Razgatlioglu labels Sachsenring his worst MotoGP weekend
NXTbets Pro | Published On: July 13, 2026
Sachsenring result
Toprak Razgatlioglu left the Sachsenring with one point and the kind of weekend he will want to forget. The Turkish rider effectively finished last in the German Grand Prix, 38 seconds behind race winner Marc Marquez, after qualifying 18th and taking 17th in the Sprint. Razgatlioglu called the outing his worst MotoGP weekend and said the whole trip felt like a “lost weekend” after he struggled from the opening sessions through the main race. It was his first visit to the circuit since 2014, and the return did not give him much room to build momentum. He could not put together a clean lap in qualifying, then found little relief in the Sprint or the Grand Prix. The result capped a difficult stop at a track that exposed the gap between his current form and the level he wants in his first MotoGP season after moving over from World Superbikes. Even with the point on the board, the afternoon left him far from the fight at the front and well behind the benchmark set by Marquez.
Tire management issues
Razgatlioglu pointed to tire management, bike setup and fitness as the biggest reasons the Sachsenring left him stuck in traffic and then alone. He said he had trouble adapting to MotoGP’s special tires and that the circuit’s tight, twisty layout made that adjustment even harder. He also said the constant tire changes in MotoGP have made it difficult to build confidence in his rookie campaign, especially because he is still learning both the bike and Michelin tires after years on Pirelli in World Superbikes. Different tire specifications and asymmetric compounds at each circuit have added another layer of complexity, and he said the variation “really kills my motivation.” Razgatlioglu added that he is still not riding relaxed in MotoGP and said the bike is not helping him adapt. His problems showed up in race trim. On lap 15, LCR stand-in Cal Crutchlow passed him, a moment Razgatlioglu described as a low point. He said he was “really surprised” by Crutchlow’s LCR Honda, which turned better and carried more grip than his Yamaha, and Crutchlow later moved back ahead after Razgatlioglu’s tires dropped off. Earlier in the race, he tried to follow Alex Rins, but a small mistake took away his reference point and left him riding by himself for the rest of the distance. He finished 6.5 seconds behind Rins, the nearest Yamaha rider, after also benefiting from five retirements and the absences of injured Fermin Aldeguer and Marco Bezzecchi.
Season outlook
The Sachsenring race closed the opening half of Razgatlioglu’s maiden MotoGP season, and the numbers tell the story of how steep the climb has been. He has collected 12 points in the first half of the championship, a return that leaves him searching for cleaner weekends and more consistent progress. Even so, he said the only positive from Germany was the lesson he can take into a return visit next year. That matters because the Sachsenring gave him a clear list of what still needs to improve, from tire work to setup to how he handles a bike that has not yet let him settle into a rhythm. Razgatlioglu also said he was disappointed not to reward the Turkish fans who have backed him through the move to MotoGP. Their support has followed him into a season that has demanded patience, adjustment and a new way of thinking about every run on track. He believes the sport’s planned switch to Pirelli tires next year could improve his situation, and that change should suit a rider who built his reputation on that rubber in World Superbikes. For now, the Sachsenring stands as a blunt snapshot of where he is, a rider still learning, still adapting and still chasing a level that matches the promise he brought with him.
