Toprak Razgatlioglu has urged Yamaha to shift its attention towards the future, saying he would rather see the manufacturer focus on its 2027 MotoGP project than introduce another major upgrade to its current V4 engine.
The Pramac Yamaha rider endured another difficult weekend at the Aragon Grand Prix, with a lack of top speed once again proving to be one of Yamaha's biggest weaknesses.
Razgatlioglu finished 13th in the Sprint and highlighted the long back straight as a particular problem. While the Yamaha was able to accelerate reasonably well out of corners, it struggled once the bike reached higher gears.
"Corner exit, we are not bad. But when we put third gear, and after third gear, I stay alone. This is very difficult," Razgatlioglu explained.
With the 2026 season already past its halfway point and major technical changes coming in 2027, the three-time World Superbike champion believes Yamaha's resources would be better spent developing its next-generation machine.
Asked whether he expected Yamaha to bring an engine update before the end of the season, Razgatlioglu made it clear that it is not his priority.
"I don't know. But I don't care about this, because next year is more important for me, and I think for us," he said.
"It's better if Yamaha focus more on 850. This is much better for me. Because this season is almost done."
Razgatlioglu believes an update arriving late in the current campaign would have limited value, especially with the 2027 regulations set to bring a completely different challenge for every manufacturer.
"If they bring something new, it's too late. It's better we focus on 850," he said.
"Next year everything is a new challenge for everyone. We need to come back stronger, all Yamahas."
The 2027 regulations will see MotoGP move from 1000cc to 850cc engines, while Pirelli will also replace Michelin as the championship's tyre supplier. Razgatlioglu is already thinking about how those changes could affect his riding style.
One area he believes will remain particularly important is corner speed.
The Turkish rider admitted that his strong braking performance is currently being offset by a lack of speed through the middle of corners. He said his experience at Aragon had helped him understand what he needs to improve.
"I am really strong on the brakes, but I lose a lot in the middle of the corners," he said.
"If I can learn cornering speed, maybe I need it next year."
Although the switch to Pirelli tyres could potentially suit his riding style, Razgatlioglu does not want to rely on that alone. He sees improving his cornering technique as another important step in adapting to MotoGP.
"Of course, the Pirelli tyre is maybe more like my style. But also, I need the corner speed," he added.
Despite the struggles of his rookie season, Razgatlioglu remains determined to take something positive from the experience. For now, he believes Yamaha's best route forward is to stop chasing short-term gains and put its full effort into making the 2027 bike competitive.
"I'm always looking on the positive side. Sometimes it's not easy, but I'm trying to stay like this," he said.
