Toprak Razgatlioglu is preparing for his first season in MotoGP in 2026, and his goal is clear: he wants to challenge Fabio Quartararo and become the best Yamaha rider on the grid. This aim was shared by his manager, Kenan Sofuoglu, who believes Toprak has the talent to fight at the front once he adapts to the MotoGP bike.

After all, he is a three-time World Superbike champion, joining the Pramac Yamaha team in 2026. He will ride a factory-spec Yamaha M1 alongside Jack Miller. He rode the Yamaha MotoGP bike for the first time at the official test in Valencia, completing 53 laps and setting a best time of 1:30.667s, which placed him 18th on the timesheets. He finished ahead of Yamaha riders Alex Rins and Jack Miller.

However, he was still behind Yamaha’s current top rider, Fabio Quartararo, who was around seven-tenths faster. Quartararo set a best time of 1:29.927 and finished three places ahead.

Toprak is not yet allowed to speak to the press about his MotoGP transition due to his contract, but Sofuoglu is free to share details. He explained that Toprak was riding very cautiously at the Valencia test because he only had one V4-spec Yamaha M1 available. Without a second bike to fall back on, he could not risk crashing.

According to Sofuoglu, this meant fans did not yet see the real Toprak, who is famous for late braking, aggressive corner entry and spectacular control.

Sofuoglu believes that once Toprak has more bikes available and gains confidence, he will begin to show the same style that made him a superstar in World Superbikes. He said that many people think Toprak will not be able to use his famous braking technique in MotoGP, but he insists those people are wrong. He believes Toprak’s special feeling for the front end of the bike will still work, even against the world’s best riders.

Most experts agree that Toprak may need some time to fully adjust to the MotoGP paddock, the tyres and the riding style, but his natural ability is so strong that many believe he will eventually succeed.

Toprak’s first goal is simple: become the best of the four Yamaha riders. Achieving this means beating a former world champion, Fabio Quartararo, which will not be an easy task, but it is something Toprak and his manager believe is possible.

As Sofuoglu said in MotoGP’s official broadcast, “If we can fight with Fabio, that would already be a big achievement. This is our target for the first season.”