Husni Zainul Fuadzy of ZIEAR LFN HP969 MCR RBT 34 claimed the championship title early and in style for the Underbone 150cc race category of IDEMITSU FIM Asia Road Racing Championship during Round 5 which leaves the 1st runner up a hot, second most sought after spot among the riders. But only one will make it and among the top three contenders, Fahmi Basam of YAMAHA LFN HP969 INDONESIA RACING TEAM, Ahmad Afif Amran of Pitsbike Superfast JRT Rapido Racing Team and Dimas Juli Atmoko of RACETECH SIXTY RACING, it is unclear who will most likely bag the limelight considering the close contention.
Malaysian rider, Afif may not have taken the spotlight in the beginning of the season, more so with a double “DNF” between Round 2 and Round 3 however, the rider made headlines when he banked in 50 points on his home-ground circuit, instantly placing him among those in contention for the 1st runner up position. Currently sitting third in the overall standings with a total of 125 points, he has two situations to deal with – one, to steer closer towards the 1st runner up spot and another, to eliminate possibilities of dropping down a notch.
Clearly, it would be a tough bet considering Fahmi’s and Dimas’ level of competencies which are equivalent to that of Afif’s. During Round 1, all three of them fought the raging fury on the final turn before wrapping up the weekend with a podium-finish each. This further accentuates the anticipation of rivalry, brewing silently before the final showdown and for those under the pressure, it would be a test that either breaks or makes them. The UB150 race category is not one to mess with especially with its unpredictable nature so, will this be a matter of luck of brilliance?
Commenting on the upcoming race, Afif said, “I will use the experiences that I have gained to manage and overcome any kind of challenges, if I can and also to find the best possible machine setup for the race. Of course, I do understand the possibilities that are endless – the nature of the race itself being unpredictable. For now, I will not deny that my machine is in an optimised condition so there may not be major changes on that. The tricky bit is that, all teams have their strengths, with different capacities and they might just find the right setup for their machines at the very least expected time. So, I have to always be aware of the possible outcomes and keep focused on my goal.”
“Personally, I don’t think I have much advantage on Chang circuit because all the riders have their own data and they are all aware of the layout and techniques that is most effective on the circuit ground. All I can do is my version of the best – use my very own insights and professional capacity to avoid errors and minimise risks at all cost. Frankly, the last two races were exceptional because my team has found the right setup for Sepang ground. But for Chang, I am confident that Fahmi and Dimas will put on their best show. They are strong contenders with great experience – brilliant in their strategies and manoeuvrings, so the final showdown is going to be a tough one. I just want to complete the race and collect as much points as I can for the championship. If this season doesn’t work for me, I will do better in the next – and that’s how I plan to end the season.”