Torak Razgatlioglu is on the move for Yamaha as the 2026 pre-season test begins at Sepang Shekdaw. They are the only manufacturer that can deploy all of their drivers full-time.
Finishing bottom of last year’s table, Yamaha can still get all the discounts.. Razgatlioglu, who rides for satellite team Pramak, was joined on the track by Augusto Fernandez on Thursday.
The rest of the field was filled with only test drivers, with the exception of Razgatlioglu’s co-starter, LCR Diogo Moreira.
Razgatlioglu He won the opening stages and finished fourth fastest with a 1:59.647, while Moreira was eighth.
Toprak Razgatlioglu nearly equals Fabio Quatararo’s best lap in Malaysia
Factory drivers Fabio Quatararo And Alex Rins was absent on Thursday, as was Razgatlioglu Pramak’s teammate Jack Miller. A direct comparison is not possible at this stage.
However, one can look back at last year’s Malaysian GP for a frame of reference. Razgatlioglu was of course riding Yamaha’s new V4-powered motorcycle, while Quatararo and co. They were still four in a row.
It’s also worth noting that the Turkish rider’s race plan was unknown, and he wasn’t pushing flat out in the early stages.
Wow! Did you see this coming?
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His best time was 2.3 seconds slower than Quatararo’s 1:57.195 in last year’s qualifying session. That lap was good enough for fourth on the grid.
However, Razgatlioglu was within two tenths of Quatararo’s fastest lap – 1:59.494, which should be taken as an encouraging sign for both rider and team.
The three-time World Superbike champion was faster than Fernandez on Thursday, even though the Spaniard was testing several different bikes.
Is Toprak Razgatlioglu set to join Yamaha after leaving Fabio Quatararo?
Of course, the big news coming out of Yamaha on Thursday concerns the future of the Quattro.
It turned out that Quattro will join Honda For the 2027 season. When Alex Rins enters the last year of his contract, the factory team may have a new line for the new rules.
Razgatlioglu Yamaha joining opportunities Now it has increased significantly. If he impresses in his rookie season, he will be in line for promotion.
The 29-year-old signed a multi-year contract with the Japanese manufacturer before the first season, so Pramak could be just one step up the ladder.
