RAZGATLIOGLU TO MISS REST OF MOTOGP SEASON FOR SHOULDER SURGERY

Toprak Razgatlioglu will miss the rest of his rookie MotoGP season after a right-shoulder injury sustained at Mandalika led Pramac Yamaha and his doctors to recommend surgery. The triple WorldSBK champion dislocated the shoulder in final practice, but still took part in qualifying and the Sprint before retiring from the Grand Prix. Further medical checks after he returned to Europe showed the damage was more serious than first believed. Surgery was scheduled in Milan for Monday, 26 October.

Pramac team director Gino Borsoi said Razgatlioglu was eager to keep racing, even as the team weighed the risks. “He tried to convince us to continue,” Borsoi said, explaining that the rider was the only one who believed he could complete the final five rounds. The decision, he added, had to prioritise the next season and the advice of the medical team.

Borsoi said it was “so difficult to convince Toprak” to have surgery rather than finish the campaign, but described the operation as the right choice for Yamaha, Pramac and the doctors. Continuing without treatment could have put the rider and others in danger: Borsoi warned that the shoulder might dislocate again while Razgatlioglu was on track. He also said the rider was “so sad” to be at home rather than racing.

His recovery timeline remained uncertain. Pramac did not yet know whether he would be ready for the first official 850cc and Pirelli test on 1 December, shortly after the Valencia finale. Borsoi said the team expected to have a clearer picture after the operation, while stressing that the immediate priority was to repair the injury.

Yamaha test rider Augusto Fernandez has been called up to replace Razgatlioglu for the remaining rounds. His absence leaves Jack Miller as Pramac’s sole rider at Phillip Island, where the Australian is contesting his final home MotoGP race. Borsoi called it an emotional weekend for Miller, his family and the fans, and said the team wanted to give him a strong result at one of his favourite circuits. Rain was forecast for Sunday, but Borsoi cautioned that wet conditions would not necessarily make the race easier.

Miller briefly topped Friday’s first practice session after fitting fresh tyres, then escaped injury in a high-speed crash at Turn 1. Borsoi urged the team to stay composed and make the most of the weekend, saying they would try to make Miller’s final Phillip Island appearance “an incredible weekend” for everyone.