Razgatlioglu warns of tyre chaos after 850cc test: “It’s going to be difficult”

For Toprak Razgatlioglu, the MotoGP weekend in Brno doesn’t end with the Grand Prix. The Pramac Yamaha rider will be back on his bike as early as Monday. At the first major comparative test for the new MotoGP era starting in 2027, the Turkish rider will be riding Yamaha’s new 850cc prototype fitted with Pirelli’s future standard tyres.

This assignment is no coincidence. Whilst Fabio Quartararo is set to leave Yamaha for Honda at the end of the season and will therefore not be taking part, the Iwata-based manufacturer is counting on Razgatlioglu as one of its key riders for the future. The test programme is correspondingly extensive.

“That’s good. I’m looking forward to it,” said the Turkish rider after the Grand Prix. “But I’ve had a look at the schedule. Tomorrow will be a very busy day. We’ll be doing lots of laps and even completing a sprint simulation.”

A full programme following Sunday’s gruelling race

However, Razgatlioglu cannot quite get his head round this plan. After an exhausting race in Brno, he would have preferred a slightly more relaxed start.

“I don’t know why we’re doing a sprint simulation straight away,” he remarked with a smile. “I’m pretty tired today. I really gave it my all in the last ten laps.”

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Nevertheless, the Yamaha rider is looking forward to the test with anticipation. Not only will he be riding the new 850cc prototype for the first time, but he’ll also be experiencing the Pirelli tyres under MotoGP conditions for the first time. “Maybe I’ll enjoy the Pirelli tyres straight away. We’ll also be testing the 850cc engine. I hope we make good progress.”

Will Razgatlioglu have to rebuild his feel for the bike at Assen?

But that is precisely where Razgatlioglu sees a potential difficulty. Just four days after the test, the next race weekend at Assen is already on the calendar – and there, the current Michelin tyres will be used again. The Turkish rider fears that the rapid switch between the two tyre types could cause confusion.

“I’ll be riding on Pirelli tyres all day tomorrow. After that, we’ll fly to Assen and be back on Michelin tyres. That’ll be tricky,” fears the Superbike champion. He cannot yet gauge just how significant the differences will actually be. After all, he hasn’t even seen the new prototype yet.

Return to Pirelli: High hopes for 2027

“Expectations are high, but we’ll see,” said the Yamaha rider. “I’m not sure whether the Pirelli tyres alone will change everything. Perhaps you’ll feel more confident at the front or on the rear wheel. But we need a good overall package.”

That’s why Razgatlioglu wants to avoid jumping to conclusions. “I haven’t even seen the bike yet. So it’s difficult to say anything about it right now. We’ll be in a better position to talk about it after the test.”

For a rider like Razgatlioglu, who has built his career on Pirelli tyres in the World Superbike Championship, Monday is likely to be particularly interesting nonetheless. The big question, however, is not just how the 850cc prototype rides, but also whether the switch back to Michelin tyres at Assen a few days later will prove a challenge. This concern is already weighing more heavily on the Turkish rider’s mind than the question of just how fast the 2027 bike will actually be.

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