Toprak Razgatlioglu in MotoGP. Every year in the late spring, the topic always comes back to the forefront. In fact, about four years ago there were rumors that the Turkish rider could go to MotoGP on the Petronas team's Yamaha M1, while last year it was Kenan Sofuoglu who lit the fuse, openly declaring, "In 2025 Toprak will ride in MotoGP."
That was a declaration that did not go down at all well with BMW, so much so that the rider's manager backtracked, correcting his shot and partially denying what he had externalized. The fact remains that in 2025 Toprak will be back in Superbike riding the M 1000 RR with the goal of aiming for a third world title in the category.
Yet rather than the title race or the one he recently won, the #54 has been the talk of the town in recent weeks for what his future goals are, namely jumping into the MotoGP paddock. This year the Turkish rider's contract is expiring and if he wanted, there would be no more constraints holding him back in Superbike.
The question, however, is one: can Toprak really go to MotoGP or is it all a bluff, engineered to perfection to gain more power in contract discussions?
The answer to this question is known only by the person concerned and his manager, namely Kenan Sofuoglu, who has been working in the shadows in recent years to find alternatives in the MotoGP paddock, but these have not materialized.
In 2024, just to give an example, Kenan talked to Honda, but unfortunately for him the Japanese manufacturer decided to renew with Joan Mir, effectively closing the door. More in-depth discussions were instead carried on with Yamaha, putting the Pramac seat in his sights. Here, in this regard, one thing must be pointed out: it may be true that Toprak's adventure in Yamaha did not end in the best possible way, but in this last season Kenan has managed to mend the rift. This is confirmed by the fact that next year we will see Bahattin racing with the R1 in World SBK while Oncu will be with the R9 in SSP. As if that were not enough, the arrival of Pavesio in place of Lin Jarvis could certainly play in favor of the two Turks.
In all of this, one thing is certain: compared to a few seasons ago, Toprak has lowered his claims. While until a couple of years ago his only goal was to go to MotoGP by entering through the front door, that is, with a factory bike and team, this year he said instead, "My goal is to race in MotoGP and I would like to do it with factory support. No matter what the team is, all I need is a bike with factory support, like Martin in the Pramac team."
This is to signify that Toprak is also willing to accept a satellite structure, where most of the contracts are set to expire by 2026.
There is, however, one aspect to consider: next October 16, the Turk will blow out 29 candles, and as a result, time is increasingly running out, especially considering what is the average age in MotoGP. He could then get on the first train that passes, like a Yamaha or Honda, i.e., the most accredited ones, or wait until 2027, the year of the regulation change with the hope that BMW will make the big jump.
One thing is certain: 2025 represents a crucial junction for Toprak's future. For MotoGP, one would be inclined to say: it's now or never!