Toprak Razgatlioglu has found himself in another phase where his results fall well short of his own expectations. He sees a clear link between his current MotoGP rookie campaign and his first WorldSBK season in 2018, when he struggled to make an impression at the front and eventually considered stopping racing altogether.

That Kawasaki season was marked by frequent finishes in ninth, 10th and 12th place. An unexpected podium at Donington Park changed his outlook and restored his belief in what he could achieve. Razgatlioglu went on to build a WorldSBK record that includes 78 victories and three world championships.

The move to MotoGP is especially difficult because he arrived as an established winner. His results so far include 15th, 18th and 12th, with 11th as his best finish. Those positions are difficult for him to accept after the level he reached in WorldSBK, even as he continues to adapt to a different motorcycle and tyre environment.

The Michelin soft-tyre limit

Razgatlioglu is riding Yamaha’s new V4 during the final season of 1000cc engines and Michelin tyres. His pace through the middle part of races has compared favourably with that of the leading Yamaha M1s, but making the most of the soft rear Michelin remains one of his biggest obstacles. He says the medium tyre is easier to ride, while the limit of the soft compound is still not clear enough to him for its full potential to be used.

Seven rounds and 14 races remain in his pursuit of a first MotoGP top-ten finish. The next 850cc era is expected to bring Razgatlioglu back to Pirelli tyres. Until then, his task is to turn Yamaha’s encouraging race pace into results while solving the tyre problem he identifies as central to his performance.