The Race 1 of the ASB1000 category at Round 2 of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026 delivered a spectacular showdown at Chang International Circuit, Buriram, Thailand, as Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah of JDT RACING TEAM produced a calculated comeback ride to secure a commanding Race 1 victory after an intense battle unfolded at the front.
Starting from fifth on the grid, Hafizh found himself chasing a relentless leading pack early on as pole-sitter Muhammad Zaqhwan Zaidi of IDEMITSU HONDA RACING MALAYSIA launched perfectly off the line to seize the holeshot. Teammate Azroy Hakeem Anuar slotted into second, while local hope Nakarin Atiratphuvapat of HONDA RACING THAILAND briefly held third ahead of Keito Abe of SDG HARC-PRO. HONDA PHILIPPINES. Hafizh and teammate Andi Farid Izdihar remained close behind, waiting for the right moment to strike.
By Lap 2, the race pace intensified as Zaqhwan and Azroy attempted to establish control, but Keito soon inserted himself into the fight. Hafizh, meanwhile, remained composed in the blistering Buriram heat, carefully managing his pace and tyres while staying within touching distance of the leaders.
Drama unfolded on Lap 4 when Keito overtook Azroy for second before capitalising on a mistake from Zaqhwan at the final corner to briefly inherit the race lead. From there, the race evolved into a breathtaking contest as positions changed repeatedly among the front-runners.
The defining moment came on Lap 8, with clinical precision, Hafizh carved his way through the leading group, executing a stunning move to overtake both Keito and Zaqhwan in a single sequence to move into second place. Just one lap later, the defending champion completed his charge, sweeping past Azroy to take over at the front.
Once clear, Hafizh began to stretch his advantage while chaos continued behind him. By Lap 11, Hafizh had opened a gap of more than one second, showcasing the experience and race management that made him last season’s champion.
After 14 laps of relentless pressure and tactical racing, Hafizh crossed the finish line in 24’06.445s to secure a memorable victory and extend his remarkable run to three consecutive podium finishes.
Behind him, Azroy held off fierce late pressure to finish second at 24’09.071s, while Keito secured a hard-earned third place at 24’09.321s. The battle for the podium remained alive until the final corner as Andi launched a brave attack on Azroy, only to run wide and ultimately settle for fifth behind Zaqhwan.
Hafizh expressed, “I really appreciate everyone around me who pushed me hard during training and preparation. The heat training helped a lot in today’s tough conditions. Earlier, during the long run, I almost crashed at the second-last corner, but thankfully I managed to save it and came back stronger with a faster lap. During the race, I focused on keeping my rhythm and staying patient. Honestly, my target was not the podium. I was aiming for a top-four finish. But when I saw the riders in front battling and unable to pull away, I knew I had a chance, so I started making my moves and thankfully, we did it again, three wins in a row. It feels really special. This result is for all my fans, my boss, HRH Tunku Mahkota Ismail, and my family, who have always supported me and been my backbone. Alhamdulillah, all the hard work has paid off.”
TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1
1. HAFIZH SYAHRIN ABDULLAH – JDT RACING TEAM (24’06.445s)
2. AZROY HAKEEM ANUAR – IDEMITSU HONDA RACING MALAYSIA (24’09.071s)
3. KEITO ABE – SDG HARC-PRO. HONDA PHILIPPINES (24’09.321s)
4. MUHAMMAD ZAQHWAN ZAIDI – IDEMITSU HONDA RACING MALAYSIA (24’09.723s)
5. ANDI FARID IZDIHAR – JDT RACING TEAM (24’09.814s)