Toprak Razgatlıoğlu
The 'Turkish Tornado' who shattered a champion's dynasty on a Yamaha and then powered BMW to its first World Superbike titles.
Born 1996 (age 30)·Turkish motorcycle racer·Birthday: October 16·Millennials
Biography
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu rides with a flamboyant, elbow-dragging style that has electrified the World Superbike championship. Hailing from Turkey, a nation not known for motorcycle racing royalty, he carved his own path with sheer audacity and talent. His early career showed flashes of brilliance, but his 2021 season was a masterpiece. Aboard a factory Yamaha, he engaged in a season-long duel with the dominant Jonathan Rea, ultimately dethroning the six-time champion in a dramatic finale. That title made him Turkey's first world champion in the series. Never one to rest, Razgatlıoğlu then made a shocking move to BMW for 2024, a manufacturer without a premier title. In a stunning display of adaptability, he tamed the new machine and delivered BMW its first two World Superbike championships in 2024 and 2025, rewriting the record books as the most successful rider for both Yamaha and BMW in the series. His career is a testament to transformative skill.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Toprak was born in 1996, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Toprak Was Born
The biggest hits of 1996
#1 Movie
Independence Day
Best Picture
The English Patient
#1 TV Show
ER
Toprak's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1996Born
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2001Started school
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2009Became a teenager
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Could drive
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2014Could vote
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2017Turned 21
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Turned 30
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Ended Jonathan Rea's six-year reign to win the 2021 Superbike World Championship with Yamaha.
- Won the 2024 and 2025 Superbike World Championships, securing BMW's first two titles in the series.
- Holds the record for most race wins for both Yamaha and BMW in WorldSBK history.
- First Turkish rider to win a Superbike World Championship.
Did You Know?
His nickname is 'The Turkish Tornado'.
He is an avid fan of football and supports Galatasaray S.K.
He often celebrates victories with a signature front wheelie, or 'stoppie', on his cool-down lap.
“I ride with my heart. Every race, I give everything.”
