Round 4 of the IDEMITSU FIM Asia Road Racing Championship concluded with a spectacular Race 2 in the ASB1000 class at the Mandalika International Circuit, Indonesia, as Malaysian veteran Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman of A1 ENERGY BMW RACING TEAM stormed to an emotional victory on National Day.
As the race start, Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah of JDT RACING TEAM surged to the front, closely pursued by Nakarin Atiratphuvapat of HONDA RACING THAILAND and Keito Abe of SDG HARC-PRO. HONDA PHILIPPINES. Drama unfolded on Lap 3 when Nakarin crashed but managed to rejoin. Keito moved into P2, while Azlan Shah climbed into P3, followed by Andi Farid Izdihar of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM and Azroy Hakeem Anuar of IDEMITSU HONDA RACING MALAYSIA.
The race took a major turn on Lap 5 for Malaysian riders, as Azroy crashed out, followed by heartbreak for Hafizh on Lap 6 when a highside ended his race while leading. Keito seized control at the front, chased by Azlan and Andi.
By Lap 8, Azlan began closing the gap to Keito, the duo breaking away by nearly five seconds from the chasing group. The relentless pressure culminated on Lap 12 when Azlan executed a smooth overtake to snatch the lead. Despite Keito’s fierce challenge in the closing laps, Azlan held firm, crossing the finish line at 20’55.147s to secure his first victory of the season and a special one for Malaysia on National Day.
Keito finished second at 20’55.784s, while local hero Andi delighted the home crowd by clinching third at 20’59.664s.
Azlan said, “It’s unbelievable! If I look back at my journey with the team, it’s been tough this season. I’ve struggled with form, with the bike, and with myself. Coming back to Mandalika wasn’t easy either. Last year, I crashed here, and I even had a highside during 8-hour race. Honestly, I lost some motivation, but I told myself: if I cannot win, at least improve and enjoy the circuit. Today, my target was just to stay with the front group and manage my energy. Yesterday, I was too hyped, pushed too hard, and made mistakes. But this time I stayed calm, kept the pace, and it paid off. I’m so lucky to get this win. I must thank my team and my crew who worked tirelessly, they even until midnight to prepare a new bike for me. This victory is for them, for everyone who has supported me, and most importantly, for Malaysia. Happy Merdeka Day!”
TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 2
- AZLAN SHAH KAMARUZAMAN – A1 ENERGY BMW RACING TEAM (20’55.147s)
- KEITO ABE – SDG HARC-PRO. HONDA PHILIPPINES (20’55.784s)
- ANDI FARID IZDIHAR – ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM (20’59.664s)
- MUHAMMAD ZAQHWAN ZAIDI – IDEMITSU HONDA RACING MALAYSIA (21’01.620s)
- CAMERON DUNKER – MOTOGO YAMAHA RACING TEAM (21’08.476s)