Pramac Yamaha MotoGP racer Toprak Razgatlioglu will miss the remainder of the 2026 MotoGP season, after being forced to undergo surgery to repair the shoulder damage he sustained 10 days ago at the Indonesian Grand Prix.
Yamaha test rider Augusto Fernandez will step in to deputise for him for the rest of the season.
Razgatlioglu crashed during free practice last Saturday morning at Mandalika, suffering an aggressive highside at Turn 13 and dislocating his shoulder in the process.
He was subsequently passed fit by the MotoGP medical team to continue with the race weekend, though, and immediately returned to action in the subsequent qualifying session, where he took 19th on the grid.
He finished Saturday’s sprint race in the same position before being forced to retire from Sunday’s race after only eight laps.
"When I woke up this morning, I felt really a lot of pain and the movement was less," explained Razgatlioglu after pulling out of the race.
"And OK, I got the painkiller, but the pain was not a big problem. The biggest problem is no power after the shoulder came out. I don't feel any power, especially on the brakes."
He planned more checks once he got home to Turkey, saying "I will get the MRI immediately to check the shoulder, and I hope I don't get the operation. I hope that rest is enough for the next race."
However, following that investigation, it was deemed that he did need surgery to stabilise the dislocation, going under the knife on Monday in Milan, starting a long rehabilitation process similar to what world champion Marc Marquez experienced in 2018 and 2019.
In the interim, Yamaha will draft in test rider Fernandez, who is likely to now face double duty of preparing the finishing touches to Yamaha’s new 2027 850cc MotoGP machine in time for Razgatlioglu’s return alongside new signings Jorge Martin, Ai Ogura, and Izan Guevara for next season.
"We are very sorry for Toprak," Pramac team director Gino Borsoi added, "as we know how much he wanted to race at Phillip Island and continue his journey with the YZR-M1.
"He has been working hard to adapt to MotoGP, and it is disappointing that this injury will prevent him from continuing that process over the coming races.
"However, his health must come first, and we will support him throughout his recovery and look forward to seeing him back on the bike when he is ready.
"At the same time, we welcome Augusto Fernandez, who will step in for Toprak at Phillip Island and until Toprak isn't ready to come back.
"As Yamaha's test rider, he knows the bike well, and we are pleased to have him joining the team for these events.
"We will work together to make the most of this opportunity while wishing Toprak a successful operation and a smooth recovery."
from The Race https://ift.tt/Fa0i7LW
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