The LFN FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026 continued its action at the Mandalika International Circuit in Indonesia for Round 4, bringing the SS600 category action back to the track on Friday. The three practice sessions saw the leading competitors continuously traded the top spot on the timing sheets. By the end of the day, the Combined Practice standings revealed that Anupab Sarmoon of YAMAHA THAILAND RACING TEAM secured the fastest overall time, besting home favourite Wahyu Nugroho by a 0.005s gap.
The day began with local riders utilizing their deep knowledge of the circuit to set an early and definitive benchmark. Practice 1 saw Wahyu Nugroho from YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA navigating the flowing layout smoothly to log a session-best time of 1’37.644s. Fellow Indonesian Herjun Atna Firdaus of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM, closely followed in second with a 1’37.934s. Malaysia’s Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin of HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING claimed third, while Anupab and Thanat Laoongplio of HONDA RACING THAILAND used the morning session strictly to dial in their initial setups, finishing fourth and fifth respectively.
In Practice 2, the competitive dynamic changed. Anupab found significant improvements in his machine and delivered a smooth lap to record a 1’37.433s. This impressive effort moved the Thai rider to the top of the leaderboard. While Wahyu remained consistent by posting a 1’37.646s to finish second in the session. Herjun also improved his overall pace, clocking a 1’37.769s to maintain third.
The final session of the day, Practice 3, saw Wahyu pushed his machine to the absolute limit in a bid to reclaim the top overall spot. The YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA rider successfully topped the final session with a brilliant 1’37.438s. However, when the times were compiled across all three sessions, Wahyu’s best effort fell just five-thousandths of a second short of Anupab’s Practice 2 benchmark.
Consequently, Anupab’s 1’37.433s stood as the fastest time of the Combined Practice. Wahyu safely secured second overall. Herjun’s Practice 2 time earned him third place in the combined standings, ensuring two Indonesian riders finished the day in the top three. A late surge in Practice 3 from Thanat at 1’37.932s and Kasma at 1’38.092s secured them fourth and fifth respectively.
Anupab commented, “Securing the top spot in the combined results today is a fantastic feeling. From the moment I went out on track, I had a really strong and comfortable connection with the bike. Honestly, everything aligned perfectly for us today, the track conditions were ideal, our base setup was solid, and the tire grip was exactly where I needed it to be to push for that lap time.”
“However, we know how tight the competition is, so we cannot just sit still and be satisfied. My team and I have been analyzing the data, and we already have some fresh ideas and strategies for Qualifying and Race 1. We are looking forward to introducing a new suspension specification tomorrow morning. If it works the way we expect it to, I am confident we can find even more pace and be even better. It is a great start to the weekend, but we are fully focused on keeping this momentum going.”
TOP 5 FASTEST – COMBINED PRACTICE
1. ANUPAB SARMOON – YAMAHA THAILAND RACING TEAM (1’37.433s)
2. WAHYU NUGROHO – YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA (1’37.438s)
3. HERJUN ATNA FIRDAUS – ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM (1’37.769s)
4. THANAT LAOONGPLIO – HONDA RACING THAILAND (1’37.932s)
5. KASMA DANIEL KASMAYUDIN – HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING (1’38.092s)