Yamaha's new signing Toprak Razgatlioglu will make what is effectively a second MotoGP track debut in private testing at Aragon next week, as Yamaha seeks to best prepare him for the official post-season test.
Razgatlioglu is moving over as reigning World Superbike champion to join Yamaha's MotoGP line-up on a multi-year deal, under which he will make his race debut with satellite team Pramac.
He had already tested the Yamaha M1 MotoGP bike in the past, while he was part of its World Superbike roster, but neither rider nor manufacturer ended up all too happy with how those tests had gone - and no MotoGP graduation followed then.
This time, however, the running is naturally about preparation rather than evaluation - with Razgatlioglu's current employer BMW obliging in releasing him from his contractual obligations for some early MotoGP running.
Razgatlioglu will join the MotoGP field in the Tuesday test at Valencia on November 18 after the season finale at the same track. Before that, however, he will get a minor runout at Aragon in the same country, as part of a test Yamaha had already planned for its new V4 prototype.
"We have a two-day private test in Aragon, Sunday and Monday, already planned with our test team for a while," said Yamaha MotoGP boss Paolo Pavesio.
"And the priority is development - however, we have seen this as an opportunity almost for a shakedown on the bike for Toprak. He already took the body measure[ment]s some time ago, now it's the moment to check everything, to secure that maybe he starts [the test in] Valencia without that stress.
"To call Toprak's experience in Aragon, maybe it will only be half a day on the bike, a test, I don't think it's the correct definition. This is why I'd also like to clarify."
Pavesio clarified that the "priority" in the test will be Augusto Fernandez continuing to put the V4 bike through its paces, and that "we will squeeze in the schedule" some running for Razgatlioglu.
The Yamaha he had tested back in the day was the inline-four M1, but this will not be the case here - like Fernandez, he will ride the V4 prototype.
While Yamaha has not committed to abandoning the inline-four in favour of the V4 next season, it would take something remarkable and unforeseen for that not to happen - which the choice of bike for Razgatlioglu's 'almost shakedown' also confirms.
"Obviously [switching to the V4] is the target, so if we achieve the target, honestly speaking there is no point to create confusion [by giving Razgatlioglu the inline-four to test]," said Pavesio.
"It's already enough [for him to learn] - new brakes, new tyres, new bike, new system, new buttons. And then having to understand two bikes, today, without experience, a back-to-back comparison between a fully mature bike with its own characteristics, current M1, with a still work-in-progress prototype, also would be - I don't want to say unfair but not constructive."
