Rumors emerged this Friday about Toprak Razgatlioglu potentially leaving the World Superbike Championship and ROKiT BMW at the end of this season to move to MotoGP. His manager, Kenan Sofuoglu, confirmed this is the rider’s desire and has already communicated it to the team, although it is not yet certain to happen.
Losing Razgatlioglu after just one season, especially when the Turkish rider is clearly standing out among the BMW riders, will not be easy to accept. However, no one wants a dissatisfied rider on their team, considering the negative impact this could have on the work environment and performance.
So, if the departure of the 2021 champion is confirmed, who could take his place? Without creating speculation, we point out some riders who could be natural candidates and the reasons for this.
- Scott Redding: With a vast resume in motorcycling, Scott Redding left ROKiT BMW at the end of 2023, making way for Toprak Razgatlioglu. He stayed with the satellite team Bonovo Action (which will leave the championship after this season). The Brit would be a natural candidate for the Turkish rider’s spot – he already knows the bike and team, as well as the championship. Moreover, he has MotoGP experience, which would be ideal given that BMW is rumored to be planning a project in the premier class.
- Garrett Gerloff: Also in Bonovo Action, Garrett Gerloff is in his second consecutive year on a BMW 1000 RR, competing in WSBK since 2020. With recognized talent and potential, the American would be a natural and unsurprising choice.
- Andrea Iannone: Returning this year to the tracks after a four-year suspension, Andrea Iannone is performing well with Team GoEleven. Joining the factory Ducati team depends heavily on Álvaro Bautista’s departure, which seems unlikely. Iannone has already been speculated as a possibility for BMW, and a vacancy left by Toprak Razgatlioglu could be the impetus for him to join the German manufacturer.
- Illya Mykhalchyk: At 27 years old, Illya Mykhalchyk is part of BMW’s team in the Endurance World Championship (EWC), so he also knows the bike well despite some differences. In 2022, he replaced Michael van der Mark in several WSBK rounds and left a good impression with an eighth-place finish in his debut.
- Markus Reiterberger: In his previous stint in WSBK, Markus Reiterberger always competed for BMW, although it was under a different project before the current one. He was a constant top-ten presence and even competed with the current team in 2019. Now, he competes in the EWC with BMW and was last year’s champion in the Asia Road Racing Championship.
- Rory Skinner: At just 22 years old, Rory Skinner is one of the Superbike promises and currently competes in the British Superbike Championship (BSB) linked to BMW. Several riders have successfully made the leap in the past. BMW could bet on Skinner as a future talent. So far, he has a win and another podium, despite missing several races due to injury. The potential is evident.
- Jonathan Rea: It does not seem likely that Jonathan Rea is a real possibility. However, his season with Pata Prometeon Yamaha has been frustrating and far below expectations. If a spot opens up at BMW, the Briton might be tempted to consider that possibility. However, mutual interest is needed…
- Ivo Lopes: Ivo Lopes has been linked to BMW for several years through the BMW EasyRace Team in the Spanish Superbike Championship. The Portuguese rider shows good potential, already knows the M 1000 RR well, and has been a two-time champion in Spain – the second time last year. This year he is third in the championship after two rounds. Last year, Lopes replaced the injured Michael van der Mark for one round, achieving a 15th-place finish as his best result.
- Riders without contracts in MotoGP for 2025: There are several riders without contracts for 2025 in MotoGP. Fermín Aldeguer’s debut is confirmed, meaning at least one current rider will be without a seat. A move to World Superbike (WSBK) with a factory team like BMW, with potential prospects of returning in the future if the manufacturer joins MotoGP, would be an appealing project. This possibility might interest riders such as Augusto Fernández, Franco Morbidelli, Jack Miller, Miguel Oliveira, or Raúl Fernández – whose future in MotoGP appears more uncertain compared to cases like Álex Márquez, Álex Rins, and Joan Mir.