2016

ZAQHWAN REVELS IN THE HEAT; AZLAN’S FEELS THE HEAT

2016, 2016 Round2, Supersports 600 /

MUSASHi Boon Siew Honda’s Zaqhwan Zaidi is revelling in the heat of the Chang International Circuit while SuperSports 600cc championship leader Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman struggles to get on pace. The Malaysian rider who is second overall in the title chase was quickest during the first day of practice for Round 2 of the 2016 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship underway in Thailand this weekend. Despite playing second fiddle behind team mate Yuki Takahashi during the first two practice sessions, Zaqhwan came out with guns blazing at the third session with 1’40.249, the fastest lap of the day. Decha Kraisart and Tomoyoshi Koyama posted 1’40.255s and 1’40.376s respectively to round up the top three. Meanwhile, Takahashi’s pristine record at the Chang International Circuit was marred by a crash at Turn 1 during the second free practice session. Takahashi ended the first day fourth fastest with 1’40.468s followed by Ratthapong Wilairot with 1’40.655s. “The track surface is heating up as the day wears on and we are getting less traction than ever. I took an unexpected tumble during FP2, but sustained only minor damages to the bike. I am still confident that my results will hold up well for the qualifying and subsequent races,” said Takahashi who is looking to revive his title defense here in Buriram. Meanwhile, class leader Azlan Shah struggled to produce the laptimes on an unfamiliar circuit. “The tarmac was really slippy and to be absolutely honest, these types of track layouts with a lot of stop-and-go are never high on my favourites list,” said Azlan who was 11th fastest in FP1, 10th fastest in FP2, and eventually 9th fastest in FP3. Qualifying for the SuperSports 600cc will take place on Saturday morning to be followed by Race 1 in the afternoon. Catch the live stream of the races on www.eversport.tv starting from 0505hrs GMT.

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AHMAD FUAD: TEAM IUGB AFB TECH CONFIRMED FOR FULL SEASON OF ARRC

2016, 2016 Round2, Underbone 130 /

2-times Malaysian Cub Prix Champion and now team owner of AFB Tech Racing Team, Ahmad Fuad Baharudin, is feeling positive with the insertion of a new corporate sponsor into his team. Presently into its fourth year of operations, team AFB Tech has signed on IUGB (I Usahawan Global Berhad) as the title sponsor of the team. As a result, the team has spread its wings beyond the national borders and has confirmed its participation in the 2016 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship. “When I decided to hang up my racing boots in 2014 and made the leap into team management, I had been lucky throughout that we have been able to secure good sponsors for the team. This year, we are proud to work with the IUGB group,” said the 37-year-old team owner. The IUGB-AFB partnership got off to a podium-worthy start when Mohd Helmi Azman scored a second place finish in Round 3 of the 2016 PETRONAS AAM Malaysian Cub Prix Championship. “Thanks to that strong start, IUGB decided to expand their sponsorship and bring the team into the Asian series as well. We raced as wildcards during the first leg at Pasir Gudang. Here in Thailand for Round 2, the team will race full season in the Underbone 130cc category with Md Fareez Afeez and Md Irfan Rosnizam. Fareez especially did very well during the first leg where he is currently eighth overall despite his rookie status in the class,” said Fuad. “IUGB’s involvement is particularly important because they are one of the first non-bike related corporate bodies to enter the sport. We hope that their involvement will create awareness among other corporate bodies that motorsports is a strong marketing platform. As the sport grows, we need more corporate sponsor involvement. The industry cannot just continue to survive on the players in the motorcycle market alone,” Fuad concluded.

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GUPITA: OF PRESSURE, PATIENCE AND OPTIMISM

2016, 2016 Round2, Asia Production 250 /

Picking up zero championship points is an unusual occurrence for 2-time Underbone 130cc champion Gupita Kresna Wardhana. A podium regular during his Underbone racing days, the 27-year-old Indonesian ace is feeling the pressure in his Asia Production 250cc debut season of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship. “The Asia Production 250cc is a huge challenge. It is a tough competition with a large number of entrants. Even getting into the points was really difficult at Round 1,” said Gupita who finished 18th in Race 1 and 16th in Race 2 at Pasir Gudang. Gupita’s problems are compounded by the fact that he has not been able to ride on the 250cc bike since the opening round. “I have only been able to do physical training in between Round 1 and Round 2. I have not ridden the bike since.” Achieving better results will be Gupita’s goal for Round 2 in Thailand on May 7 and 8. “I have spent many years dominating the Underbone categories and I felt ready for bigger challenges. As this is my debut season, I will have to patiently sort out the problems that come my way. Podium finishes are not going to happen overnight, that’s for sure.” However, the Indonesian ace is optimistic that he will make it to the top ranks of the class. “The Hondas and Yamahas are really fast in this class. But our team has plans to improve on our bike. This gives me confidence that I will at least be able to follow the leading groups better in Round 2.”

