until Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League
The Yamaha MotoGP team is giving a second test to World Superbike frontrunner Toprak Razgatlioglu, who has recently set a target of a 2024 MotoGP promotion.
A MotoGP future has long been mooted for the 26-year-old Razgatlioglu, with the premier-class links ramping up once he established himself as a regular WSBK title contender and took the 2021 crown for Yamaha.
He was runner-up to ex-MotoGP rider Alvaro Bautista in the series last year and currently sits second to Bautista again after two rounds of the 2023 season.
The Turk, through his manager and World Supersport legend Kenan Sofuoglu, has previously adhered to something of a hardline stance to a MotoGP switch, indicating that he would prefer to remain in the World Superbike paddock unless he was placed immediately in a factory MotoGP team.
Perhaps as a consequence, he never seriously figured for a seat with Yamaha partner Petronas SRT/RNF before team boss Razlan Razali took his team to Aprilia instead this year.
But Yamaha team manager Lin Jarvis made a remarkable admission last year that a works ride should’ve been offered to Razgatlioglu as early as 2021, a comment that also notably came after Razgatlioglu had already had his first Yamaha MotoGP test, albeit one impacted by inclement weather.
Meanwhile, Razgatlioglu himself recently told German outlet Speedweek that he had “the dream of riding in MotoGP” and was focussed on securing a switch for 2024 – while acknowledging that the MotoGP route for him would be closed off for good if that didn’t happen.
Even more curiously, he said he would “maybe look at other teams” in the grand prix paddock if Yamaha couldn’t make room for him. This suggests that his ‘works seat only’ stance has been eased, as beyond Yamaha no factory teams have seats going before 2025 – save for maybe Tech3, which has been positioned as KTM sister brand Gas Gas’ factory outfit.
Razgatlioglu’s second MotoGP test will take place on April 10-11 at Jerez, with Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow also present.
“Firstly, let me say it is our pleasure to be able to give Toprak another opportunity to ride the YZR-M1,” said Jarvis.
“I was unable to be present at his previous test but this time I will be in Jerez to follow the testing and I will depart straight from there to attend the Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin next weekend.
“Toprak is an extraordinarily talented motorcycle racer, and I am very curious to see his speed on our factory MotoGP machine.”
Lead Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo is contracted through 2024, but team-mate Franco Morbidelli is a free agent at the end of the year.
Morbidelli had a torrid 2022 – setting up Jarvis’ claim that Razgatlioglu should’ve got the nod instead – and had an extremely shaky start to 2023 in Portimao, but took a major step towards righting the ship in the second round at Termas.
The Italian was fourth in both the sprint and the wet-weather race, but now needs to verify his progress at a higher-grip venue.
