Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, born on 16 October 1996 in Alanya, Antalya, is a Turkish motorcycle racer. Competing for Yamaha and BMW in the Superbike World Championship, Toprak achieved great success in Turkish motorsports by becoming the champion of the World Superbike Championship in 2021. With this victory, he became the first Turkish world champion in Superbike history.

Youth and Education

Toprak began motorcycle racing at the age of seven under the influence of his father, Arif Razgatlıoğlu, a renowned motorcycle stunt rider known as "Tek Teker Arif". Toprak’s interest and talent for motorcycles developed rapidly from an early age, and with his father’s guidance, he took his first steps into the professional sports world. He was trained at a young age by Kenan Sofuoğlu and shaped his career under his mentorship.

Career and Achievements

In 2012, at the age of 16, Toprak entered motorcycle racing and won the Turkish Circuit Championship by setting a track record at Istanbul Park. This achievement brought him national recognition and opened the doors to a larger career in Europe. In 2014, he announced his name by winning the European Superstock 600 Championship, and in 2015 he won the same title again. In 2017, he finished second in the European Superstock 1000 Championship.

In 2018, Toprak entered the Superbike World Championship, gaining experience and showing improvement in his debut season. In 2019, he finished first in a race at Magny-Cours in France, starting from 16th position.

In 2020, racing for the PATA Yamaha team, Toprak secured his first Superbike World Championship victory in Australia, finishing the season in fourth place with 11 podiums in 15 races. The 2021 season was his most successful. Toprak became world champion in the Superbike World Championship, making history as the first Turkish rider to achieve this feat and ending Jonathan Rea’s six-year championship streak.

In 2022 and 2023, he competed for the championship title but did not win, yet achieved significant results both years to finish as world runner-up.

In 2024, he joined the BMW team to begin a new chapter. In the 2024 season, he won his second Superbike World Championship title and brought the team its first-ever championship.

2025 World Superbike Championship

At the 12th and final round of the 2025 World Superbike Championship on 19 October 2025 at the 4.423 km Jerez Circuit in Jerez de la Frontera, Toprak Razgatlıoğlu finished third in the second main race. After completing the 20-lap race from 10th on the grid, he accumulated 616 points in the overall standings to secure the championship, thereby claiming his second consecutive and third career world title. The race was won by Nicolo Bulega, with Álvaro Bautista finishing second.

Celebrations took place on the track and in the stands after the championship; the rider performed a victory lap with the Turkish flag and executed a "burnout" display as he approached the podium. Kenan Sofuoğlu, Captain of the National Teams of the Turkish Motorcycle Federation, followed the race. Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak officially congratulated Razgatlıoğlu for becoming champion for the second consecutive time and third time overall.

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu’s World Superbike Statistics

• 120 Races:
• • 53 Podiums
  • 19 Wins
  • 16 Second Places
  • 19 Third Places
  • 13 Fastest Race Laps

Personal Life

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu’s father, Arif Razgatlıoğlu, died in a motorcycle accident in 2017. Toprak frequently states that he dedicates every victory in his races to his father.

MotoGP Journey

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu’s MotoGP career began in the 2026 season under the structure established with Yamaha’s factory-supported satellite team, Prima Pramac Racing. Razgatlıoğlu joined the Pramac Yamaha squad to race on the Yamaha YZR-M1 in MotoGP.

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu (left) and Kenan Sofuoğlu (right) (AA)

Team Structure and Pre-Season Framework

The transition to MotoGP was shaped through pre-season team and motorcycle presentations, the introduction of the 2026-spec Yamaha M1, and the positioning of the first season’s goals as an “adaptation and learning phase”. Jack Miller was also part of the same team for the 2026 season.

Race Number: 07

Due to the use of his Superbike career number 54 by another rider in MotoGP, Razgatlıoğlu was required to choose a different number. In this context, he requested number 07 for MotoGP and was confirmed to race under this number for Pramac Yamaha in the 2026 season.

Pre-Season Test Program

Due to his rookie status in MotoGP, Razgatlıoğlu was scheduled to participate in shakedown tests held in Sepang. These tests took place between 29 and 31 January, during which he was accompanied by Yamaha test rider Augusto Fernández.

First Race and the Title of “First Turkish Sportsman to Race in MotoGP”

Razgatlıoğlu will begin his MotoGP career in the 2026 season with the Thai Motorcycle Grand Prix on 27 February 2026. During the race weekend, competing on the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, he will become the first Turkish sportsman to race in MotoGP representing Türkiye.

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu infographic (AA)

Adaptation Process and Technical Differences

The distinct characteristics of MotoGP prototypes compared to production-based Superbike motorcycles, along with the switch from Pirelli to Michelin tires, formed key elements of his adaptation process. On the final day of pre-season testing in Buriram, Razgatlıoğlu ranked 21st among 22 riders. He described his adaptation process in terms of front tire feel and confidence in cornering stability, and ended his race simulation early due to insufficient speed and setup mismatch.

2027 Perspective

Anticipated changes to the technical regulations for the 2027 MotoGP season have become one of the primary goals in Razgatlıoğlu’s planning. He has viewed the 2026 season as a learning and adaptation phase, and has identified 2027 as his main target season.