Round 1 of the IDEMITSU FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026 delivered a dramatic and rain-affected Race 2 in the TVS Racing International Championship at the Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia, where Malaysia’s Mohd Ramdan Rosli produced a commanding wet-weather performance to secure a sensational victory on home soil.
Under light but tricky rain conditions, Ramdan wasted no time asserting control, launching brilliantly off the line to seize the lead ahead of Indonesia’s Fadil Algassani Priyadi. Early drama unfolded as India’s Chiranth Vishwanath crashed out, setting the tone for a race that would demand precision over outright speed.
By Lap 2, Ramdan had already begun to stretch his advantage, opening up a 1.172s gap over Fadil, while India’s Sarthak Chavan slotted into third ahead of Spain’s Luis Miguel and Malaysia’s Md Naqib Rifqi. The front three quickly broke away, building a two-second cushion over the chasing pack. However, the treacherous conditions claimed more victims, as Nixon Keith Frost from New Zealand crashed, followed moments later by Fadil, who suffered a high-side incident.
Lap 3 brought further chaos, with Rakshith Shihari Dave from India also going down, underlining the demanding nature of the wet track where technique proved crucial. Up front, Ramdan remained composed and in complete control.
By Lap 4, the Malaysian star had extended his lead to 3.633s over Sarthak, while behind them, Naqib made a bold move to overtake Luis for third. Unfortunately, his charge ended abruptly with a crash at the final corner, denying the home crowd another contender in podium contention.
As the race entered its closing stages, Ramdan showcased his experience, maintaining a consistent rhythm and gradually increasing his advantage. By Lap 5, he had stretched the gap to five seconds over Sarthak, with Luis holding steady in third.
On the final lap, Ramdan delivered a flawless finish, crossing the line in 16’03.931s, an emphatic 8.336s clear of Sarthak, who secured second place at 16’12.267s. The battle for third saw Luis narrowly fending off Tyler King from New Zealand, who finished just 0.164s behind, as Luis claimed the final podium spot at 16’16.297s.
Ramdan said, “Winning in Malaysia is always my dream, and it’s always a special memory to win here every year. I want to thank TVS Racing and the crew, the last-minute setup work was really good. From the first time I went out on track, I felt this could be my race.
“In the second lap, I tried to create a gap and when I saw a small margin behind, I kept pushing a bit more to extend it. My strategy worked well, and to win again on home soil in front of the Malaysian fans is truly special. Thank you to everyone who came and supported me. I’ll stay focused for the next round in Buriram.”
TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 2
1. MOHD RAMDAN ROSLI – MALAYSIA (16’03.931s)
2. SARTHAK CHAVAN – INDIA (16’12.267s)
3. LUIS MIGUEL – SPAIN (16’16.297s)
4. TYLER KING – NEW ZEALAND (16’16.461s)
5. ORATILWE PHIRI – SOUTH AFRICA (16’17.603s)