Toprak Razgatlioglu still dreams of joining MotoGP, although he is aware that time is not on his side – he sees 2026 as his last potential opportunity. If he made this jump, could the Superbike world champion succeed?
Marco Melandri told GPOne.com that a crucial factor would be the tires: 'It's complex, but Toprak is the only one who could do it. Ideally, for him, Pirelli should also join MotoGP. With that he could definitely succeed on a good bike. The problem is simply that it is very difficult to switch to other tires after so many years with Pirelli’.
The former driver highlighted the significant impact of tires on feel and driving style: 'MotoGP has a larger and stiffer front tire. This changes the feeling considerably; the carcass, the way you drive, how you use the brake, and even how you approach turns’.
On the other hand, Melandri thinks it won't be easy for Razgatlioglu to change categories after so many years in World Superbike: 'For Toprak, however, he already starts late because he spent so many years in SBK, and when you “fall asleep” in one category, it becomes difficult to learn new things when you change. This is why even riders coming from Moto2 or Moto3 only stay there for a few years, no more. You must learn to adapt’.
