Toprak Razgatlioglu’s new adventure is about to begin. After making his mark in 2021, 2024 and 2025 in SBK, the acrobatic Turkish rider will make his debut in MotoGP in the hope of accomplishing what other colleagues have failed to do: stand out in the premier class without having gone through the canonical rigmarole in the smaller MotoGP categories and possibly secure the title.
While waiting to see if he can actually rewrite the history of the discipline, the 29-year-old was shown in a Pramac-branded video intent on refining the final details on the M1 that will see him on the bike on Tuesday at the Valencia circuit for the first collective test session ahead of 2026.
The rider from Alanya has already had the chance to ride the Yamaha last week in Aragon for a first familiarisation with his new bike so as not to arrive at tomorrow’s appointment totally unprepared. There are many new things he will have to deal with, such as the collaboration with crew chief Alberto Giribuola, for several months alongside Enea Bastianini in KTM in the year just ended, and a new number. No more #1 as world champion, or the #54 that long identified him, as that already belongs to Fermin Aldeguer, but a big jump back to #7, used when he raced in the Yamaha R6 Cup in the 2011 and 2012 seasons.
It almost goes without saying that the #7 in the premier class belonged to Barry Sheene, who won the 500cc title in 1976 and 1977. Sheene was the first rider to choose and use only one number in his entire career.
“A new chapter. A new number. Toprak is ready,” the message that patron Campinoti’s team wanted to send to the competition via Instagram.
