– Two world champions, two completely different situations: But both Fabio Quartararo and MotoGP rookie Toprak Razgatlioglu are struggling with problems at the start of the recently launched 2026 season.
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While Quartararo continues to struggle with the performance of the Yamaha, Razgatlioglu faces the challenge as a rookie of adapting to the premier class in the first place. How does Marc Marquez assess the situation of the two riders?
Marquez: Rider must follow his instinct
“In sport, especially in motorsport, it doesn’t just depend on the rider and not just on the machine. It’s always a combination of both,” says the Spaniard, who has experienced many a dry spell himself. “You have to follow your instinct to find the best project for the respective moment.”
In this context, Marquez warns against being influenced by background noise: “Ultimately, people can say: you have to believe in it, you have to wait, you have to work on this project, but for a rider, the years pass quickly, and our life in this sport is not too long.”
Time is a decisive factor, especially for top riders. Marquez is thinking primarily of Quartararo. The 2021 MotoGP world champion, who has been riding a Yamaha since his promotion, has been struggling with the competitiveness of the M1 for some time.
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At the season opener in Thailand, he started from only 16th place and had to work his way through the midfield in the race. At the same time, the M1 still lacks top speed, and a major engine update for the new V4 is not expected until later in the season.
Against this background, Marquez suggests that Quartararo is facing an important decision. The Frenchman must clarify for himself what priorities he sets in his career. He will decide soon, if he hasn’t already, which path he wants to take in the future,” explains the world champion.
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Rookie Razgatlioglu needs “more time”
The Ducati rider assesses Razgatlioglu’s situation differently. The Turk made his MotoGP debut for the Pramac Yamaha team in 2026, after previously becoming Superbike champion three times. In the opening race in Buriram, he finished 17th and lost almost 40 seconds to the winner Marco Bezzecchi.
The result illustrates how difficult the transition to the prototype class is. For Marquez, however, this is no surprise. Razgatlioglu above all needs time to get used to the bike, electronics, and race procedures in MotoGP.
“Toprak simply needs more time. He first has to understand everything better,” explains the Spaniard. A certain learning phase is quite normal for a rookie in MotoGP.
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Marquez does not want to speculate about possible transfers or rumors currently circulating around the rider market for 2027. “I don’t believe in the rumors,” he says with a view to the discussions about the future of Quartararo and co.
One thing is certain: Both Quartararo and Razgatlioglu are under special observation at the start of the season. While the Frenchman is possibly facing a trend-setting decision for his career, the Turkish rookie is still in the middle of the adaptation process to the premier class.
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For veteran Marquez, one thing is certain: In the end, it’s not just talent alone that decides, but above all the right overall package of rider, bike, and project that determines success.
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