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FITRI’S MISSION: TO TAME BURIRAM ONCE AND FOR ALL

2016, 2016 Round2, Supersports 600 /

The 4.554km Chang International Circuit, Thailand’s first FIM Grade A circuit, can be a deceptively difficult race course for rookie riders. For Malaysian rider Mohd Fitri Ashraff Razali, currently in his third season in the premiere class of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship, the circuit located in Buriram is the most important race track in the 2016 title chase. “The Chang International Circuit will host the ARRC twice this season. Therefore, the ability to score big points here becomes doubly important. This is not an easy race track to master. It looks easy on paper but there are two big trouble spots that could have a big impact on riders’ performance. Turn 4 happens as we descend from a slight elevation and we have to make an immediate left hand dive. Because of the elevation, we won’t be able to sight the corner prior to the turn and the method to tackle this turn must be memorized and ingrained into our muscles and reactions. Turn 12, the last corner, is also another tricky spot. It is a sharp right-hander and any mistake here will send the rider out onto the runoff area, effectively killing our race pace,” said Fitri. The 22-year-old Malaysian rider has much to prove this season, especially after landing a coveted ride with factory team Yamaha Racing. In a field of factory-supported satellite teams, Team Yamaha Racing is the only factory outfit in the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship. “Turn 4 and 12 have always been the hardest part of the circuit for me. I have not had good results here in 2015. This season, I must overcome those blocks. I need to improve on my rankings to secure my seat in the team,” he said. Fitri ranked 32nd overall in 2014, his maiden season in the SuperSports 600cc class. In his sophomore year in 2015, he climbed up the ladder to finish 25th overall. After one round of competition in 2016, Fitri is currently 14th overall.

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SARATH KUMAR SCORES A 600cc RIDE

2016, 2016 Round2, Supersports 600 /

23-year-old Indian rider Sarath Kumar is set to take on a new chapter in his racing career. With backing from the WOW Digit Company, the former Asia Dream Cup graduate will be making his SuperSports 600cc debut at Round 2 of the 2016 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship. Scheduled to be held at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand on May 7 – 8, 2016, Sarath will be running mates with two Japanese aces – Moto2 rider Tomoyoshi Koyama and upcoming hotshot Taiga Hada. Sarath was the first Indian rider to be accepted in the Honda-driven Asia Dream Cup. He ranked ninth overall in 2014 but slipped down to 13th in 2015. While Sarath will not be the first Indian to race in the Supersports 600cc class (that distinction has already been taken by K. Rajini), his participation in the class becomes that much more anticipated with the Buddh International Circuit set to host the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship later this year. “This is a perfect time for me to move from 250 class to the 600 class and I am so happy that I will be representing India in ARRC SS600. I have been riding the smaller bikes for over 8 years and because of my physic I had to move up the cc class but I did not expect the opportunity to come so soon that to at such a high level of competition. ARRC SS600 is one of the toughest grid in the world and I want to learn a lot this year before I start thinking about results. Riding with teammates like Koyoma will be a great learning opportunity for me and I hope I can get adjusted with the motorcycle fast. I really want to thank Honda Motorcycles & Scooters India, HM Japan our sponsors Mr. John Sudheer, WOW Digit Company and Mr. Ramji Govindarajan, Ten10 Racing who came forward to support the entire team for the season,” said Sarath. The Asia Dream Cup is an intermediary development programme meant to bridge the distance between the national championships and the regional and international levels. A fully sponsored programme, the Asia Dream Cup has become a much coveted opportunity among young hopefuls from around the region. Within five short years, the Asia Dream Cup had clocked tremendous success with their proteges now making waves around the world. 2012 winner Hikari Okubo is now a full-season World Superbike rider racing the 1000cc, 2013 and 2014 winners Hiroki Ono and Khairul Idham Pawi form a team in the Moto3 World Championships, 2015 winner Mukhlada Sarapuech is now being trained in Japan. Other luminaries from the Asia Dream Cup platform include Australian rider Josh Hook, now a WSBK rider with Hikari Okubo; as well as Indonesian Gerry Salim who is beginning to make big strides in the SuperSports 600cc class of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship. The Asia Dream Cup gained global prominence recently when Malaysian rider Khairul Idham Pawi became the first South East Asian to win the Moto3 race. Khairul accomplished his feat at the Argentinian Grand Prix on April 3

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DOUBLE VICTORY DELIGHTS NAKAMURA

