Forward of the second spherical of the 2025 WorldSBK season, rumours have resumed that Toprak Razgatlioglu might enter MotoGP in 2026.
It’s fairly apt that Razgatlioglu must be using for BMW at present, as a result of over the previous three years or so the one World Superbike-to-MotoGP hearsay that has died and revived extra usually than that targeted on Razgatlioglu is that targeted on BMW.
The hearsay of Razgatlioglu transferring to MotoGP was maybe most clearly logical when he was a Yamaha rider, particularly after his title in 2021. However the exams he had with the Iwata marque have been whereas it was starting to say no, and his impression was unfavourable.
Razgatlioglu didn’t like how he needed to trip the bike, or how he needed to sit on it. A part of this was all the way down to tyres, and a part of it was all the way down to the bike design.
A MotoGP swap for Razgatlioglu was additionally rumoured in 2023 even after he had signed for BMW, and likewise final yr after he received his second World Superbike title in convincing vogue. However Razgatlioglu is 29 and he’s as conscious as anybody that meaning his time is restricted – any MotoGP transfer should be made on tools that can enable him to win.
For almost all of the time that the Turkish rider has been linked with MotoGP, ‘aggressive equipment’ has been basically an interchangeable time period with ‘Ducati’, however the early indicators from Honda this season are that they’re making progress in direction of the entrance.
Honda choice for Toprak Razgatlioglu?
Johann Zarco has completed within the high 10 in each Grands Prix this yr and beat manufacturing facility Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia to a entrance row place in qualifying on the Argentinian Grand Prix a few weeks in the past.
Is the RC213V able to win a title? Maybe not but, and maybe not in 2026, however HRC’s obvious progress might put it within the window for 2027.
After all, that’s barely awkward when the technical laws are set for main modifications in 2027 – 850cc engines, decreased aerodynamics, banned trip top units – however none of that’s essentially set to harm Honda greater than anybody else.
Plus, essentially the most impactful change in 2027 won’t be the engines or the aerodynamics or the elimination of trip top units, however the tyres, which is able to change from Michelin to Pirelli.
That signifies that, as a substitute of switching collection, producer, brake materials, and tyre model, solely the primary three of these will apply. That’s just one out of 4, however the tyre is an important a part of any asphalt racing collection and is the ingredient that circumstances the character of all the opposite technical facets.
Razgatlioglu’s dominance of WorldSBK hasn’t been constructed purely on ability and technical superiority – in actual fact you may argue that the latter hasn’t been a think about his success in any respect. As a substitute, it’s been about his understanding of the Pirelli tyres, particularly the entrance tyre, and the way exploit its traits.
Many instances we’ve heard that Razgatlioglu wouldn’t have the ability to do on a MotoGP Michelin what he can do on a WorldSBK Pirelli. That is likely to be true, but when Pirelli are going to provide MotoGP, then – assuming that the Italian model’s core traits of versatile tyres that provide a number of feeling and efficiency in quite a lot of temperatures – it kind of received’t matter anymore.
Toprak Razgatlioglu advised to go to MotoGP
The query then turns into: if MotoGP goes to make it (theoretically) simpler for WorldSBK riders to make the swap to MotoGP in 2027, ought to Razgatlioglu even trouble to maneuver throughout in 2026?
As a result of, what if he will get on Michelins subsequent yr, fries his mind for a season attempting to work them out, solely to then get again on Pirellis in 2027 and discover that he has basically the identical job as everybody else in adapting to the brand new tyres?
The reply is that he completely ought to go regardless. The man is 29, shall be 30 subsequent yr, and due to this fact doesn’t have time to waste if turning into MotoGP champion is one thing that he legitimately needs to realize.
That is very true if the hearsay reported by Italian publication Motosprint – that Razgatlioglu has a contract provide from HRC for 2 years (2026–27) with an choice for 2 extra years (2028–29) written into it – is correct.
“This has well-founded foundations,” the report claims.
Such a contract would give him time to adapt to Honda and to MotoGP, whereas additionally giving him the prospect to have substantial enter into the event of the 850cc Honda.
With each Luca Marini and Johann Zarco out of contract with HRC on the finish of this yr, it’s actually a transfer that would occur for the two-time World Champion, and it’s one thing that is sensible for Honda, which having seemingly discovered efficiency in its RC213V is now searching for a rider that may extract essentially the most from the bundle each weekend.
