RAZGATLIOGLU TO MISS FINAL FIVE MOTOGP ROUNDS FOR SHOULDER SURGERY

Toprak Razgatlioglu will miss the rest of the 2026 MotoGP season after his Pramac Yamaha team confirmed he will sit out Phillip Island and the remaining rounds because of a shoulder injury. The news is a blow for both rider and team, particularly after the Turkish star’s adaptation to MotoGP proved slower and more difficult than expected.

Razgatlioglu dislocated his right shoulder in a heavy crash during second practice at Mandalika. He put it back in place and continued through Saturday’s sprint despite the pain, but retired from Sunday’s Grand Prix after eight laps when he no longer had enough strength to continue. Further medical examinations in Milan showed the injury was more serious than initially thought. Pramac confirmed he will undergo surgery in Milan on October 26, aiming to give himself the best chance of a full recovery and a return at 100 percent. After speaking with doctors and those closest to him, they agreed surgery was the right decision for his future.

The rider said he was “extremely disappointed” to miss the Australian Grand Prix. Phillip Island is one of his favourite circuits, and he had been looking forward to racing there on a MotoGP bike after special moments at the track during his Superbike career. This year’s event is set to be the circuit’s final MotoGP race, making his absence especially difficult to accept.

Yamaha test rider Augusto Fernandez will replace him at the coming rounds. Pramac team director Gino Borsoi said the team was sorry Razgatlioglu would be unable to continue his adaptation to MotoGP, but stressed that his health came first. The team will support him through rehabilitation and looks forward to his return when he is ready. Borsoi added that Fernandez knows the Yamaha well from his test duties and that the team would work together to make the most of the opportunity.

Razgatlioglu also wished Jack Miller well at his home Grand Prix, hoping the Australian would enjoy the weekend and secure a strong result. Miller is set to contest his final home MotoGP Grand Prix at Phillip Island. “I will be cheering him and the whole team on from afar,” Razgatlioglu said.

The injury brings his rookie MotoGP campaign to an early end. Across 17 race weekends, he scored 18 championship points and sits 21st in the standings while adapting to the M1, Michelin tyres and Yamaha’s V4. Yamaha’s focus on developing its 2027 bike has also shaped his first season. He is due to continue with the team in 2027, when the series enters a new era with 850cc bikes and Pirelli tyres; being fit for the start of that campaign is now a priority.

His absence has also fuelled fan concerns about the demands of MotoGP’s schedule, which includes 22 Grands Prix and 22 sprint races. One fan asked whether “44 races per season is simply too much,” pointing to Razgatlioglu’s shoulder injury, Fermin Aldeguer’s latest injury and Joan Mir’s ongoing illness. Another argued that “the real problem is the number of races, not the gravel.”

Aldeguer will also miss Phillip Island after breaking his hand at Mandalika and requiring surgery; Iker Lecuona will replace him. The 2026 season has already seen Marc Marquez, Alex Marquez, Marco Bezzecchi, Ai Ogura, Johann Zarco and Maverick Vinales miss races through injury. Mir has been sidelined for four rounds by illness, while Raul Fernandez is racing injured. Ten replacement riders have appeared at least once this season.