WorldSBK Phillip Island Test Results: Razgatlioglu top, BMW show pace

Toprak Razgatlioglu topped the timesheets on the first day of official pre-season WorldSBK testing at Phillip Island as the 19 riders who will start this weekend’s 2020 WorldSBK opener hit the track together for the first time in Australia.

The Turk shrugged off an earlier technical issue to power to the front with his final effort of the day, his 1m 30.740secs lap aboard the Pata Yamaha getting the edge over BMW’s Tom Sykes by 0.022secs.

Indeed, Sykes looked to set to end the day as the dominant force after topping the morning’s truncated session before going quicker still in the afternoon. Regardless, his efforts – together with Eugene Laverty in eighth position – suggest BMW had been holding back somewhat during private testing having barely featured in the leading positions compared with Kawasaki, Ducati and Yamaha.

Loris Baz was up at the front in both sessions to end the day third on the privateer Ten Kate Yamaha, with reigning champion Jonathan Rea a solid fourth.

Honda endured a mixed opening day with Leon Haslam – who has a strong record at Phillip Island – impressing in fifth position. This was in stark contrast to Alvaro Bautista, who could only manage the 15th best time while the satellite MIE bike of Takumi Takahashi suffered a large engine blow with 45mins of the morning test to go to bring the session to an early end.

Scott Redding led the way for Ducati in sixth position ahead of Michael van der Mark, who couldn’t improve on his morning lap, with Laverty, Alex Lowes – who suffered a fall at Turn 4 - and Chaz Davies rounding out the top ten.

Elsewhere, Sandro Cortese turned heads with the 11th fastest time despite it being his first-ever outing on the Pedercini Kawasaki. Indeed, this is also the first time the Italian team has hit the track all winter after losing its title backer but was straight up to speed with its last-minute signing.

Following a winter recovering from injury, Leon Camier was 18th quickest

2020 WorldSBK Official Test – Phillip Island, Australia [Day 1/2]