WorldSBK Phillip Island Test: Razgatlioglu sets pace on dramatic day one

2021 WorldSBK Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu kicked off the new season with the fastest time on day one of the Phillip Island official test.

The Pata Yamaha Prometeon rider set the 1’30.674 overall pace to head off Aruba.it Ducati pairing of Michael Rinaldi and Alvaro Bautista by just a tenth of a second after four hours on track at the Australian circuit. Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea trailed the trio by just 0.081s as the chequered flag fell, with Rinaldi the only member of the leading group not to have suffered a crash on the opening day.

Monday’s action proved dramatic at the Grand Prix Circuit with five red flags disrupting the top class running - albeit several due to wandering geese. Razgatlioglu was the first of the big three to suffer a crash, at turn ten, as the first session drew to a close, with Honda’s Iker Lecuona down at Miller corner 20 minutes earlier. Turn four also claimed both Rea, Bautista and Puccetti Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes as the afternoon session bedded in with MIE Honda new recruit Eric Granado the final faller, at turn 12, in the final hour. The Brazilian was taken to the medical centre but later declared fit.

After a strong showing at Portimao just three weeks ago, Rinaldi once again proved he was up for the fight as he outpaced his title-winning teammate by just 0.035s after 71 laps of the 4.4km layout. Bautista the hardest working of the 22 riders on track, with 88 laps under his belt on day one.

The second Yamaha of Andrea Locatelli claimed best of the rest with fifth in the combined times - having initially outpaced the field in the morning session - completing the day three tenths off his teammate and half a second clear of GoEleven’s Philipp Oettl behind. Rookie Remy Gardner enjoyed his first