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AKID LEAPFROGS WAHYU AJI FOR PROVISIONAL POLE

2019, 2019 Round4, Latest News, Underbone 150 /

UMA Racing Yamaha’s Akid Aziz kept the best until last in underbone qualifying this afternoon. ONEXOX TKKR SAG’s Wahyu Aji Trilaksana led most of the session, after banking a time of 2’37.133 relatively early on in what is starting to look like a return to form for the Indonesian. Akid had shown good pace from the opening laps, topping the first session on a drying track, while Team One for All’s Peerapong Luiboonpeng recorded the overall fastest lap of the day in FP2 with a lap of 2’36.723. What had been an advantage of more than a second for Wahyu in qualifying got nibbled away during the last few minutes by Haziq Fairues, McKinley Kyle Paz, Peerapong Luiboonpeng and Akid who eventually pushed Wahyu down to second. Peerapong finished third in front of Kyle Paz, Fairues, Aiman Azman, Wawan Wello and Affendi Rosli, all of whom were bracketed within the 1’37s. HI REV SCK Honda’s 13-year-old Japanese rider, Gun Mie, was a few places further back in 12th on 1’38.555, while Adib Rosley was 15th and therefore the last rider through to Saturday morning’s Superpole competition, which determines positions for the first five rows of the starting grid. Lap record holder and winner of last year’s race two at Suzuka, Gupita Kresna, only managed a 2’39.89 to qualify 22nd one place in front of Australia’s Travis Hall, who had an off during the session. Round three, race two winner, Ahmad Fazli Sham, also found himself down the order in 18th.

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PERTAMINA ENDURO BACKS ALI ADRIAN’S ASB1000 DEBUT

2019, 2019 Round4, Asia Superbike 1000, Latest News /

photo : ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team Round 4 of the 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship will mark the ASB1000 debut of Indonesian rider Ali Adriansyah. Backed by Pertamina Enduro, Ali Adrian will be racing astride the BMW SS1000 RR as part of the ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team. The 26-year-old rider, who most recently in 2018 raced in the WSS 300, has set himself a new challenge of racing in the litre class for the very first time. “I’m looking forward to this challenge. Special thanks to PT Pertamina Lubricants, for the opportunity to race in four rounds of the ASB1000,” said Ali Adrian.   Ali Adrian’s profile in brief: 2009 to 2012 – Indonesian National Championship 2013 to 2017 – European Junior Cup; Bike Promotion 1st Serie; Bike Promotion 2nd Serie; WSSP300 2018 – 23rd overall, WSSP300, World Superbike Championship Serie

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ASB1000: BROC AND AZLAN TAKES THE BATTLE FOR ASB1000 SUPREMACY TO SUZUKA

2019, 2019 Round4, Asia Superbike 1000, Latest News /

The battle for supremacy in the spanking new ASB1000 class heads to the 5.8km Suzuka Circuit in Japan for the fourth leg of the 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship. The two hugely experienced riders will be locked in a battle for control over the title chase. Only eight points separate the two with the more consistent Australian rider holding the advantage at the top of the standings. While Yamaha Racing Team ASEAN’s Broc has picked up four podiums and one win on his Yamaha R1 to date, the more mercurial Azlan have been experiencing his typical roller-coaster of a season astride his BMW S1000RR. The ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team rider has clinched three wins to date, the highest number of wins in the season so far, yet trails Broc due to a costly DNF in Round 1.   Zaqhwan Zaidi Will Need To Amp Up To Stay In The Game Meanwhile, Honda’s sole representative in the ASB1000 will need to amp up his game if he hopes to stay in the title chase. Mohd Zaqhwan Zaidi won Race 2 in the season opener and logged a second place finish in Buriram. Apart from those high points, Zaqhwan had been consistently fourth in three out of the six races to date. Currently third in the standings, Zaqhwan trails championship leader Broc by 21 points, while he is only eight points ahead of Apiwat Wongthananon. At Suzuka, the home of Honda, the pressure mounts on Zaqhwan.   Homeground Advantage For Ito The threat posed by Yamaha Racing Team ASEAN’s Yuki Ito cannot be taken lightly at this point. Yuki had time and again proven his ability to win races at the Suzuka circuit. Currently fifth overall in the standings, Yuki will need a good outing in Suzuka to improve his ranking in the ASB1000 class.   Nakatomi Could Be The Spoiler The addition of three wildcard riders will bring the Suzuka ASB1000 grid up to 16 bikes. The trio will be led by Shinichi Nakatomi. The last time the former WSBK rider entered as a wildcard in the ARRC, he scored a double-win in the SuperSports 600cc class and disrupted the title chase in the process. Given Nakatomi’s years of expertise at the Suzuka Circuit, adding to that his in-depth knowledge of the ASB1000 slicks as the test rider during the development of the rubbers, Nakatomi could be the spoiler at Broc and Azlan’s party yet again.

