ASSEN, Netherlands — Toprak Razgatlioglu said Yamaha must find a solution to persistent braking and electronics problems if he is to improve on his difficult MotoGP debut weekend at Assen after climbing from the back of the grid to 17th in Saturday’s sprint race.
The Pramac Yamaha rider arrived at the Dutch Grand Prix with an impressive record at the TT Circuit Assen, having won on both of his previous visits in the World Superbike Championship. His first appearance at the iconic Dutch venue on a MotoGP machine, however, proved far more challenging.
Razgatlioglu qualified 22nd and last after struggling throughout the session, finishing behind Yamaha wildcard Augusto Fernandez and LCR Honda substitute Cal Crutchlow.
Despite the disappointing starting position, the Turkish rider made an encouraging launch in the 13-lap sprint, gaining five places on the opening lap. His progress stalled afterward as the same braking limitations that had troubled him all weekend prevented him from fighting further up the order.
He eventually crossed the finish line in 17th place after benefitting from the retirement of fellow Pramac rider Jack Miller, who suffered a technical problem, and a crash involving VR46 Ducati rider Franco Morbidelli.
Razgatlioglu said the underlying issues remained unresolved throughout qualifying and the sprint.
“Qualifying was also very difficult, because on the electronics side, we are not really finding a good setup,” he said.
“Especially in the stopping area, I am not really happy. In the race also, I’m pushing really on the limit, but the bike is not stopping and I’m not good on acceleration. Anyway, I did my best in the sprint race.”
The two-time World Superbike champion believes the biggest obstacle is the bike’s braking performance, which has forced him to ride beyond his comfort zone while sacrificing time at corner entry.
Although he felt other aspects of the Yamaha package were manageable, he said the inability to stop the motorcycle efficiently remained the primary weakness.
“The other corners are not so bad, but I lose a lot to stop the bike,” Razgatlioglu explained.
The 28-year-old hopes Yamaha engineers can identify a breakthrough during Sunday’s warm-up session before the full-distance Grand Prix.
“I hope tomorrow we change something because there I can see on the data, the problem,” he said.
“If we improve something tomorrow, I’m riding much better. Because the pace is not so bad. Okay, I’m on the limit, but if we improve something, the bike starts helping my riding style.”
Razgatlioglu’s transition from World Superbike to MotoGP has required significant adaptation, with the prototype machinery demanding a different riding technique from the production-based motorcycles on which he built his reputation.
While his Assen debut has highlighted the challenges of that adjustment, Yamaha remains hopeful that continued setup refinements will allow the Turkish rider to become increasingly competitive as he gains experience aboard the MotoGP bike.
Sunday’s Grand Prix will provide Razgatlioglu with another opportunity to build confidence and gather valuable data as he continues adapting to the premier class.
