webadmin webadmin

Indonesian riders Muhammad Sapril and Rizal Feriyadi climbed onto the top steps of the podium when they out-sprinted nine other contenders in Race 2 of the Suzuki Asian Challenge at the Suzuka Circuit. Polesitter April King Mascardo gave a strong performance at the start of the race but crashed out after only two laps. The Suzuki Asian Challenge Race 2 took place on a drying circuit as the rain clouds over Suzuka gave way to bright sunshine. The race pace began to increase on Lap 3 as the riders gained better grip and a clearer understanding of the best braking points in the uncertain track conditions. With nine riders fighting for the same spot on the track, there was plenty of minor contacts when the level of competition intensified at the last lap. The tiny chicane before the last corner was clogged up with all nine trying to navigate the chicane at the same time. Sapril and Rizal managed to sneak ahead into the lead and won the 1-2 position with times of 14’40.065s and 14’40.319s respectively. Japan’s Shinnosuke Sato finished third with 14’40.383s. A clear championship leader has finally emerged in the Suzuki Asian Challenge – Muhammad Sapril with 102 points. Mohd Rozaliman Zakaria is second overall with 89 points and Jefri Tosema third with 82 points.

Eane Jaye Sobreto added his name into the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship history books as the first rider from the Philippines to win a race in the Asian series. Newly arrived in the ARRC, the Philippine contingent has been getting progressively stronger over the past season and a half with credible performances, especially in the Suzuki Asian Challenge. April King Mascardo gave the first hint of an enhanced Filipino presence in Suzuka when he grabbed pole position during the qualifying session with a time of 2’52.455s. The 5-lap race got off to its usual start with all riders competing for track position. A final lap encounter between Mohd Rozaliman Zakaria and Riyal Feriyadi gave Eane the perfect opportunity to jump into the lead and score a convincing victory with a time of 14’36.533s. Mario U Borbon Jr doubled the joy when he finished second with 14’39.155s followed by Japan’s Maxi Hattori in third place with 14’39.159s. This latest victory sees Eane tied in third place with Indonesia’s Jefri Tosema. Both riders have earned 72 points to date. Indonesia’s Muhammad Sapril leads after completing Race 1 in sixth position. Rozaliman’s crash dropped him down the rankings to second overall with 77 points.

Indonesian rider Jefri Tosema came up tops during the first day of practice for the Suzuki Asian Challenge riders at Round 3 of the 2016 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship held at the Suzuka Circuit. Despite his unfamiliarity with the legendary circuit, Jef was one of the fastest to come to grips with the tricky track layout – topping the timesheets in both Practice 1 and Practice 2 of the Suzuki Asian Challenge. The Indonesian lad rounded up the day as the fastest rider astride the Suzuki FU150 with a time of 2’54.054s. Meanwhile, championship leader Mohd Rozaliman Zakaria, was almost two seconds off Tosema’s pace as the second fastest rider with a time of 2’55.935s. Another Indonesian rider, Muhammad Sapril, rounded up the provisional front row with the third fastest time of 2’56.387s. Tentatively booking their spots for second row are April King Mascardo from the Philippines, India’s Jagan Kumar and Philipino rider Eane Jaye Sobretodo. Singaporean rider Arsyad Rusydi Shaharum, Maxi Hattori from Japan, Indonesia’s Rizal Feriyadi and Mario J. Borbon from the Philippines rounded up the top ten from Day 1.