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SS600: A NEW ARRC RECORD IN THE MAKING?

2019, 2019 Round4, Latest News, Supersports 600 /

The Suzuka leg of the 2019 FIM Asia Ro­ad Racing Championship could potentially witness a new ARRC record in the making as 600cc supremo Peerapong Boonlert gears up to equal or break a 14-year-old record held by Toshiyuki Hamaguchi. The longest winning streak recorded in the ARRC was logged by Hamaguchi who picked up seven consecutive SuperSports 600cc wins in 2005. Since then, while hattricks have been relatively common, no other rider had been able to come close to the level of domination exhibited by Hamaguchi in the early days of the 600 class. No other rider, that is, until Peerapong Boonlert, 14 years later. As the ARRC heads to the Suzuka Circuit for the fourth leg of the season, the Yamaha Thailand Racing Team rider will get the chance to rewrite the history books. The odds are very much in favour for Peerapong as he embarks on his latest quest. Not only will he be buoyed by his winning momentum so far, Peerapong, a two-time Suzuka 4 Hour winner, is no stranger to the 5.8km Suzuka Circuit. While Peerapong forges ahead with a 79-point advantage, four other riders are scrambling to get ahead. Astra Honda Racing Team’s Andi Farid Izdihar has finished within the top five in four out of the previous six races. With two second-place podiums to his name, Andi is second overall with 71 points. Malaysians Azroy Hakeem Anuar and Adam Norrodin tie in third with 69 points apiece. Azroy has only finished on the podium once so far as opposed to Adam’s three. However, the SIC Junior ZK Racing rider lost out on points from Round 2 which clashed against his scheduled appearance in the CEV. Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin is also still within reach of the title. The Malaysian maverick is fifth on the standings with 65 points.

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AP250: MUKLADA-FADLY TIE-BREAKER ON THE CARDS

2019, 2019 Round4, Asia Production 250, Latest News /

AP Honda Racing Thailand’s Muklada Sarapuech and Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki Racing’s Andy Muhammad Fadly will be heading for a tie-breaker at Round 4 of the 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship in Suzuka, Japan. The two riders tie at the top of the standings with 86 points apiece but Muklada has one more podium finish to her name as compared to Fadly. Here’s a recap of their performances so far: Rider R1/R1 R1/R2 R2/R1 R2/R2 R3/R1 R3/R2 Muklada Sarapuech DNF 1st 3rd 2nd 1st 5th Andy Fadly 2nd 2nd 1st DNF 6th DNF   However, Round 4 will be more than just a showdown between two ferocious competitors. Team play will be very much in evidence as Aiki Iyoshi, currently third in the AP250 standings, seeks to support his Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki Racing team mate while claiming the best possible results for himself. Expect the same from AP Honda Racing Thailand’s Tatchakorn Buasri who proved his race-winning capabilities in the previous round in Buriram. The newly introduced equalizer rule has certainly done its job. Only 12 points separate the top four riders in the series, three of whom are racing with 500 rpm less to their maximum limit.   An AHRT Resurgence In The Making? The Astra Honda Racing Team, a force to be reckoned with over the past two seasons, have been remarkably low-key in 2019. Awhin Sanjaya, Irfan Ardiansyah and Lucky Hendriansya are fifth, sixth and seventh respectively on the championship ladder. While the AP Honda Racing Thailand Team and the Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki Racing Team struggle for dominance in the AP250 class, Indonesian-based Astra Honda Racing Team may be biding their time before making a definitive move. With only four rounds remaining to the end of the season, that move must come soon and the Suzuka Circuit where the team had experienced so much success, may be the perfect arena to launch their attack.   Wildcards Make 33 The AP250 class will see as many as seven wildcards in the Japanese leg, bringing the grid up to a total of 33 riders. The wildcards are:   RIDER TEAM #20 Yuta Kasai TEAM TEC 2 # Shunya Mori TEAM TEC 2 #31 Kazuki Tomita ATJ Racing with NMC #38 Keiji Goto YSS *ANDO Racing Mercury #73 Ryunosuke Nakamura ENDLESS TEAM SHANTI # Nobuteru Sasaki Team KYOEI GO&FUN # Otojirou Tanimoto DOGFITHR RPM YAMAHA

