The Turkish rider Toprak Razgatlioglu has been actively involved in efforts to reinstate a MotoGP race in his country, with the goal of reappearing on the calendar in 2028. Although he acknowledges that it is unlikely Turkey will host an event in 2027, efforts to secure a race are underway.
Last September, it was announced that a Turkish Grand Prix would return to the Formula 1 calendar in 2027, which has fueled hopes that MotoGP will follow the same path. Razgatlioglu expressed his confidence in the possibility of bringing MotoGP to Istanbul Park, stating that the track is ready to host motorcycle racing competitions.
“Istanbul Park is ready to race right now,” Razgatlioglu said to the media ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix. “For next year, we have no opportunity to include it in the calendar, but we are talking about 2028, as there is a possibility to bring back MotoGP here.”
Historically, Turkey has already hosted MotoGP, with three editions between 2005 and 2007. Marco Melandri won the first two races, while Casey Stoner took victory in the third. Razgatlioglu, with a solid fan base in his country, could attract a large number of fans around the event, especially with the proximity of Istanbul, a major city that aligns with the MotoGP strategy of placing races near large urban hubs.
The Turkish rider is aware of the responsibility that comes with competing at home: “If MotoGP returns to Istanbul Park, I need to show a special result,” he said, acknowledging the pressure that comes with being the national representative. “This is the big issue, you know? Too much pressure for me!”
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
