Who is Toprak Razgatlioglu?
- therookiereporters
- Aug 10
- 2 min read
With the announcement of Toprak moving from WorldSBK to MotoGP, many MotoGP fans are unfamiliar with the Turkish driver and his history. But don’t worry, here’s everything you need to know about the current WorldSBK champion!
Early life
Born in Alanya, Toprak is the second son to the famous stunt motorcyclist, Arif Razgatlioglu who was nicknamed “Wheelie Arif”. Sadly, his father passed away, along with his girlfriend in a motorcycle accident in 2017. Toprak now has to continue his journey through life without the support of his father, yet he’s undoubtedly made him proud.
Career
In 2013 and 2014, Toprak competed in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, finishing 10th and 6th, respectively. He managed a win in 2014 in Sachsenring, Germany. In October 2014, he went on to win his debut in the European Superstock 600 Championship. The following year, Razgatlioglu won the European Superstock 600 Championship on the Kawasaki ZX-6R.
In 2019, he partnered with Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam for the Suzuka 8 Hours. However, he wasn’t allowed to race, with the two riders completing the endurance race themselves, which led to Toprak moving to Yamaha in 2020. By the end of 2021, he’d claimed his first title after finishing second in Race 1 at Mandalika International Street Circuit.
In 2024, Toprak made his move to his current team, BMW. He dominated the track the entire season, winning the first race, getting a hat trick in Misano, Donington, Most and Portimao; setting a record of 13 consecutive wins and winning his second championship! He carried that momentum through to the 2025 season where he is leading the championship with 407 pts. We are sure to continue to see him battling it out on track with Ducati rider Nicolo Bulega for the second half of the season.
On the 10th of June, Yamaha announced that Toprak would be moving from WorldSBK to MotoGP in 2026. He is set to race with Prima Pramac Racing Team, making history as the first ever Turkish rider in MotoGP!
With his success in mind, do you think Toprak Razgatlioglu can perform as well in MotoGP as he has in WorldSBK?
If you’d like to learn more about his current rival in WorldSBK, read this article: 2025 WorldSBK Riders: Who is Nicolo Bulega?
If you’d like to learn more about WorldSBK, read this article: What is WorldSBK?
Article written by Alice Seager ©️Alice Seager 2025