In a strikingly candid revelation, MotoGP newcomer Toprak Razgatlioglu has expressed his concerns about the upcoming season, admitting that he anticipates significant challenges during the initial five races. The three-time World Superbike champion recently participated in the first pre-season test of 2026 at the Sepang circuit, where his experience on the Yamaha left him feeling less than optimistic.
During the shakedown last week, followed by the official test starting Tuesday, Yamaha faced serious engine complications that led to all its riders being grounded for safety reasons on Wednesday. Thankfully, they managed to resume testing on Thursday, albeit with a more careful approach to ensure everything was up to standard.
Razgatlioglu's performance during the test saw him finishing in the 19th position overall, clocking in at 1m58.326s, which was considerably off the pace set by Alex Marquez, who recorded a top time of 1m56.402s.
For Razgatlioglu, the primary challenge lies in modifying his riding style to suit MotoGP machinery, a task that has proven quite taxing. He openly admitted that his enthusiasm has waned due to the struggles he is facing. "It’s not easy for me to see myself so low in the standings, especially after my time in Superbikes,” he remarked on Thursday, expressing his frustrations.
He went on to describe an encounter with Marquez, noting, "This morning, I followed Alex Marquez and saw him riding very smoothly, but I can’t do that. I’ll probably struggle in the first five races."
In his pursuit to improve, he mentioned considering changes to his suspension setup, stating, "I’ve been focused on riding, but I think I’ll change the suspension set-up because I need help turning. I’m riding as always, but the timings aren’t right, and that obviously makes my motivation drop."
Razgatlioglu elaborated on the difficulties of handling the bike, saying, "With this bike, you can’t turn with the throttle. You have to ride it like a Moto2 bike. That’s what Jack [Miller] tells me, but it’s very easy to say and not so easy to do."
While he acknowledged some progress in his braking technique, he admitted that understanding tire wear remains a mystery for him. Throughout much of the test, he rode without the rear wings on his Yamaha due to a seat unit that exceeded height limits when the wings were attached. However, by the end of Tuesday’s session, he experimented with a different seat that accommodated the wings and noted improvements in his braking performance.
On the concluding day of the test, observers noted that he was seen on track using both configurations—riding with and without the rear wing. This ongoing adjustment period represents a pivotal moment in his transition from Superbikes to MotoGP, and how he navigates these challenges will undoubtedly shape his rookie season.
Lewis, who joined the Crash.net team in August 2024, brings five years of MotoGP journalism experience from the Motorsport Network.
