WATCH Toprak Razgatlioglu ‘do a Marquez’ with save of WorldSBK season

Toprak Razgatlioglu has credited his training on a small karting track in his native Turkey for holding onto the ‘crash’ that almost saw him barrelling out of the Estoril WorldSBK Superpole Race just four corners from the flag.

The reigning champion looked on course for the first win of his title defence when he got it wrong coming into the slow entry point to the uphill esses towards the end of the final lap.

With the front-end folding, Razgatlioglu’s Yamaha skidded on its fairing but - assisted by the circuit’s camber - he was able to flick it back onto its wheels and get going again.

However, this was not before a fortuitous Jonathan Rea pounced on the baulked Yamaha ahead, the Kawasaki rider jumping ahead to snatch the win.

A frustrating outcome for Razgatlioglu just a day after he was cost victory in Race 1 when he was out-dragged on the exit of the final corner and down to the chequered flag by Alvaro Bautista, he’d also go on to finish third in Race 2.

Even so, he was looking on the bright side that he had at least avoided a second crucial DNF in as many rounds.

“We train with Kenan on his karting track, it’s a small track and I’m always losing the front there and I try to pick it up! Only this time, the bike was a bit heavier! 

“I’m always watching Marc Marquez, it’s the same style! I remember 2020 at Jerez, I tried to pick up the bike but I couldn’t, so I had a small crash. 

“However, today I said, ‘I need to pick it up!’ because I’m fighting! I’m very happy, we take good points and second is better than a crash. it was a strange weekend!”