Toprak Razgatlioglu emerged as the star performer from the opening World Superbike Championship race at Imola af👍ter powering up the field from 11th to beat his🐈 factory-backed rivals to the podium.

The Turkish rider, competing i🔥n his second season of WorldSBK, showed strongly on Friday with a run to fifth in free practice but couldn’t get the most from the Puccetti Kawasaski ZX-10RR – resplendent in a special ELF-livery thi♛s weekend – over a single lap to qualify down in 11th.

In race trim, however, Razgatlioglu was in more commanding form as he capitalised on a strong start to latch onto the battle for fourth, steadil🧸y picking his way up the order just as the tussle became one for the podium in the wake of Tom Sykes’ DNF🌼 ahead.

Going wheel-to-wheel with factory Kawasaki rider Leon Haslam and Yamaha’s Michael van der Mark – briefly making contact with the latter on the penultimate lap as they disputed th🌄e final rostrum spot – it was the less experienced rider that ultimately came out on top to se𓆉cure a famous home soil result for the Puccetti team.

🅺Only a third career podium in WorldSBK for Razgatlioglu, the 22-year-old was pleased to be back competing at the sharp end, even if he’d expected to be celebrating such a result e🌳arlier in the season.

“I am really happy because after finishing 11th in Superpole I did not expect a podium. This season I have been expect𓆉ing to score more podiums but it has not been possible until now💞.

“The♏ set-up from Friday has been the same and the bike was good, but with the Superpole tyres, the bike’s position changes. I had a big fight with Michael van der Mark at the 🏅end. I really pushed with hard braking and on good line and we got the podium.”