Round 5 of the IDEMITSU FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2025 delivered scorching action in Race 1 of the AP250 class at the Sepang International Circuit, with Indonesia’s Candra H of YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA emerging victorious in a dramatic battle under sweltering 40°C track temperatures.
As the lights went out, Candra got off to a strong launch and seized the early lead, only to be overtaken by Thailand’s Krittapat Keankum of YAMAHA THAILAND RACING TEAM, with compatriot Mohammad Murobbil Vitoni of YAMAHA LFN HP969 INDONESIA RACING TEAM close behind. By the end of the opening lap, Candra had slipped to third.
On Lap 2, Fadillah Arbi Aditama of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM surged to the front, igniting hopes of a charge, but technical gremlins struck, forcing him to slow as the pack swept past. Murobbil inherited the lead before disaster struck on Lap 3 when he and Krittapat collided with Rintaro Takemoto of TY Antares Racing Team and Davino Britani of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM and crashed, dramatically reshuffling the running order.
The incident elevated six riders into podium contention: Muhammad Fadhil Musyavi of YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA, Candra, Galang Hendra Pratama of YAMAHA BAF YAMALUBE AKAI JAYA MBKW2 RACING, Md Izam Ikmal of VICTOR RACING TEAM, Mohamad Danial Syahmi Ahmad Shahril of UMA RACING YAMAHA MAJU MOTOR ASIA TEAM, and Abdullah Qayyum A Razak of CARDINALS Factory YAMAHA ZYNERGYS Racing Team ARRC.
By Lap 6, Fadhil and Candra were locked in an intense duel for the lead, swapping positions at every opportunity, while Danial held firm in third and Izam began to close in from fourth. Japan’s Aiki Iyoshi of MOTUL KAWASAKI SNIPER MANUAL TECH joined the mix in fifth, setting the stage for a thrilling finale.
The last lap saw all-out aggression as Izam launched his challenge for victory, but Candra held his nerve and powered across the line first with a time of 19’35.572s. Izam followed just 0.158s behind at 19’35.730s, while Fadhil secured third at 19’35.734s, a mere 0.004s further back.
Candra shared, “I’m at a loss for words. I want to sincerely thank my team, my mechanic, and the team owner, as well as my family who has supported me all the way. This victory is dedicated to everyone who has stood behind me and believed in me.”
TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1
- CANDRA H – YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA (19’35.572s)
- MD IZAM IKMAL – VICTOR RACING TEAM (19’35.730s)
- MUHAMMAD FADHIL MUSYAVI – YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA (19’35.734s)
- GALANG HENDRA PRATAMA – YAMAHA BAF YAMALUBE AKAI JAYA MBKW2 RACING (19’35.806s)
- AIKI IYOSHI – MOTUL KAWASAKI SNIPER MANUAL TECH (19’35.830s)