2019 Test

Malaysian rider Mohd Akid Aziz could potentially be crafting an Underbone 150cc title comeback in the new 2019 season. The Asian UB150 champion in 2017, Akidlost the title last year to Honda’s Mohd Helmi Azman. As a new season unfolds, Akid and the UMA Racing Yamaha Maju Motor Asia Team seemed to have regrouped and are ready to take back the title that was lost in 2018. The Malaysian rider led the Underbone 150cc pre-season test with 2’34.016s. However, despite the overwhelming Malaysian presence on the Underbone grid, the home contingent will have to work hard to dominate the podium. Indonesianrider Wahyu Aji Trilaksana, now racing with the ONEXOX TKKR SAG Racing Team, has gained new momentum as the second fastest rider. Wahyu clocked 2’34.158s. Third fastest of the day, McKinley Kyle Paz from UMA Racing Yamaha Philippine Team continue to wow the Underbone paddock with 2’34.270s. 2018 Underbone team champion Hi Rev SCK Honda Racing Team has unearthed new talent from Japan. 13 year old Gun Mie wasted no time in getting the horsepower out of his Honda RS150 R. Mie finished the first day as the second fastest rider but dropped to sixth quickest after the second day.

13-year-old Underbone 150 freshies Aldi Satya Mahendra and Gun Mie stunned the Underbone 150cc crowd when they came out tops of the timesheet in the first day of pre-season test. Yamaha Racing Indonesia’s Aldi Satya Mahendra came out with guns blazing as he clocked 2’34.473s on the 5.542km Sepang Circuit. Aldi’s time was followed closely by another ARRC newcomer, Japanese rider Gun Mie who will be riding for defending champion team HI REV SCK HONDA Racing Team. The dimunitive Mie posted 2’34.650s even though this was his first time racing on the Underbone bike. Malaysia’s Underbone specialists Ahmad Fazli Sham, Mohd Affendi Rosli and Mohd Faiz Zekri Sabri made up the rest of the top five with 2’34.725s, 2’35.040s and 2’35.320s respectively.

Underbone racing has long been acknowledged as a form of racing unique to the South East Asian region. However, the uniqueness of this class lies beyond the aggressive, close-contact racing that has come to characterize this special South East Asian heritage class.   Unlike other race categories, many of the teams who specialize in Underbone racing develops and market their own brand of after-market performance parts. With billions of Underbone bikes sold in Asia every year, this is a business model that is different from that of other race teams that are dependent on sponsorship.   Some of the most successful teams who have gone on to develop their own products include Maju Motor (UMA Racing), SND Racing, YY Pang, and SCK.   A new brand enters the ARRC market in 2019 – Cardinals Racing. Pioneered by former Malaysian Cub Prix rider Wong Kok Fatt (KF Wong), the new entry will be using the Asian circuits primarily as a research and development platform to enhance their products.   “I used to be a Cub Prix rider in my youth, but I hung up my boots in 2002,” said team principal, KF Wong. “When I left the sport, I opened my own workshop but eventually, retailing parts morphed into an opportunity to develop our own products. That was the beginning of Cardinals Racing.”   For the team’s Asian debut, Wong will be banking on the skills of experienced riders Mohd Fitri Ashraf Razali, Mohd Rozaiman Said and Cheppy Armansyah.   “Being a new team, we needed riders who are more stable and better at giving feedback. To be honest, I feel a lot of pressure coming into Round 1. I’ve been away from the sport for the better part of a decade. Coming back, I find our team facing 32 of the best Underbone riders in the world. This will be our greatest challenge so far.”