Why Francesco Guidotti is backing Toprak Razgatlioglu to succeed in MotoGP.
Toprak Razgatlioglu’s start to life in MotoGP has been far from smooth, but Pramac boss Francesco Guidotti doesn’t believe that the bike Yamaha has given him is putting him on the back foot.
The three-time World Superbike champion made his debut with Pramac at the Thailand Grand Prix, but Yamaha’s issues with their new V4 engine left Razgatlioglu struggling near the back of the grid.
He was battling Jack Miller for P15 in Buriram when he crashed out late in the Sprint Race. Razgatlioglu finished P17 in the main race, ahead of Miller but still only third among Yamaha riders.
Honda’s Luca Marini expects it could be 2027 before Razgatlioglu really starts enjoying himself, as he faces a steep learning curve not just with a completely different machine from his WSBK days, but also a full slate of unfamiliar tracks.
Francesco Guidotti believes Pramac is the ideal place for Toprak Razgatlioglu to start his MotoGP career
During pre-season testing this February, Razgatlioglu openly admitted that his motivation was “going down” as he struggled to adapt to the Yamaha M1 after dominating in World Superbikes. He’s been working to adjust his braking style and get comfortable with Michelin’s tyres.
But Guidotti doesn’t see Razgatlioglu’s start in MotoGP on the Yamaha M1 as a disadvantage. Instead, he feels Pramac offers the “perfect” environment for the Turkish rider, giving him a strong foundation to make a smooth transition from World Superbikes.
Speaking to SPEEDWEEK, Guidotti said: “I don’t see it as a disadvantage that Toprak is making his way as a rookie with Yamaha. It’s about much more than just the bike.
“The right environment is crucial at this stage. A team with experience, but also a lot of feel for the bike, and I think he’s found the perfect fit in that regard.”
Francesco Guidotti says Toprak Razgatlioglu has nothing to prove in his Pramac Yamaha debut
According to Guidotti, the Turkish rider had no reason to expect more from his debut in Thailand, where he finished 6.239 seconds behind Yamaha’s Alex Rins, who took the last point on offer.
“From my perspective, Toprak has done very well,” Guidotti said. “As a newcomer, you couldn’t realistically expect more. His learning process is undeniable, even though he can’t use most of what he’s internalised over the years in MotoGP.
“Everyone knows it, Toprak too. A MotoGP bike has absolutely nothing to do with a Superbike. He experiences that on the track.”
Jack Miller and Ducati test rider Michele Pirro – filling in for Gresini’s Fermin Aldeguer – were the only riders to finish behind Razgatlioglu in Thailand. Severe tyre wear hurt Miller’s race, allowing Razgatlioglu to get ahead before his own tyres began to drop off late.
The factory Yamaha pair of Fabio Quartararo and Rins managed their tyres better than Pramac’s Razgatlioglu and Miller did during the Thailand GP finishing P14 and P15 respectively. Now attention turns towards Brazil where Razgatlioglu will be hoping for improvement.
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