Toprak Razgatlioglu's Mid-Race Pace Highlights Aragon MotoGP
Pramac Racing's Gino Borsoi says Toprak Razgatlioglu showed top-ten pace in the middle of the Aragon MotoGP, a positive sign despite a late crash caused by
Toprak Razgatlioglu finished outside the top ten again at the Aragon MotoGP, but his team director highlighted a important mid-race performance. Pramac Racing's Gino Borsoi pointed to laps where the Turkish rookie's pace exceeded that of the riders inside the top ten.
According to data from the race, Razgatlioglu's Yamaha was the sixth-fastest machine on track during lap 12. Only the five race leaders circulated quicker. He backed this up by being the seventh-fastest rider on lap 13, the eleventh-fastest on lap 14, and the eighth-fastest on lap 15. His lap 12 time was also the best recorded by any Yamaha rider during the grand prix.
The Promise and the Problem
This strong middle phase of the race offered a glimpse of the performance Pramac has been seeking. "He was also riding well until the final stages... At one point even lapping faster than the top ten," Borsoi said. The team director interpreted this as evidence that Razgatlioglu is rediscovering form. "This shows that we are finding our way back to the performance we had a few races ago," Borsoi stated.
The promise faded as tyre wear set in. Razgatlioglu began to struggle with degradation of the front tyre. His pace plummeted from being the eleventh-fastest rider on lap 17 to just the 19th-fastest on the following lap. After briefly overtaking Luca Marini's Honda, Razgatlioglu was re-passed before crashing out of the race on lap 21 of 23.
Borsoi directly linked the crash to the tyre issues. "Unfortunately, he reached the limit of the front tyre and, being a little more aggressive in his riding and carrying a little more weight than some of the other riders, this becomes more difficult to manage at the end of the race," he explained. "The crash came as a consequence of that tyre wear."
Looking Forward to 2027
Despite the setback, the team is focusing on the positives from Aragon. Borsoi said he is convinced they can return to fighting for better positions. Razgatlioglu's best finishes so far in his debut MotoGP season are two eleventh-place results, achieved in the Hungarian Grand Prix and the Brno Sprint.
The team director is already looking ahead to the 2027 season and a significant rule change. Next year will introduce new 850cc machinery and a switch to Pirelli tyres. Borsoi believes this will benefit Razgatlioglu, who is the reigning WorldSBK champion and has extensive experience with Pirelli rubber. "He knows the tyres, so he has a great opportunity next year because he can show the speed straight away," Borsoi told MotoGP pit lane reporter Jack Appleyard.
He acknowledged the current challenges of developing the Yamaha but expressed confidence in his rider's future. "This season is a tough season, everybody knows our bike is still under development." For now, the team will build on the flashes of speed shown in the middle of the Aragon race.
