 2021, he was a World Champion.
Toprak’s meteoric rise was defined by ending Jonathan Rea’s dominant six-year spell, and then cemented by bringing BMW its first two championships in 2024-2025, despite many doubters (I admit, I was one of them) of his surprise move away from Yamaha.
He is one of the series’ greatest riders, 2nd all-time in wins, and a sensation across Turkey and the motorsport world.
And now, 12 years later, Toprak will reunite with his fellow World Champions from the Rookies days, on the same grid.
Toprak Razgatlioglu: A showman on-and-off track
Toprak is fast, no question about this fact. But his fame was built on more than just speed. He knows how to put on a show.
The sight of the #54 bike’s rear wheel lifting into the air was a thrill that never got old, just like the number of wins that kept piling up. His incredible bike control, fostered by his daredevil stunts as a kid, is difficult to look away from, even when he’s far in front of the field.
That control and braking prowess allow him to pull off overtakes that very few can in similar situations, and somehow strike a balance between aggression and clean racing.
As a person, Toprak shows both the charisma that draws fans in and the humility that rivals respect as a competitor of the highest regard.
Social media feeds are full of his daring moves or his goofiness with friends and peers. Even an appearance on Turkey’s version of “The Voice” was all over the social feeds. He’s attained national hero status, and the fanbase seems to keep growing as more of the MotoGP universe learns about him.
He makes it very easy to like and support him, and guarantees action on track. The attributes that make him a dream for MotoGP promoters (already seeing much of him on their channels), and a massive loss for the WSBK series.
Toprak’s new challenge: MotoGP
The Turk’s talent is undeniable, yet the big question remains: can he translate that prowess into MotoGP?
Circumstances for his rookie campaign are difficult, as he not only joins a series with different regulations from WSBK, but also a factory surrounded by questions.
Yamaha is a far cry from its days at the top, finishing last in 2025’s constructor standings. Such is the situation that the Iwata factory is gambling on a brand-new V4 engine, promising, but still with a feeling that they’ve yet to catch up to their rivals.
In addition, Toprak has a difficult task of adapting to a completely different beast, a road-race purpose-built 1000cc machine with drastically different aerodynamics to the production-based BMWs and Yamahas of his WSBK era.
Equally important is the transition from Pirelli tyres to the infamous Michelins, whose noted front tyre pressure issues (due to the current state of MotoGP aero) make Yamaha’s overtaking weakness even more of a struggle.
2026 Is the Learning Year, but 2027 Is the Real Target
Despite his fanbase’s optimism, it’s difficult to see the Turk challenging for regular top-10 finishes unless Yamaha’s new package proves better than anticipated. And even so, he will need time to get up to speed. A fact that he himself has acknowledged, and is ready for.
Yet the real aim is 2027, with the most significant rule changes since 2012, including a reduction in engine capacity from 1000cc to 850cc and Pirelli becoming the sole tyre supplier.
Toprak’s disadvantage in his lack of experience with Michelin tyres becomes an advantage with Pirelli. And the riders’ knowledge of present-day MotoGP bikes resets to 0 for all, closing the gap that Toprak had entering 2026.
In 2026, the goal is to adapt. 2027, that’s when the fun really begins. That strategy worked in WSBK, so perhaps Turkish delight will repeat in MotoGP…