The first race of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship season produced exciting racing at the Yamaha Finance Australian Round with the top three separated by just 0.041s. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team) took victory as he beat Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Scott Redding (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) with teammate Michael van der Mark in fourth.

The Turkish rider made the switch to Pata Yamaha for the 2020 season and it’s a move that he will feel has paid off following the dramatic and breath-taking victory Down Under. Razgatlioglu led the race from laps 15-18 and then again for the final two laps of the race as he claimed his first Yamaha win.

After the race, the 23-year-old said: “I’m really happy, because for me, [it was] my first race with Yamaha. Before the race I felt incredible stress. After the start of the race I just focused on the race. Not an easy race, the last two laps I’m scared because the tyre is broken. I remember the last two years because it was not possible to [be on the] podium. Now I win, I’m really happy.”

When asked about the last lap of the race, Razgatlioglu commented: “I tried hard braking and good corner exits but it was not possible. Last corner and last lap I was scared, it was very close but I won.”

Both Razgatlioglu and teammate van der Mark will be looking to take this pace and performance into Sunday’s Tissot Superpole and Race 2. Both riders showed decent pace in the exceptional race and will be hoping that continues into Sunday. Lowes and Redding among others will be looking to stop them.

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