After months of speculation, it was recently confirmed that Toprak Razgatlıoğlu will be joining the MotoGP paddock in 2026, having signed with the Prima Pramac Yamaha Team. The double WorldSBK champion will become the first Turkish MotoGP rider in history.

Razgatlıoğlu is the reigning World Superbikes champion, winning with the ROKIT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team in 2024, his first year with BMW. But his move to MotoGP sees him returning to Yamaha, the manufacturer he won his first WorldSBK title with in 2021.

As part of the press release announcing the signing of Razgatlıoğlu, Paolo Pavesio, (Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing) stated that Toprak’s move to MotoGP feels like “both a ‘homecoming’ and an exciting new challenge”, and acknowledged that it is a career move that many motorcycle racing fans have been hoping for.

It’s easy to see why Razgatlıoğlu has such a large and loyal fanbase – his racing is skillful, with his hard-braking in particular astounding competitors, and this is complemented by immense determination and drive. Alongside this, he doesn’t shy away from showing his personality, and is known for his fun race win celebrations. For those familiar with Valentino Rossi, the similarities are clear, and comparisons have frequently been made.

On the same day as Razgatlıoğlu’s signing was announced, Nicolo Bulega, arguably Razgatlıoğlu’s biggest rival in the WorldSBK paddock and former VR46 Academy Rider, was revealed to have extended his WorldSBK contract with the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team. Interestingly though, this new contract involves supporting Ducati with their MotoGP testing, with a focus on developing the bike for the new Pirelli tyres used in MotoGP from 2027. A smart move from Ducati, considering Pirelli are currently the Official Tyre Supplier for WorldSBK. This has of course led to the suggestion that Bulega could join the MotoGP paddock in 2027 and reunite with rival Razgatlıoğlu.

Who will be riding alongside Razgatlıoğlu at Pramac?

Razgatlıoğlu’s signing now means that either Jack Miller or Miguel Oliveira, the current Prima Pramac rider line-up, will be losing their seat for 2026. 

Miguel Oliveira returned to racing a few weeks ago, having spent time away from the paddock recovering from injuries sustained during the Sprint in Argentina earlier this season. His results so far this season are therefore not where he or Yamaha would like them to be. Though Oliveira does have a contract for 2026 with Pramac, it is possible this could be terminated early if the partnership is no longer serving both parties.

Jack Miller is currently equal on points with Factory rider Alex Rins, but his contract is set to end at the end of 2025. There is a possibility that Miller will remain with Pramac, with Yamaha apparently happy with the technical insight he is providing, but rumours have also emerged that he could be moving to the WorldSBK paddock with Honda.

Pramac have said they will make their decision known by the summer break, which commences after the Grand Prix of Czechia on Sunday 20th July.

Who Razgatlıoğlu is paired with in 2026 will likely be of great importance to him, as he will be looking to those with experience in MotoGP to aid his learning and development throughout the season. There is no doubt that Razgatlıoğlu is an incredibly talented rider, but the transition to MotoGP isn’t an easy one, whichever championship you’re arriving from. 

Regardless, Razgatlıoğlu’s move is exciting for the sport, and I’m looking forward to watching his MotoGP journey unfold.