The Buddh debut of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship attracted a positive response from Indian motorsports fans who were delighted when Apiwat Wongthananon was crowned Asia Production 250cc champion before their eyes.
In Race 2 of Round 5 at the Buddh International Circuit, the Asia Production 250cc riders thrilled the crowd with a 9-lap battle that saw as many as 11 riders fighting for the win. The lead at the sharp end of the grid changed hands with every successive lap. Apart from Indonesia’s Galang Hendra Pratama, none of the riders were able to defend the sharp end of the pack for more than one lap. Galang held the reins on Lap 7 and Lap 8 but was quickly engulfed by the horde during the final mad sprint to the finish.
Apiwat Wongthananon, needing only six points to secure the championship, broke clear of the group at the at the exit of the final corner. An overjoyed Apiwat added his eighth victory of the season to his name, effectively ending the Asia Production 250cc title hunt when he brought his points haul to a grand total of 221 points.
“I’ve been waiting for this day for a very long time. Today is so important for me and my team because we achieved what we set out to do at the start of the season. This is a great achievement for us,” said Apiwat.
Defending champion Takehiro Yamamoto was disappointed when mechanical gremlins forced him back into the pit on Lap 5. The 2015 Asia Production 250cc champion is now second overall with 151 points. Unfortunately for Yamamoto, his battles are not over yet. At the coming round in Buriram, Yamamoto will have to defend his second overall position especially from Thai riders Anupab Sarmoon and Peerapong Loiboonpeng who will naturally have a huge advantage on home ground.