Source: Supplied.

Aussie Anthony West scored a podium finish on debut with Kawasaki Puccetti Racing in the WorldSSP category of the Motul World Superbike Championship (WorldSBK) last weekend in Spain, showcasing his versatility as a rider.

West, who was initially slated to race the last four rounds of the series in WorldSBK for the outfit, was moved to WorldSSP for the weekend as the team reshuffled to compensate for its sidelined riders across both divisions.

After qualifying sixth, West stormed into the top three during the 19-lap race, crossing the chequers in third and finishing just 1.652s shy of the win.

“My start was not too bad but I got stuck on the inside and everyone was quite aggressive in the beginning,” West reflected. “I got dropped back after that and I lost contact with the very front group. I pushed hard to get back up there and ended up in third place with a few laps to go.

“I felt strong with the bike but it was difficult to catch the two guys in front. This was my first time on this bike so third was a good result for me. I did not want to push too hard and crash. I am happy the team gave me the opportunity to ride and I am happy to give the team back this podium result.”

The Queensland-native will remain with the team in WorldSSP for the season finale, which is scheduled for 2-4 November in Qatar.