2016, 2016 Round1, Asia Dream Cup /

Japanese rider Hiroki Nakamura was one of three riders who succeeded in clinching the double victory at Round 1 of the 2016 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship in Johor on April 1 and 2, 2016. The others were Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman in the SuperSports 600cc category and Apiwat Wongthananon in the Asia Production 250cc category. Nakamura was untouchable in Race 1, finishing a huge 5.7 seconds ahead of Hafiz Nor Azman and Mohd Harith Farhan. Race 2 was a closer affair with the two Malaysian riders sticking close to his tail. Nevertheless, Nakamura was able to hang on to the lead and score his second victory of the day with a time of 15’03.620s. Rider Quotes: Hiroki Nakamura: “Race 1 was better. Once I broke away, I knew that it was up to me to do the fast laps by myself. But Race 2 was difficult. The higher level of competition prevented me from running out in front. It forced me to change my riding in order to keep me going up to the finish line. I am very satisfied that I had been able to do so well on this tough race course.” Hafiz Nor Azman: “Harith and I had agreed on a strategy but the pressure at the end of Race 2 caused us to run wide. We were able to sneak back into second and third places, but were helpless to stop Nakamura from taking the chequered flag.” Harith Farhan: “Hafiz and I will continue to work together for the next round in Thailand. We were unable to check Nakamura’s dominance this weekend but we will analyze our mistakes and bounce back stronger for the next competition.”

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HUMAN ERROR COSTS TOSEMA EARLY LEAD IN SUZUKI ASIAN CHALLENGE

2016, 2016 Round1, Suzuki Asian Challenge /

A simple human error in Race 2 of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship at the Johor Circuit had cost Indonesian rider Jefri Tosema his hard-won lead in the Suzuki Asian Challenge. The 20-year-old rider was on course to lead the title chase after he put in a wheel-perfect performance in Race 1 where he won with a time of 14’12.283s, half a second ahead of his competitors. However, in Race 2, Tosema’s mechanic mistook a black flag meant for Philippines rider Mario Borbon Junior as being directed at Tosema. The mechanic then instructed Tosema to pit in. The Indonesian rider who was leading the 7-lap race duly pitted at the last lap, much to the confusion of his closest rivals – only to find out that it had just been a miscommunication. Tosema’s confusion gifted the win to Malaysian rider Rozaliman Zakaria who was escorted onto the podium by April King Mascardo and Rizal Feriyadi. Rozaliman leads the Suzuki Asian Challenge with 45 points. April Mascardo and Rizal Feriyadi were also able to rank above Tosema in second and third places respectively. Tosema, with only 25 points won from Race 1, will go to Round 2 in fourth ranking. Rider Quotes: Jefri Tosema: “He (my mechanic) thought that the black flag was meant for me. I can’t express how disappointed I am because I fought so hard to lead the race. I simply cannot imagine how he could have mistaken the number 29 for my number 20!” Rozaliman Zakaria: “I am thankful that I have shown good results in my first year of the Suzuki Asian Challenge. It is a good feeling after a long hiatus from professional racing.” April King Mascardo: “This podium is for my country. I will continue to push hard and work on improving my riding.” Rizal Feriyadi: “To be honest, I almost followed Jefri into the pit because I was so confused about what he was doing. Luckily, good sense prevailed and I carried on with the race. Otherwise, I too would be suffering from disappointment.”

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YOUNG IZZAT SURPRISED AT JOHOR WIN

2016, 2016 Round1, Underbone 130 /

21-year-old Mohd Izzat Zaidi professed surprise when he defeated more experienced Underbone 130cc riders to win Race 2 in the opening leg of the 2016 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship at the Johor Circuit. As always in the Underbone 130cc class, the riders spent seven out of eight laps jockeying for position at each corner. When the race intensified in the last lap, Izzat timed his break out of the last corner slipstream to perfection. The RCB KAGE Motobatt YY Pang rider slingshot into the win with a time of 15’32.282s. Senior rider Norizman Ismail claimed second place with 15’32.420s and FELDA PB Racing’s Iqbal Amri Malik took third spot with 15’32.455s. Rider Quotes: Md Izzat Zaidi: “I would like to thank my team for a great start to the ARRC season. My strategy to wait for the last moment before mounting an attack went really well. I hope that I will be able to maintain my momentum in the coming rounds.” Norizman Ismail: “We made a mistake in our bike settings for Race 1. Our efforts to rectify the problem in Race 2 seemed to have worked in the early part of the race, but problems started cropping up after the halfway mark. Since there was nothing I could do about mechanical errors in the middle of the race, I just stayed focus on consistency and sticking to the main group. I was lucky to finish second.” Iqbal Amri Malik: “This is my first season in the ARRC and I am feeling a bit pressured. This race had been a big learning experience for me.”