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UB150: UMA RACING DOMINATES AFTER TWO ROUNDS

2019, 2019 Round4, Latest News, Underbone 150 /

The Malaysian-based UMA Racing crew has ramped up their efforts and came out with guns blazing in the Underbone 150 class of the 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship. The vaunted team experienced a mediocre season in 2018, with their best ranking coming from 2017 UB150 champion Mohd Akid Aziz who ended his campaign in fifth overall. This season, however, the team runs not just one race outfit in the UB150, but two. The team’s partnership with Yamaha Philippines has effectively doubled Uma Racing’s presence in the class – UMA Racing Philippine Team and UMA Racing Yamaha Maju Motor Asia Team. The crew is obviously up for the challenge as both teams dominate the first half of the 2019 season. A flying start in the season opener gave Uma Racing Yamaha Philippine Team an advantage. They lead the team’s rankings with 65 points. As the circus heads to Suzuka for Round 3, McKinley Kyle Paz is still at the top of the standings but is under increasing pressure to maintain and extend his lead. A disappointing outing in Buriram has cut McKinley’s lead to a 5-point margin against upcoming rider Wawan Wello. UMA Racing Yamaha Maju Motor Asia Team is ranked second on the team’s ladder with 59 points. The bulk of the team’s points-haul has come from Akid Aziz who has picked up two podiums to date. Third on the team’s standings is Team One For All who are back with two familiar riders – Mohd Affendi Rosli and Peerapong Luiboonpeng. Their season got off to a challenging start when the team’s assets were stolen a week before the opening round. Even so, the crew run by former MotoGP rider Youichi Ui were able to overcome the devastating loss. Affendi has managed two podium finishes after Round 2 and the team is ranked third with 57 points. SND Factory Racing Rapido’s trio of Indonesian racing stars – Wawan Wello, Gupita Kresna Wardhana and Syahrul Amin – are still trying to get into the rhythm. Wawan Wello has been the team’s best performer so far. Wawan has consistently picked up points from the first two rounds. His second place finish in Buriram boosted him up to where he is now in the position to challenge McKinley Kyle Paz for the lead. The ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team experienced a big boost at Buriram when seasoned campaigner Ahmad Fazli Sham picked up the team’s first UB150 win of the season. The team, which has a presence in all classes of the 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship, is ranked fifth with 51 points. Meanwhile, Yamaha Racing Indonesia’s decision to go with young talents this season is beginning to gain momentum. 16-year-old Wahyu Nugroho, in particular, put in a stunning performance in Round 3 when he claimed fourth in Race 1 and second in Race 2. Debutant team Pro-Liner 549 Kaboci Racing Team is currently ranked seventh on the team standings. The team is banking on experienced rider Richard Taroreh to maintain their presence in the limelight while the team continues to train 15-year-old Mohammad Murobbil Vitoni as their next generation of Indonesian talents. 2019 has been challenging for Yuzy Honda Racing this season. After a second-placed podium by Amirul Ariff Musa in Round 1, the team has not been raking in the points. Like many of the Underbone teams, the Yuzy Honda Racing partners an experienced campaigner with a rookie rider. In this case, the team is highly reliant on Amirul’s performance to bring home the championship points. A 30-rider UB150 grid leaves little room for wildcards. At the upcoming Suzuka round, Hi Rev SCK Honda Racing Team’s Gun Mie will be the sole Japanese rider in the class. Ironically, Gun, who is racing in his first full UB150 season this year, has been the team’s best performer. The 13-year-old, one of the youngest riders in the class this season, has consistently picked up points in the first two rounds. Currently ranked 13th on the riders’ standings, Gun Mie would be looking forward to his home race this week. Newcomer team Cardinals Racing Team has managed to break into the top 10. Coming into the ARRC as a new racing outfit, the crew were well aware that they would have their work cut out for them to get into the competitive rhythm. Working with experienced Malaysian riders Fitri Ashraf Razali, Rozaiman Said and Indonesian Chepy Armansyah, the team is ranked 10th to date.

