Kenan Sofuoglu: Toprak Razgatlioglu “expects” MotoGP switch

The personal manager of Toprak Razgatlioglu, five-time Supersport World Champion Kenan Sofuoglu, says he is negotiating with multiple brands to take the reigning WorldSBK Champion to MotoGP.

Razgatlioglu’s future has been one of the major talking points of 2025 so far, with the Turkish rider linked with a variety of future destinations across both the Grand Prix and World Superbike paddocks.

“We’re working on it,” Sofuoglu said of Razgatlioglu’s future, speaking to WorldSBK.com on Friday at the Dutch Round in Assen.

“Of course, Toprak [Razgatlioglu] did a great season last year with BMW and this year is still going very well. I want his focus to be on the title because the first year was very difficult us, I want Toprak to show real performance as he did last year.”

Toprak Razgatlioglu to join MotoGP?

Sofuoglu added that Razgatlioglu “expects” to be in MotoGP.

“About his future, Toprak and also the motorcycle world, expect to see him in MotoGP,” Sofuoglu said.

“He has interest from MotoGP teams with good brands.

“This weekend, I have one meeting about this or that I’ve done. I told the company that ‘First, I listen to Toprak, and I offer him something, do you have interest in this if I can bring it to you?’”

He added: “Toprak got very excited, he’s very excited about it. He loves it and says, ‘please bring me this’.

“I had the meeting with the company, I feel that they’re interested in the project. We need some time to see.”

On the prospect of Razgatlioglu joining Honda – a move which more recently has been rumoured to involve a one-year stay in the HRC World Superbike team before moving to MotoGP in 2027 when the regulations change to 850cc and Pirelli become the sole tyre supplier – Sofuoglu said he has “a different idea”.

“I definitely have a different idea, believe me,” he said. “I have something that’s not just Honda, it’s another brand very interested in Toprak for MotoGP.

“I can’t give more because it’s not fair for us, the company, or our brand that we’re racing for now [BMW]; we’re happy with them.

“It’s on our mind that maybe we continue with them, there’s an option. We are working on something which Toprak wants to have and a lot of fans want to see.

“We are working on some exciting challenges. Soon, we’ll say the news.”

Speaking to Speedweek, Sofuoglu implied with little subtlety that the other brand he is negotiating with is Yamaha, but for the satellite Pramac team.

Previously, Sofuoglu and Razgatlioglu had only been interested in a move to MotoGP if it was with a factory team, but the close links between Yamaha and Pramac established for this season means this is “no longer an obstacle”.

“Everything has changed with Ducati, they have shown that you can also win with a bike in a private team,” said Sofuoglu.

“Yamaha has two teams today – Pramac is like a factory team. In the past it was impossible, but today Pramac's riders can beat the riders from the factory team.

“That's why it's no longer an obstacle for me when switching to MotoGP.

“If he [Razgatlioglu] gets a works contract and a factory bike, and only the colors are different, then that's no problem for me.

“Sometimes the private sponsors can also make a difference. For example, we have Red Bull, the Yamaha factory team would be a problem for us because they have a different partner. The other team would be possible for us.”