It’s a “survival of the fittest” in the Underbone 150cc race category and while Husni Zainul of ZIEAR LFN HP969 MCR RBT 34 may not have had the opportunity to score a hat-trick just yet in the last two rounds, he definitely became worthy of the phrase when he bagged a 50-point flat in Round 2, adding his scores up to a staggering 88 points. With a 40-point difference from Fahmi Basam of YAMAHA LFN HP969 INDONESIA RACING TEAM who currently takes second on the overall charts, what would the odds be for the Indonesia in defending his title at Mobility Resort Motegi in Round 3 of the IDEMITSU FIM Asia Road Racing Championship? Husni definitely has a leg up at the moment and the next race may not necessarily affect his game-plan however, trio, Fahmi, Akid Aziz of PITSBIKE SUPERFAST JRT RACING TEAM and Nazirul Izzat of UMA RACING YAMAHA MAJU MOTOR ASIA TEAM has to up their performance a notch or two to secure a place in the book of champions. On record, Akid and Nazirul have great potential on Motegi’s well-crafted layout especially with the former bagging a win in Race 2 and the latter taking two shots on the podium last season. Akid said, “Motegi has always been my booster and last season’s performance was one that I will not forget. It was a result that spurred solid progress for me last season. So, yes, I feel even more prepared this time around despite the tough competition ahead. What’s important is coming in with a winner’s mindset and I do believe that I have what it takes to win again. Of course, we have a list of high-performing contenders and for now, Husni who has been in great form, undoubtedly, whom I know will go all out too. Motegi being a tough ground would be an added advantage if good strategies are in place especially on the last straight. I work with pressure well so when it gets tougher, I get going!” “With the data obtained from Sepang, we are building towards a better outcome but again, the long straight and the downhill through tight corners will definitely be a challenge. The setup ensures the bike is stable during braking and cornering. UB150 race category is unpredictable and full of action which makes it exciting and most importantly, it leaves no room for mistakes. For me, this race category is all about skill and race craft. The goal here is to come out strong, ideally a podium or a win. For the season though, I aim to stay consistent and be in contention for the championship title. Every point matter, so I have to be smart in making sure that every race counts.” Not so much for Fahmi who finished fourth in Race 1 and a “DNF” in Race 2. But the twist remains, its not just about the round-to-round basis but the overall competency that adds up to the game of thrones. In this case, Fahmi may be one with a competitive stride who could potentially challenge Husni further but it comes with a kick up on his side. Having said that though, the game is also such that one may never possibly expect the strike of a “DNF” or “DNS” as it was with Fahmi in Race 1 of Round 2 which added up to his zero-points. In the last two rounds, Fahmi took the podium twice at the second spot and while that may not have placed him on the limelight just yet, it could probably be a matter of time before the heat turns up for the duo on top. Commenting on the race, Fahmi said, “This year, the most challenging and pressuring thing for me lies in the question of how I would maintain my championship title. As was seen in the previous races, the question is one, strategy is another but whether or not I can live up to the expectations of defending the title is one that worries me. As we all know, the riders are all in top form, no doubt and everyone has the ability to make it to the podium. They are all highly experience. But even then, and along with that, the possibility of an unfortunate incident occurring even unto the best of the riders is always present. In other words, before the chequered flag, many things can happen.” “The race towards stardom has begun and, on my part, the preparations are focused on building a good physique and carving out the strategies that would work best. For Motegi, I will extract the needed experience from last year and apply it once again with a little modification to suit the challenges ahead. The team has also been working endlessly to ensure that the machine is in its optimised condition. We have the data from last season and will utilise it to ensure the performance is up to par with the needs of the circuit layout. In all, I will do my best for my team, my country and myself and if everything goes well, the goal is to make it champion once again.” Husni definitely has a leg up at the moment and the next race may not necessarily affect his game-plan however, trio, Fahmi, Akid Aziz of PITSBIKE SUPERFAST JRT RACING TEAM and Nazirul Izzat of UMA RACING YAMAHA MAJU MOTOR ASIA TEAM has to up their performance a notch or two to secure a place in the book of champions. On record, Akid and Nazirul have great potential on Motegi’s well-crafted layout especially with the former bagging a win in Race 2 and the latter taking two shots on the podium last season. Akid said, “Motegi has always been my booster and last season’s performance was one that I will not forget. It was a result that spurred solid progress for me last season. So, yes, I feel even more prepared this time around despite the tough competition ahead. What’s important is
