Turkish rider Toprak Razgatlioglu faces new challenge in US Grand Prix

Turkish rider Toprak Razgatlioglu will compete in the third round of the 2026 MotoGP season this week as the championship moves to the United States.

The race weekend will take place between March 27 and 29 at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, marking another key test in Razgatlioglu’s early MotoGP career.

After starting the season in Thailand and continuing in Brazil, Razgatlioglu finished both main races in 17th place.

Despite these results, he outperformed his teammate Jack Miller in both rounds, drawing attention to his steady adaptation to the new category.

Toprak Razgatlioglu competes in the pre-race sessions of the Thailand MotoGP at Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand, February 28, 2026.(AA Photo)

Razgatlioglu shows early signs of adaptation in MotoGP

Toprak Razgatlioglu, a three-time World Superbike champion, continues to adjust to MotoGP machinery and race conditions as he gains experience with the Prima Pramac Yamaha team.

In Thailand, he gained six positions at the start of the sprint race, showing strong race launch performance.

In Brazil, he completed Friday practice sessions in third place, which secured him a direct entry into the second qualifying session and allowed him to start among the top riders.

He later achieved his best MotoGP qualifying result so far by finishing 12th in Brazil. In the sprint race of the same round, he placed 18th.

Across both opening rounds, his consistent finishes and ability to remain ahead of his teammate indicate gradual progress as he adapts to the Yamaha YZR M1.

Turkish motorcycle racer Toprak Razgatlioglu, who will be the first Turkish racer to compete in MotoGP, talks to the press in Istanbul, Türkiye, Feb. 10, 2026. (AA Photo)

US Grand Prix schedule

The United States Grand Prix will take place over three days at the Circuit of the Americas, a 5.5-kilometer (3.1 miles) track known for its technical layout. The main race will run over 19 laps.

Key sessions for viewers include:

• Saturday 6:50 p.m. (GMT+3): MotoGP qualifying
• Saturday 11:00 p.m. Sprint race
• Sunday 11:00 p.m. Main MotoGP race

The race weekend also features Moto2 rider Deniz Oncu, who will represent Türkiye alongside Toprak Razgatlioglu.

The event will be broadcast in Türkiye on S Sport and S Sport Plus with Turkish commentary.

The Austin round will mark Razgatlioglu’s first time racing at the Circuit of the Americas in MotoGP, adding another layer of difficulty as he continues his debut season.

The combination of sprint pace and race consistency will offer further insight into his development and ability to compete in the premier class.

March 25, 2026 10:48 AM GMT+03:00