Yamaha has confirmed that Superbike World Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu will test one of its MotoGP bikes later this year.
World Superbike champion Toprak Razgatlioglu will test one of Yamaha’s MotoGP bikes later this year, according to team manager Massimo Meregalli.
The Yamaha boss revealed to MotoGP.com during the second day of pre-season testing at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia that plans were already in place for Razgatlioglu to ride Yamaha’s M1 for the first time in June or August this year. The test, however, would depend on how the MotoGP and WSBK calendars lined up.
Meregalli said he was really curious to see what Razgatlioglu would do after his amazing rise to take the 2021 WSBK Championship putting an end to Kawasaki and Jonathan Rea’s six-year reign in WSBK.
The plans for Toprak Razgatlioglu to run the YZR-M1 shortly after the Jerez test in November last year were canceled because of the date change for the final round of the World Superbike championship in Indonesia, where the Turkish rider won his first title with Yamaha in his second season with the team.
“Last year, at the end of the season, at the end of basically the Jerez test, we planned a test for him,” Meregalli said of Razgatlioglu testing for Yamaha.
“But then Indonesia planned the last Superbike race, so he had to fly over there.”
“But this year, based on Cal [Crutchlow’s test] calendar, we have to find probably one day that could suit his [Razgatlioglu’s] calendar and our calendar.”
“It would for sure be interesting, and also he really deserves to have this opportunity because what he did last year was amazing.”
“And not only me, but I’m curious to see him an M1.”
“We already have a schedule, and there are two possibilities: one was in August and the other one maybe in June, but I’m not sure.”
“We’ve already exchanged this possibility. As soon as we will be ready, we will then decide together when the right moment will be.”
