Toprak Razgatlioğlu to Return to Yamaha Making 2026 MotoGP Debut with Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP

June 11, 2025—Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. is delighted to announce that Toprak Razgatlıoğlu will return to Yamaha. The current WorldSBK Champion and 2021 WorldSBK Champion with Yamaha, will make the move to MotoGP in 2026 by joining the Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP Team.

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. is pleased to announce that Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, current WorldSBK Champion and 2021 WorldSBK Champion with Yamaha, will return to Yamaha in the 2026 season, debuting in MotoGP with the Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP Team.

After a stellar stint in the FIM Superbike World Championship (2018-2025), during which he was crowned WorldSBK Champion twice and became the second most victorious rider of all time with 63 victories so far, Razgatlıoğlu is ready to take on a new challenge in the premier class of MotoGP.

Having Razgatlıoğlu step up to MotoGP and join the factory-supported Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP Team, a collaboration between Yamaha and Pramac, is a strategic decision that allows the Turkish rider to showcase his unique talent at the pinnacle of motorcycle racing.

Further details regarding the 2026 line-up of the Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP Team will be communicated in due course.

Paolo Pavesio, Managing Director, Yamaha Motor Racing
"We are thrilled to welcome Toprak back into the Yamaha family. "Toprak, the most victorious Yamaha rider of all time in Superbike, has proven to be an exceptional talent, securing the WorldSBK Title twice, which is no mean feat. His transition to MotoGP is both a 'homecoming' and an exciting new challenge that's been set up with the clear goal of progressive growth over time. "His fighting spirit and determination are a perfect fit for both the Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP Team and Yamaha's bold MotoGP strategy, so we believe 2026 is the right time to make the move that many fans have been waiting for."

NOTES

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu started riding motorcycles at the age of five. His first bike was a Yamaha PW50. He soon started competing in motocross races, 600cc races, and the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup in 2013 and 2014. From there, he entered the WorldSBK paddock in 2014, where he grew up whilst competing in the STK600, STK1000, and WorldSBK class.

In 2014, Razgatlıoğlu took part in one STK600 race, at Magny-Cours, and won it before winning the title a year later with 5 wins in 7 races. A move to STK1000 followed, and his 5th position in the overall standings in 2016 was backed up with a vice-champion result in 2017 by scoring 3 wins in 8 races, missing out on the title by just 8 points.

Razgatlıoğlu's WorldSBK debut came in 2018 on independent Kawasaki machinery, and he showcased his talent and potential right from the start. He claimed 2 podiums – at Donington Park and the Circuito San Juan Villicum – putting him in the spotlight before a race-winning campaign in 2019. He won 2 races at Magny-Cours, Race 1 and the Tissot Superpole Race, despite starting from 16th on the grid. He took 11 further podiums in his second season, to wrap it up in 5th position.

Razgatlıoğlu then made the move to Yamaha, where he stayed for four years (2020-2023). He was off to a good start in his first season with the Japanese manufacturer in 2020, securing 3 wins and 9 podiums to rank 4th in the overall classifications. He famously claimed the 2021 title on the YZF-R1 machine but was fighting for victory in all four seasons with Yamaha. He took 37 wins and 100 podiums for Yamaha in total, including 13 wins and 29 podiums in his title-winning season. He secured 14 victories and 29 podiums in 2022, and 7 wins and 33 podiums in 2023, but it wasn’t enough to retain the title. In both years, he finished as the Vice Champion.

'El Turco' made the move to BMW for the 2024 and 2025 campaigns, and he showed to be competitive with multiple manufacturers again. He did so in record-breaking fashion: his 13 race wins in a row in 2024 broke the record for consecutive victories. He was on the podium in 27 out of his 30 races and claimed the title at the final-round showdown despite missing 2 rounds and 6 races.

Razgatlıoğlu is currently in the middle of defending the title and the #1 status. Five rounds into the 2025 WorldSBK season, he holds 2nd place in the championship standings with 6 wins and 11 podiums. But a new adventure beckons!

In 2026, Razgatlıoğlu will return to the 'Yamaha family' making his debut in MotoGP as part of the Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP Team.

Personal Details:
Date of Birth: 16 October 1996
Place of Birth: Alanya, Turkey
Height: 182cm
Weight: 72kg

WorldSBK Class Highlights with Yamaha:
Races: 131
Poles: 12
Podiums: 100
Wins: 37
Best Race Laps: 30

WorldSBK Class Highlights:
Races: 237
Poles: 20
Podiums: 153
Wins: 63
Best Race Laps: 53

Career Summary:
2025: FIM Superbike World Championship – 2nd (after Round 5 of 12)
2024: FIM Superbike World Championship – 1st
2023: FIM Superbike World Championship – 2nd
2022: FIM Superbike World Championship – 2nd
2021: FIM Superbike World Championship – 1st
2020: FIM Superbike World Championship – 4th
2019: FIM Superbike World Championship – 5th
2018: FIM Superbike World Championship – 9th
2017: FIM European Superstock 1000 Championship – 2nd
2016: FIM European Superstock 1000 Cup – 5th
2015: FIM European Superstock 600 Cup – 1st
2014: FIM European Superstock 600 Cup – 13th