BMW boss responds after a finger is pointed at No1 choice to replace Toprak Razgatlioglu

BMW have responded to reports that they have picked Danilo Petrucci as its replacement for Toprak Razgatlioglu for the 2026 WorldSBK season.

Replacing Razgatlioglu has been the primary concern for BMW regarding 2026 since Razgatlioglu announced he was departing the Bavarian factory for MotoGP with the Pramac Yamaha team at the end of 2025.

According to the German publication Speedweek, Petrucci has been chosen by BMW to replace Toprak Razgatlioglu for next season in WorldSBK, pulling him away from Barni Spark Ducati.

Petrucci has spent his entire career in Superbike with Ducati, having raced for the Warhorse HSBK team in MotoAmerica in 2022 before moving to World Superbike with Barni in 2023.

The Italian’s history with Ducati, of course, stretches back into his MotoGP career, where he raced for the Pramac team between 2015–2018, and then for the factory team in 2019 and 2020.

Petrucci’s MotoGP career also included races with Ioda Aprilia, KTM, and Suzuki. It means that BMW would become the fifth brand that Petrucci has worked with at World Championship level.

BMW respond to Danilo Petrucci reports

BMW boss Sven Blusch said: "We are not talking about contracts at the moment. Hopefully, in the next weeks, we can announce something, but in particular we will not talk about things which are not yet signed."

He was asked if Petrucci was his standout option.

"To be honest, we look in all paddocks," Blusch replied. "We have a couple of riders in our minds and the final decision - I think in the summer break we will know more."

For his part, Petrucci has not confirmed anything yet. Speaking on Thursday at Balaton Park, the Italian said his future is “not in my hands”.

“I would like to know my future; unfortunately, it’s not in my hands,” Danilo Petrucci told WorldSBK.com.

“I want to try to stand on the podium as much as I can, but the only thing I can do is go faster.

“It doesn’t make me nervous, but with all the rumours in the media, I like to be able to just focus on the racing.”

A move for the Italian to BMW would appear to close the door at BMW for Aron Canet, the Moto2 rider who has been linked with the Bavarian factory recently.

But Speedweek reports that Canet could still find his way into the factory BMW team in place of Michael van der Mark.

A Petrucci move away from Barni would also leave empty a seat at the satellite Ducati team, one that could be filled by Jonathan Rea if he does not renew with Yamaha.

Alvaro Bautista could also be an option to replace Petrucci, the Aruba.it Racing Ducati team having declined its option to continue with the two-time World Superbike Champion in 2026, but the Spaniard is also linked with Go Eleven should Andrea Iannone depart the Pata-backed team.