Toprak Razgatlioglu is a World Superbike (WSBK) champion, and recently, his name has been buzzing again in the paddock. This time, it’s about a potential switch to MotoGP. But before fans start celebrating, there's a twist — the rumor suggests that before moving to MotoGP, he might join Honda’s struggling WSBK team in 2026, and then potentially make the leap to MotoGP in 2027.

If you’re not familiar with Toprak Razgatlioglu, he’s a two-time WSBK champion and one of the most exciting talents in motorcycle racing today. Over the years, he’s been linked to MotoGP several times. Whether it was talk of joining the Yamaha MotoGP team or a possible deal with Pramac Ducati, none of those moves ever happened. Why? Because Toprak has always said he would only leave WSBK for a factory MotoGP ride — nothing less.

He did get a small taste of MotoGP back in 2022 when he tested Yamaha’s M1 bike at Aragon. But the test didn’t go well. Neither he nor Yamaha was impressed with the results, and the talks about him joining the MotoGP squad fell apart. Since then, the rumors haven’t stopped — and now there’s a new one: Honda might offer him a better route.

The 2027 Season

Major technical changes are coming to MotoGP in 2027. The bikes will move to 850cc engines, and for the first time, Pirelli tyres will be used instead of Michelins. That tyre change could be a game-changer for Razgatlioglu, who has raced his entire career on Pirellis in WSBK. It’s a rare opportunity to jump into MotoGP with a built-in advantage.

The latest rumors suggest that Toprak could join Honda’s WSBK team in 2026. This would give him time to get familiar with the manufacturer, help develop the superbike project, and prepare for the MotoGP switch in 2027. But there’s a catch: Honda’s WSBK team has been seriously underperforming. Since returning as a full-factory team in 2020, they’ve only managed six podiums in 180 races — far from the standard Toprak is used to.

Toprak Reacts

When the latest rumors started flying, Toprak didn’t waste time shutting them down. After a dominant weekend at Portimao, where he secured a clean sweep of wins, he laughed off the Honda talk.

“That’s not true at all,” Toprak said in an interview with Motorsport.com. “I haven’t signed with Honda, and I won’t be doing any wildcards. My brother even called me about it — I just laughed. I’d love to know who keeps writing these things.”

However, he did confirm that his contract with BMW ends after 2025, but for now, he hasn’t made any decisions about what comes next.

Kenan Sofuoglu, Toprak’s manager and a former Supersport world champion, is known for being quick to hype up any MotoGP opportunity. But this time, he’s being surprisingly cautious — which might actually mean there’s something going on behind the scenes.

“Nothing is clear yet,” Sofuoglu told Speedweek.com. “There are two MotoGP options for Toprak, but right now we’re focusing on winning another title with BMW. Portimao was a strong reminder — Toprak is back!”

Meanwhile, BMW is reportedly preparing a big contract extension to keep Razgatlioglu, potentially making him the highest-paid rider in the WSBK paddock. But things aren’t going smoothly at the moment. Management changes and a disappointing start to the 2025 season have strained the relationship a bit.

If Toprak does decide to leave, Honda might be the only other manufacturer in WSBK with both the budget and the motivation to match BMW’s offer. But if he joins Honda’s WSBK team, he’ll be facing a serious challenge — one that could test his patience and reputation.

Will Toprak take the risk and join Honda? Or will he stay with BMW and aim for more WSBK glory? For now, nothing is official. All of this remains speculation.

But one thing is clear: Toprak’s future is wide open.