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ZHUHAI TO HOST ROUND 5

2019, 2019 Round5, Latest News /

The Zhuhai International Circuit will host Round 5 of the 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship on August 9 to 11, 2019. This marks the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship’s return to China after a 7-year absence. The last time the ARRC was held at the 4.3km circuit was in 2012. This time, the ARRC will bring along its newest premiere class, the ASB1000 as well as the SuperSports 600cc, Asia Production 250cc and the ever-popular Underbone 150cc. “The Zhuhai International Circuit and ARRC has always maintained a close working relationship even though we have not had the opportunity to race in China for a number of years. We know that road racing has been growing steadily in China. Over the years, there has been a number of wildcard trickling in to the Asian series. We hope that the return of ARRC to China will open a door of opportunity for Chinese teams and riders who are looking to take their racing to the regional stage,” said Ron Hogg, Director of Two Wheels Motor Racing, the race promoters of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship. The Zhuhai International Circuit is located in Zhuhai City in southern China. Opened in 1996, it was China’s first permanent motor race track. “It’s very exciting to have ARRC to come back to China, to Zhuhai International Circuit. ARRC is the window for the Chinese motorpsort and Chinese riders to get into a higher platform. It also gives opportunity to the Chinese riders to learn and exchange with the riders from Asia. ZIC is all ready for ARRC” said Stewart Tan, General Manager of the Zhuhai International Circuit.

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AZLAN IS THE MAN OF THE HOUR

2019, 2019 Round3, Asia Superbike 1000, Latest News /

Malaysian rider Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman cemented his status as one of the potential title contenders in the ASB1000 with a phenomenal hard-won double win at Round 3 of the 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship at the Chang International Circuit. After winning Race 1 on Saturday, Azlan again started Race 2 from pole position. A great start from the ONEXOX TKR SAG Team rider gave him a strong lead, but Azlan was initially unable to get away from the Yamaha contingent led by Broc Parkes and local hero Apiwat Wongthananon. Azlan lost the lead on Lap 2 to Broc. While racing wheel-to-wheel against his Australian rival, Azlan also had Apiwat to contend with. A daring pass by Azlan on Lap 10 came to nought when he ran wide on Turn 12 and found himself in the chase again. The Malaysian rider stuck to Broc and Apiwat for the two penultimate rounds of the 13-lap race before making his move on the final lap. Azlan went from 3rd to first within that same lap to take the double. The BMW rider’s gutsy move at the last corner clearly took Broc by surprise. Azlan out-braked Broc into Turn 12, locked out his front wheel, extricated himself from a potentially sticky situation and raced to the finish line with 20’59.735s. 0.135s behind, Broc claimed his fourth ARRC podium of the season while Apiwat Wongthanon had no choice but to settle for third. Mohd Zaqhwan Zaidi ended his campaign in fourth place but special mention has to be made about Ahmad Yudhistira who defied the odds and took his near-standard R1 to fifth place ahead of Yuki Ito. With this double win, Azlan closes in on Broc at the top of the standings. The Yamaha Racing Team ASEAN rider leads with 105 points. Azlan trails by 8 points with a total of 97 points. Zaqhwan Zaidi’s consistency kept him in third with 84 points. Thailand’s best performing rider in the ASB1000, Apiwat Wongthananon, stays in fourth with 69 points. The Kawasaki Thailand Racing Team’s replacement rider, Bryan Staring, survived a tough round in Buriram when he finished seventh in both Race 1 and Race 2. While Bryan stands sixth on the rider’s rankings, his points haul from Buriram, coupled with Chaiwichit Nisakul’s absence due to injury, was not enough to keep the team at the top of the team ladder. Yamaha Racing Team ASEAN now leads the team title chase with 110 points.

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NO STOPPING PEERAPONG

2019, 2019 Round3, Latest News, Supersports 600 /

It seems like there is no stopping Peerapong Boonlert in the SuperSports 600cc class! The Yamaha Thailand Racing Team rider has picked up an unprecedented sixth consecutive victory as Round 3 of the 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship drew to a close at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand. A slow start from pole position was no hindrance for the determined Thai rider. Peerapong easily challenged Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin for the lead on the first lap and proceeded to ride imperious to the end of the 11-lap race. Most impressive was Peerapong’s consistently fast laps despite riding solo at the front of the pack. His latest win was clocked at 19’58.199s, a full 3.4 seconds ahead of the rest. Behind Peerapong, Adam Norrodin put in a solid performance to take his second podium of the weekend with 20’01.688s followed by Kasma Daniel in third with 20’05.379s At this point, it would be Peerapong’s championship to lose. He carries the maximum 150 points to the fourth leg at the Suzuka Circuit. The last time a rider had run riot over the 600cc class was in the early days of the category when Toshiyuki Hamaguchi used to dominate the racing. Andi Farid Izdihar from the Astra Honda Racing Team finished fifth in both races to rank second on the championship standings. Azroy Hakeem Anuar is third with 69 points and is tied with Adam Norrodin. Despite Adam’s strong performance in Buriram, his position on the standings had dropped due to his missing out on Round 2.

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