Pramac Yamaha’s Toprak Razgatlioglu has been riding without rear winglets during the 2026 MotoGP Sepang test for a specific regulatory reason rather than a performance choice.
The three-time World Superbike champion stands at 185 centimetres, making him the tallest rider in the MotoGP paddock. With his current seat position and body size, adding rear wings to his Yamaha M1 would push the bike’s profile beyond the maximum height allowed under MotoGP rules.
Under the technical regulations, the height of the seat unit and any attachments behind the rider’s position must not exceed a defined limit. This includes protrusions like rear winglets. Fitting these aerodynamic components with Razgatlioglu’s setup would put the bike outside those limits, so Yamaha and Pramac have opted to run without them for now.
Rear wings were first introduced in MotoGP by Ducati in 2022 to help increase downforce on the rear tyre, and almost every manufacturer has since adopted some form of the design. However, Razgatlioglu’s situation is unique because of his height and how Yamaha has configured the seating position to accommodate him.
He did test with rear wings during winter private sessions on a Yamaha V4 prototype when the seating position was still being refined and height limits were not enforced. At that time, there was no penalty for exceeding the height rule during private testing.
The next tallest rider on the grid, Luca Marini, stands at 184 centimetres and has been able to use rear wings on his Honda, suggesting Yamaha could find a way forward later in the season.
Razgatlioglu and his team are also exploring adjustments that might allow him to run rear wings legally during future tests and race weekends.
