P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Nicolo Bulega and co explain status of contract talks
Here are the top World Superbike Championship riders speaking truthfully about the latest contract negotiations regarding their 2026 race seats. Alvaro Bautista from Aruba.it Racing Ducati confirmed his intention to race in 2026 with an existing agreement in place with Ducati for both 2025 and 2026. Nicolo Bulega, Bautista’s teammate, aims to continue with Ducati to further his Superbike career but is open to future opportunities, including a potential MotoGP testing program. Bulega, the championship leader, is focused on winning the current and next season’s championships in World Superbike. Ducati is enticing Bulega with a potential move to MotoGP in 2027.
Toprak Razgatlioglu’s future has been uncertain, with a MotoGP switch being his priority, but details are still pending as negotiations continue. Razgatlioglu has expressed a desire to move to MotoGP, with Yamaha and Honda being possible destinations; however, there have been complications in finalizing the deal. Yamaha’s refusal to adhere to Razgatlioglu’s deadlines and Honda’s interest in other riders like Jorge Martin and Pedro Acosta have added to the uncertainty. There have been speculations that Razgatlioglu and his manager might be leveraging MotoGP rumors to negotiate a better contract with BMW.
Sam Lowes, another rider in the mix, views his “first target” as staying with Marc VDS following notable progress this year compared to the previous season. Lowes aims to continue his development and success within the Marc VDS team in the upcoming seasons.
