2019

Rookie Tatchakorn Buasri capped off a successful weekend at the Chang International Circuit by picking up his first AP250 win in Race 2. As the lights went off for the 10-lap AP250 race, there was a great weight of responsibility on Tatchakorn’s shoulders. His senior team mate and pole sitter, Muklada Sarapuech, having achieved a 25-point lead ahead of the fifth ranked rider in Race 1, had 500 rpm less at her disposal. The young rider lived up to expectations when he proved himself capable of mixing it up with the main contenders of the AP250 class. When Muklada retired on Lap 3 following an unfortunate puncture, Tatchakorn held his own against Irfan Ardiansyah, Awhin Sanjaya, and aggressive Andy Muhammad Fadly and team mate Piyawat Patoomyos. Despite the best efforts from Astra Honda Racing Team trio Irfan, Awhin and Lucky, Tatchakorn was able to pip his rivals to the finish line by 0.310s. The young Thai rider brought home team AP Honda Racing Thailand’s second win of the weekend with 19’04.262s. Awhin Sanjaya finished second, his best performance this season, with 19’04.572s. Behind the two leaders, Yamaha Racing Indonesia’s Muhammad Faerozi Toreqottullah sprung an unexpected surprise at the last corner. Unknown to the leaders who were focused on getting past Turn 12 to the finish line, Faerozi had slipstreamed his way into the leading group and dodged past their defences to claim the first AP250 podium for Yamaha in 2019. Faerozi got himself onto the third step of the podium with 19’04.829s. Interestingly, Andy Muhammad Fadly, Muklada Sarapuech and Aiki Iyoshi, all three riders with the 500 rpm equalizer, are back at the top of the AP250 standings. Fadly tops the standings with 87 points after taking fifth place in Race 1 and Race 2. Despite sitting out for most of Race 2, Muklada Sarapuech is only a point behind with 86 points. Aiki Iyoshi ranked third with 78 points while Tatchakorn’s victory had boosted him up to fourth overall with 74 points.

Muklada Sarapuech bagged one for the Thai contingent with an uncontested AP250 Race 1 win as Round 3 of the 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship got underway at the Chang International Circuit. Starting the race from pole position, the AP Honda Racing Thailand rider got herself into the front by the first lap, and easily maintained a consistent one-second lead ahead of her rivals to take the win with 19’01.091s. Behind Muklada, her team mate Tatchakorn Buasri made it an AP Honda Racing Thailand 1-2 when he crossed the finish line in second with 19’02.295s While Muklada and Tatchakorn’s race went perfectly to script, what went on behind them was madness. Andy Muhammad Fadly, racing with a 500rpm equalizer, found himself in the thick of battle against Irfan Ardiansyah, Piyawat Patoomyos and Faerozi Toreqottullah for P3. The close fighting among the four riders led to close contact at the last corner of the final lap when Irfan seemed to touch Andy’s bike and somehow, caused Andy’s front wheel to lift. Andy was able to stay on the bike but lost the final sprint to the chequered flag. Irfan Ardiansyah from the Astra Honda Racing Team claimed third place with 19’04.491s. Further down the grid, Cao Viet Nam’s perseverance over the past few seasons seemed to have paid off. The Vietnamese rider recorded his best results in the AP250 to date when he finished ninth ahead of Rafid Topan Sucipto, Suttipat Patchaeetron and Rey Ratukore. Muklada’s win has brought her to the top of the standings with 86 points. She is 34 points in front of fifth ranked rider Irfan Ardiansyah, and will be riding with a -500rpm equalizer in Race 2. Andy Muhammad Fadly finished fifth to climb up to second overall with 76 points. Aiki Iyoshi crashed out of the Race 1 melee and dropped to third with 68 points.

AP Honda Racing Thailand duo Muklada Sarapuech and Piyawat Patoomyos dominated the AP250 proceedings during the free practice sessions as Round 3 of the 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship got underway at the Chang International Circuit. Muklada stopped the clock at 1’53.138s to top the timesheets followed by Piyawat second with 1’53.666s. Muklada’s time, however, is still about a second off the 2018 lap record set by Kritchaporn Kaewsonthi (1’52.339s). Despite riding with a 500 rpm cut, Andy Muhammad Fadly proved to be still competitive, coming in third on the combined timesheets with 1’53.724s. AP Honda Racing Thailand’s third rider Tatchakorn Buasri clocked the fourth quickest time followed by the fastest Yamaha on the grid, Faerozi Toreqottullah who posted fifth fastest with 1’53.850s. Championship leader Aiki Iyoshi, also riding with a 500 rpm cut, paced home at sixth fastest followed by the Astra Honda Racing Team trio Irfan Ardiansyah, Lucky Hendriansya and Awhin Sanjaya.