Toprak Razgatlioglu recognizes that there are severe ‘technological limitations’ in MotoGP, says former rival Alvaro Bautista. Bautista is one of the most experienced riders in both championships.
Between 2010 and 2018, he started more than 150 MotoGP races, scoring three podiums. In the year He switched to World Superbikes in 2019, later becoming a double World Champion.
Razgatlioglu He is looking to become the first rider to win titles in both disciplines, although that is naturally a long-term goal, especially given Yamaha’s current struggles.
Predict the order of Yamaha A riders in the 2026 MotoGP rankings
Alvaro Bautista says that technology has caught Toprak Razgatlioglu in MotoGP
In the recent season Quick and curious. podcast, Bautista was asked to explain the challenge of moving from one championship to another. MotoGP bikes are fundamentally different in their characteristics, he said.
In the past, riders could make up the ‘three-tenths’ deficit with skill alone, but now results are closely linked to bike performance. This, Bautista says, is the result of the latest technology.
Significantly, MotoGP is banning ride-height equipment. Ahead of the 2027 season, and with aerodynamics removed further back, there could be a greater focus on individuality.
“Going from this championship to MotoGP is also more complicated because the bikes are more rigid,” explained Bautista.
“The tires are completely different, they behave differently, so it’s complicated, now with all the aerodynamics, with all the technology, it’s very difficult because there are so many things you have to understand.
“As I’ve said before, technology is good, but not enough to put much in the hands of the rider.
“Before, if you were two or three tenths of a second short, the rider could compensate. Now you are limited by the bike’s capabilities. If the bike has this limit, no matter how good you are, you will not exceed the technological limit. In other words, technology is now the technology that sets the limit.”
“So it’s complicated because in Superbike you have maybe more freedom, you can do a lot of things.
“When you go to MotoGP, if you don’t understand this, you’re lost because the more you try to do, the less you can do. You have to understand or reach the limits of the bike and don’t try to go past it because eventually you won’t.”
Alvaro Bautista speaks of Toprak Razgatlioglu’s ‘amazing’ bike handling.
Turning to Razgatlioglu in particular, Bautista spoke highly of his ability to find the limit. In the year Between 2021 and 2025, the duo won the WSBK title, going head-to-head in ’22 and ’23.
says Neil Hodgson Razgatlioglu will be ‘right there’ at Ducati. Bicycle, but Bautista thinks that he needs time to get used to any machine.
“For me, Toprak is a rider who plays with bike control,” he said. “He’s done his dad’s show, so he’s got amazing control over the bike.
“He can push it to the limit by millimetres. I think in MotoGP it’s a question of how long it takes to understand how to ride a MotoGP bike, the tires and everything.”
“When we were on the Yamaha, we’d see all the Yamahas struggle a little bit. But I don’t know if you really gave him another bike, he could push it to the limit.”
Razgatlioglu scored the first point Last time as a MotoGP rider in the US GP. Encouragingly, he beat all the Yamaha riders en route to that result.
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