Turkey’s rising superstar Toprak Razgatlioglu has left his best until last in a thrilling day of World Superbike testing at Phillip Island ahead of this weekend’s opening round at the Victorian seaside circuit.

Razgatlioglu, who has joined Yamaha’s factory team after a breakout 2019 on a Kawasaki, delivered a stinging blow in the final seconds of Monday’s second shakedown session – a withering 1minute 30.740 second lap on the YZF-R1.

Razgatlioglu’s late burst saw him complete day one of the two-day test ahead of BMW rider Tom Sykes (1:30.762), with rejuvenated Frenchman Loris Baz (Yamaha, 1:30.777) making it three different manufacturers at the sharp end of the timesheets.

World champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki, 1:30.996) was fourth, just ahead of former teammate Leon Haslam (1:31.196) who has joined Honda’s renewed World Superbike factory effort.

Ahead of what is shaping as the most hotly contested championship in years, former MotoGP rider and World Superbike rookie Scott Redding (Ducati, 1:31.329) was sixth.

Michael van der Mark (Yamaha, 1:31.440), Eugene Laverty (BMW, 1:31.585), Alex Lowes (Kawasaki, 1:31.665) and Chaz Davies (Ducati, 1:31.113) complete the top 10.

Last year’s dominant rider at Phillip Island, Alvaro Bautista, was 15th as he continues to find his rhythm on the factory Honda.

But in an ominous warning, he clocked the fastest speed down the straight – a 314 km/h flyer – with teammate Haslam second on top speed with a 309.5 km/h pace.

A further two sessions on Tuesday, in what’s expected to be changeable weather, will complete pre-season testing for the World Superbike field.

Three races will be held on the weekend’s opening round: two 22-lappers at 3pm on Saturday and Sunday and a 10-lap sprint at midday on Sunday.

The program also includes World Supersport and round one of the 2020 Australian Superbike Championship.