Home hero Hiroki Ono of HONDA RACING VIETNAM produced a commanding performance under pressure to secure a memorable victory in Race 1 of the AP250 class at Round 3 of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026 at Mobility Resort Motegi, Japan.
The race saw fierce multi-rider battles, and it was Hiroki who emerged victorious with a winning time of 21’34.483s, delighting the Japanese crowd after fending off challenges from some of the strongest contenders in the championship.
Starting from the front row, Hiroki wasted no time asserting himself at the front, surging into the lead at the start ahead of fellow Japanese rider Riichi Takahira of Tianyu Asia Racing MFZ and pole-sitter Fahmi Basam of YAMAHA LFN HP969 INDONESIA RACING TEAM.
However, the race quickly developed into a tactical battle among a tightly packed leading group. By Lap 3, Fahmi launched his attack, overtaking both Hiroki and Riichi to take control of the race. The Indonesian rider looked poised to strengthen his championship campaign, but the lead continued to change hands as riders searched for every possible advantage around the demanding Motegi circuit.
Lap 4 saw Riichi move to the front, giving the home fans two Japanese riders at the sharp end of the field. Hiroki soon responded while Fahmi, Irfan Ardiansyah of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM, Candra H of YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA and Krittapat Keankum of YAMAHA THAILAND RACING TEAM remained firmly in contention.
The intensity increased further midway through the race. Fahmi reclaimed the lead on Lap 5 before Irfan briefly took over at the front one lap later, highlighting just how competitive the leading group had become. By Lap 7, Riichi was once again leading ahead of Hiroki and Irfan, while the battle for podium positions remained impossible to predict.
On Lap 8, Fahmi’s challenge came to a sudden end after crashing out of contention. The incident removed one of the race favourites and intensified the battle among the remaining front-runners.
With two laps remaining, Hiroki and Riichi engaged in a captivating duel at the front, the pair repeatedly exchanging positions while carrying the hopes of the home crowd. Behind them, Irfan remained within striking distance, waiting for an opportunity to launch a decisive move.
That opportunity came on the final lap. Hiroki held firm at the front while Irfan executed a crucial pass on Riichi to move into second position. Further behind, the battle for the final podium place erupted as Krittapat surged through in the closing stages to secure third.
At the chequered flag, Hiroki sealed a hard-earned home victory ahead of Irfan, who crossed the line just 0.161s behind. Krittapat completed the podium in third, only 0.418s adrift of the winner.
Hiroki shared, T”he race was incredibly tough because I was battling with some of the strongest riders in the championship from the very first lap. The pace was intense and there was no time to relax, so my strategy was to stay at the front as much as possible and try to control the rhythm of the race. Every lap was a fight, especially with the lead changing hands so many times. To win here at Motegi, in front of the Japanese fans, is a very special feeling for me. I could hear the support from the crowd and it gave me extra motivation to keep pushing until the chequered flag. This victory means a lot because the entire HONDA RACING VIETNAM team worked extremely hard throughout the weekend. We faced many challenges, but everyone kept believing and never gave up. I’m very proud of what we achieved together, and I want to dedicate this win to the team, our supporters, and everyone who has been behind us.”
TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1
1. HIROKI ONO – HONDA RACING VIETNAM (21’34.483s)
2. IRFAN ARDIANSYAH – ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM (21’34.644s)
3. KRITTAPAT KEANKUM – YAMAHA THAILAND RACING TEAM (21’34.901s)
4. CANDRA H – YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA (21’35.093s)
5. RHEZA DANICA AHRENS – ASTRO HONDA RACING TEAM (21’35.174s)