World Superbike champion of 2021 Toprak Razgatlioglu has declared that he hopes “to ride in MotoGP next year”, admitting it is his “dream” to do so.
The Turkish ace – who would become the first rider from the nation to compete in MotoGP should he secure a berth in the series for 2024 – has had an eye on graduating to the premier class of grand prix motorcycle racing for sometime, Razgatlioglu completing a test on Yamaha’s M1 machine at Aragon last year as a prize for securing the ’21 WSBK title with the marque.
The Japanese brand currently only has two seats available in MotoGP as a result of losing satellite outfit RNF Racing to Aprilia at the end of last term, though with 2021 MotoGP world champion Fabio Quartararo signed up through the 2024 campaign, he best shot would be to replace the currently-struggling Franco Morbidelli as the Frenchman’s team-mate.
Speaking to Austrian publication Speedweek, Razgatlioglu insisted that his goal was to move into MotoGP next season, though admitted that while his “best chance” of securing a seat is with current employers Yamaha, he would consider offers from another manufacturer should the opportunity arise.
“There’s nothing to announce yet, but now I have the dream of driving MotoGP,” said Razgatlioglu.
“My contract with Yamaha ends after this season so maybe I’ll sign with them again, maybe I’ll go to another brand.
“It’s still too early to say anything, a decision will probably not be made until the middle of the year, but I hope to be able to ride MotoGP next year.
“As a Yamaha rider, I have the best chance at Yamaha and as of today, they have room for me in the factory team for next year.
“At the moment I’m thinking about MotoGP for next year, but if that doesn’t work out, then the topic is closed for me and I’ll stay in the Superbike World Championship.”
Razgatlioglu added that he was keen to not just make up the numbers should he make the step up into MotoGP, the 33-time WSBK race winner insisting “my plan and dream is to fight for the MotoGP title”, though conceded that he would need to wait to be “stronger in my second year” due to the steep adaption process he would likely need to undergo in the championship.
“My plan and my dream is to fight for the MotoGP title – or for podiums, I don’t just want to ride a GP bike,” continued Razgatlioglu.
“In MotoGP all the bikes are close but everyone can see that the Ducati are very strong. Just like in the Superbike World Championship. But Yamaha was World Champion in 2021, why not improve and bring a strong bike for next year?”
“I would be the first Turkish rider in the MotoGP World Championship, but that’s not important to me – it’s important that I can finish in the top three, I know everyone in MotoGP is very strong and very close.
“Maybe my first year wouldn’t be easy and I’d be stronger in my second year, the GP bike is very different from the Superbike, the tires are different too and I would have to adapt.”
Razgatlioglu currently sits second overall in this year’s WSBK riders standings, having so far been the only man to beat runaway series leader Alvaro Bautista to a win, with the former’s sole victory coming in the shorter superpole race during the second round of the year at the Mandalika International Circuit in Indonesia.
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