2019 Round5

If there was one weakness that has marred the promising career of Indonesian rider Rafid Topan Sucipto, it would be his lack of consistency. Brilliant one day, india the next, it has always been hard to predict what Rafid would do in any given race. However, Rafid displayed none of that at the Zhuhai International Circuit when he picked up a double AP250 win from the 4.3km circuit. All eyes were on the Bike Corner SYS KYT Racing Team rider when he lined up on pole position – would he repeat his Race 1 feat? Rafid struggled at the start of the race, dropping quickly from pole to fourth on Lap 1 as Andy Muhammad Fadly, Awhin Sanjaya, and Tatchakorn Buasri took charge of the 10-lap race. The newly applied equalizer rule on Awhin and Irfan had done little to slow the pace of the two Astra Honda Racing Team riders. The duo had been able to quickly adjust to the reduction in power and were dominant in the first half of the race. By Lap 8, with two laps remaining, Rafid was still hunkered down in P6, deep within the leading group. The Indonesian rider finally made his move on the penultimate lap, moving up three spots to get into position for the final push to the finish line. When Muklada Sarapuech powered her way past Awhin and Irfan into the lead, Rafid tucked himself into her slipstream. With only half a lap remaining, the Indonesian rider successfully got past Muklada and stormed to his second win of the weekend with 19’10.448s Irfan Ardiansyah claimed the second spot with 19’10.541s followed by a jubilant Piyawat Patoomyos in third. This would be Piyawat’s first podium of the season. The AP250 Race 2 was a strategically important race for championship leader Andy Muhammad Fadly. After Race 1, Fadly was 47 points ahead of his team mate Aiki Iyoshi. Under the equalizer rules in the AP250 class, a second equalizer would be imposed should Fadly’s lead margin extend beyond 50 points against that of the fifth placed rider. In this case, to avoid the second equalizer, Fadly had to rein in his performance in Race 2. In other words, he had to lose the battle in order to win the war. Fadly finished the race in P9 to add seven more points to his points haul while his team mate Aiki Iyoshi picked up none after crashing out on Lap 2. Luckily for Andy, Aiki has dropped down to sixth overall while Lucky Hendriansya is now fifth with 97 points. Andy’s 145 points at the top of the table is 48 points clear of Lucky’s position. Therefore, the second equalizer will not take effect just yet.

Indonesian Rafid Topan Sucipto pulled off a stunner of a Race 1 at the Zhuhai International Circuit when he brought his privately funded Honda to the top of the AP250 podium. The former Moto2 rider had been struggling for the most part of the season, ofttimes finding it hard to break into the top 10. At the Zhuhai International Circuit, Rafid finally hit his stride. The Bike Corner SYS KYT Racing Team rider snared the limelight when he qualified P1 to take pole position. A bumpy start as the lights went off saw Rafid dropping down to fifth in the first half of the race. The highly experienced Indonesian rider was able to make up for lost ground and he emerged in the lead on Lap 8. Although constantly harassed by Astra Honda Racing Team duo Awhin Sanjaya and Irfan Ardiansyah, Rafid was able to hold his advantage until the end of the 10-lap race. He picked up his first win of the season with 19’10.656s. It was clearly a Honda party at the sharp end of the grid. Astra Honda Racing Team trio – Awhin, Irfan and Lucky Hendriansya – escorted Rafid to the podium in second, third and fourth respectively. Andy Muhammad Fadly who have had a tough time in China, finished fifth, enough to extend his lead at the top of the AP250 standings. The key to the title chase, however, happened off the podium. Aiki Iyoshi finished 13th, and there is now a 33-point gap between Awhin Sanjaya and Aiki on the overall standings. Similarly, Irfan leads Aiki by 29 points. By the rules of the AP250 class, the first equalizer rule (500rpm cut) will also be applied to Awhin and Irfan in Race 2.