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TAG-TEAM STRATEGY PAYS OFF AGAIN FOR YAMAHA THAILAND

2016, 2016 Round1, Asia Production 250 /

The Asia Production 250cc Thai riders continued to demonstrate that they had their tag-team strategy down pat. In Race 2 at the first leg in the Johor Circuit, Yamaha Thailand Racing Team trio Apiwat Wongthananon, Peerapong Loiboonpeng and Anupab Sarmoon, put up a strong defense wall at the front of the 28-rider grid. Starting the race from the front of the grid, the three team mates produced a near-perfect display of team work as they alternately towed and slipstreamed each other throughout the 12-lap race. The Thai riders dominated the top five spots on the timesheets – Apiwat in first place with 21’25.861s, Peerapong in second with 21’27.112s and Anupab third with 21’27.269s. Indonesian rider Galang Hendra Pratama punched his way through a huge second pack to finish fourth with 21’27.621s. Suhathai Chaemsap, returning to the ARRC on a 250cc wildcard ticket, also gave a good performance in fifth place with 21’28.014s. Like Azlan Shah in the SuperSports 600cc, Apiwat’s double win has given him a big advantage in the championship standings. He leads by a 10-point margin against Peerapong Loiboonpeng. Meanwhile, Johor-born Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin initially enjoyed a good run among the leading pack, but was soon engulfed by a swarm of riders in the second half of the race. Kasma eventually finished eighth behind Yusuke Nakamura and Takehiro Yamamoto. Rider Quotes: Apiwat Wongthananon: “We approached Race 2 like how we did Race 1. The objective was to win and win big. I wanted to drag all my team mates onto the podium with me. What felt different was that I was more confident and relaxed. All the competitors in the Asia Production 250cc class were good riders but I wasn’t worried because I believe that I had a strong team backing me.” Peerapoing Loibonpeng: “Without a great team and strong sense of team work, this incredible feat that we had just accomplished would have been impossible. Now I’m feeling even more excited for Round 2 which will be a home race for us.”

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AZLAN BACK TO HIS WINNING WAYS

2016, 2016 Round1, Supersports 600 /

Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman made a big comeback to the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship with a double victory in the season opener held at the Johor Circuit on April 1 and 2, 2016. The Malaysian rider followed up his commanding performance in Race 1 with an unexpected change of tyre strategy. Even though the soft compound rear tyre netted him good results on Friday, Azlan opted for the hard compound for Race 2. With track temperature close to 55 degrees Celcius, the choice was disadvantageous at the start of the race. Pole-sitter Zaqhwan Zaidi and Yuki Takahashi both opted for soft compound rears for Race 2. The MUSASHi Boon Siew Honda duo were quick to capitalize on their prime starting position on the front row. However, Azlan was never far behind. As the 16-lap race progressed, tyre wear rapidly became a serious issue. Takahashi was content to stay in third place, allowing the two Malaysians to battle it out in front of their home crowd. In trying to fend off constant attacks from an increasingly aggressive Azlan on the final lap, Zaqhwan committed a critical error on Turn 3. As Zaqhwan ran wide, Azlan raced through and held the lead right to the chequered flag. Azlan brought the flag down at 24’56.627s, followed by Yuki Takahashi second with 24’57.612s. Zaqhwan recovered fast enough to squeak through onto the podium in third place. Behind the leading trio, former Asia Dream Cup rider Gerry Salim rode an impressive ride in fourth place. The young Indonesian rider successfully edged out Tomoyoshi Koyama, Ahmad Yudhistira, Dimas Ekky Pratama and Anthony West. Maximum points from Race 1 has Azlan leading the SuperSports 600cc title chase. Zaqhwan Zaidi is currently second overall with 32 points and Tomoyoshi Koyama’s consistency placed him third in the rankings with 31 points. Rider Quotes: Azlan Shah: “I was playing it safe at the start. I had identified Turn 3 as one of the possibilities for an overtaking move. My patience paid off when Zaqhwan ran wide right on cue. This double win was unexpected and I have my new team to thank for it.” Yuki Takahashi: “Today’s results was certainly better than Race 1. My performance suffered because I was only able to do one day of testing during the pre-season official tests. Because of that, I don’t have enough data with the new tyre and ended up making the wrong tyre choice in Race 1. To be honest, I really didn’t have any specific strategy in mind. I just wanted to follow Zaqhwan and push hard to overtake.” Zaqhwan: “Of course I am disappointed. I had a good start and led the majority of the 16 laps. My mistake at Turn 3 was painful. I guess I would have to be satisfied with two podium finishes this round.”

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