Toprak Razgatlioglu believes Fabio Quartararo gave him a clearer understanding of both Yamaha’s potential and his own development path after the French Grand Prix at Le Mans.
The Turkish rookie secured his second points finish of the 2026 MotoGP season after crossing the line in 13th place for Pramac Yamaha, but admitted the weekend also highlighted the gap he still needs to close.
Razgatlioglu endured a difficult start to Sunday after suffering a technical issue with his main bike on the way to the grid. The problem forced him to switch to his second machine, which had been prepared for wet conditions following forecasts of rain that ultimately never arrived.
Despite the setback, Razgatlioglu remained competitive and finished only just behind factory Yamaha rider Alex Rins in 12th place.
Source: NewsGP
However, it was Quartararo’s performance at his home race that left the biggest impression on the former WorldSBK champion. The Frenchman qualified inside the top six and produced Yamaha’s strongest result of the weekend, showing Razgatlioglu what is possible with the M1 under the right conditions.
Razgatlioglu admitted Quartararo’s pace made him realise two important things. First, he still needs to improve his own riding and understanding of MotoGP. Second, Yamaha’s bike still has untapped potential if the correct setup can be found.
The Pramac rider said he now plans to study Quartararo’s data more closely and may move towards a setup similar to the French rider’s configuration at the upcoming Catalan Grand Prix.
Razgatlioglu also reflected on his own race, explaining that he initially felt comfortable using the soft front and rear tyre combination. However, he struggled more heavily towards the closing laps as front tyre performance dropped away.
Even so, the Le Mans weekend was viewed as another positive step in Razgatlioglu’s transition from World Superbikes to MotoGP. Many observers have noted his steady improvement during the opening rounds, particularly given his limited experience with Michelin tyres and Yamaha’s challenging M1 package.
While Razgatlioglu remains realistic about the scale of the challenge ahead, Quartararo’s performance has provided valuable reference points as he continues adapting to MotoGP machinery and race demands.
