KUALA LUMPUR – The 2025 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) ASB1000 class is building up to a mouthwatering season ahead after the announcement of its newest outfit, Malaysia’s A1 Energy BMW Racing Team, but with two very familiar faces on board.
At the ripe old age of 40, 2019 ASB1000 champion Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman isn’t about to hang up his leathers and makes a return to the championship alongside 2024 Supersport 600 champion Apiwath Wongthananon of Thailand.
Azlan Shah, who is also a two-time Supersport 600 champion, said he was coaxed out of his decision to retire after the team put forward an enticing offer, armed with the latest BMW M1000RR and a stable environment which would allow them to develop.
“Last season we struggled and it affected me so much that mentally I wasn’t in the best condition at each race. For this year, it is a relief and I’m happy about the team and the up- to-date machinery, also the strong support from the BMW factory and Alpha Racing. This will definitely give me a boost for each race,” said Azlan.
“I am only hoping to achieve better results and provide a strong challenge to the younger riders.”
Apiwath, 31, moves back up to the ASB1000 class, having moved down to the second-tier Supersport 600 class to successfully clinch the title last year. He had finished fourth in the ASB1000 class a year prior. This time he is aiming for successive titles in two different classes.
“I am very excited. This is a new challenge for me. I know this is a very good team, so my target is to become champion in ASB1000 this year. I will give my best at every round and try to attack to win each one,” said Apiwath, who goes by the nickname of ‘Stamp’, who will also be riding a BMW for the first time in his career, having won the Supersport 600 title with Yamaha last year.
“Azlan is an experienced rider. I have to learn the M1000RR riding style from him and I believe he will be a strong teammate this year,” he added.
The team is backed by Malaysian-owned A1 Energy Sdn Bhd, which is an enterprise specialising in high-performance fuels, lubricants and advanced energy solutions, and the company describes its expansion into motorsports as part of a strategic ambition to provide energy solutions that perform at the highest levels, even under extreme conditions.
“A1 Energy’s primary objective is to establish itself as a trusted and authoritative brand within the regional motorsport ecosystem. Through our strategic partnership with alpha Racing GmbH and BMW Motorrad Motorsport in the prestigious ASB1000 category, we aim to showcase both the technical capabilities of our products and our steadfast commitment to the sport. We are dedicated to pushing the limits of performance, supporting our team in their pursuit of consistent podium finishes, and reinforcing our position as a competitive force throughout the 2025 season,” said team principal Noor Hirman Mohd Esa.
“Our long-term vision is to establish A1 Energy Racing as a permanent, performance-driven force within the Asian motorsport arena. We aspire to evolve beyond sponsorship into a fully integrated team structure encompassing rider development, talent scouting, advanced technical R&D, and the potential expansion into international championships. Our ambition is for the A1 Energy BMW Racing Team not only to compete, but to lead — setting new benchmarks in professionalism, teamwork, and racing excellence.
“I am deeply honored to assume this role on behalf of A1 Energy. It is a true privilege to lead this exciting journey into the ASB1000, alongside world-class riders, passionate engineers, and a dedicated,” said Noor Hirman.
BMW Head of Customer Racing Uwe Geyer expressed his delight at teaming up with A1 Energy in the ARRC.
“We are delighted to join forces with A1 Racing in the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship. They are flying the flag for us in the most important international Superbike racing series in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Geyer.
“A1 Racing is a very experienced team with strong riders, and they all know how to ride to glory with the BMW M 1000 RR. So it’s great to see them lining up with our latest model, the 2025 BMW M 1000 RR, in their hunt for success in ARRC.”
“They benefit from all our experience gathered in the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK), where we won the title last year. All we learned in WorldSBK directly went into development of the new M 1000 RR customer racing bikes. A bike capable of winning, a highly professional team and fantastic riders – all is set for a successful campaign. We’re crossing our fingers and are looking forward to the 2025 ARRC season!”
With all pieces of the puzzle in place, the team now prepares to get down to business with the 2025 Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship kicking off with Round 1 at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand on April 25-27, which will be the first of six rounds of the championship.