2023

VORAPONG WOWED WITH DOUBLE WIN

2023, 2023 Round 1, Latest News, TVS Asia One Make /

It was a fantastic performance by the riders of the TVS Apache RR310 machine as they showcased the engine capacities alongside riding techniques that kept audience glued to their seats. Vorapong Malahuan of Thailand made his dash towards victory in Race 2 of Round 1, FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) held at Chang International Circuit this afternoon. Although Piyawat was striking during the practice and qualifying session, Vorapong took the limelight in yesterday’s race when he emerged competitively to defend his championship title. This season definitely poses greater challenge for Vorapong but he is clearly not ready to be defeated. Taiyo Saito on the other hand made an impressive mark when he swerved out of the hurdles and into third place. During the race earlier, Piyawat went on a bolting speed ahead to take lead. Ramdan was second in line followed by Vorapong in P3. The Thai lad seemed confident as he charged ahead while the duo behind him tried to push through. Meanwhile, Malaysian rider, Muzakkir was chasing at P4 before Fugo Tanaka acted up. Before lap 4 ended, Ramdan found his moment to strike and took over the lead position briefly before passing it over to Fugo. It was not an easy feat as riders began striking at each other for the lead spot. With one more lap to go, it was Fugo at the front with Decky and Muzakkir on a wild chase. Vorapong was trying to inch closer from P4. At the last turn, the battle heated up. Skilled and highly experienced Vorapong managed to slide ahead into P2 and took speed next to Fugo before hitting it first at 14’56:268s. Commenting on the race, Vorapong said, “This race is different from yesterday’s. Yesterday, we were pushing faster and faster but today, it was not like that. All riders were trying to play safe, for the sake of restoring the tires till the end of the game. It was a hot day therefore it was crucial to strategize so that we can finish the race. Even during the warm up, I only did 2 laps because I did not want to wear it out. The tires are from Race 1 therefore, we had to safe it up for Race 2. To be honest, I did not know if I could fight for a win today but half way through the last lap, I noticed the Japanese rider taking lead. I thought of an idea for the last turn and it worked!” Fugo Tanaka of Japan clocked in at 14’56:269s. Decky Tiarno Aldy of Indonesia made his best time at 14’56:523s. Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

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HARUKI, BACK STRONGER

2023, 2023 Round 1, Asia Superbike 1000, Latest News /

Mastery and capacities were further amplified today in the Asia Superbike 1000cc race category at Round 1 of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship held at Chang International Circuit. Haruki Noguchi of SDG MS HARC-POR.HONDA.PH flaunted his riding techniques as we swiftly ended the game with his first win for the season. Earlier this morning in the qualifying session, Md Zaqhwan Zaidi of HONDA ASIA-DREAM RACING WITH SHOWA made a spectacular mark when he made new record at 1’34:844s. His close contender Markus Reiterberger of ONEXOX BMW TKKR TEAM made his fastest at 1’35’008s while Japanese star, Haruki Noguchi of SDG MS HARC-PRO.HONDA.PH clocked in third fastest at 1’35:045s. According to Zaqhwan, “The qualifying tires does make a whole lot of difference due to the tire compound that varies from the race tires. In the beginning, I tested my rhythm for a few laps with the medium tires. It was later that we changed to the qualifying tires and I noticed the improved lap time. But I did not expect to meet the mark of 1’34s so I am very thrilled about it.” Zaqhwan went on a blistering speed as soon the race flagged off. He did not waste a moment at turn 1 when he took lead and fled ahead. Markus was determined to stay close behind. Meanwhile, Andi Farid was poised at P3 with Haruki waiting to strike at P4. At turn 7 of the third lap, Haruki made a bold move from the inside and into P3. With temperatures soaring , it was a heated scene on the circuit with the risk of tires burning out quickly. Into the sixth lap, Haruki once again made his move at sector 2 when he took Markus’ position. He then picked up speed as he went on to take Zaqhwan down. Into the 8th lap, Haruki succeeded. Into the 11th lap, Azlan who started from the back picked up speed behind Zaqhwan and made a bold switch ahead. In a twist of fate, the top 3 positions changed quickly with Azlan leading and Haruki fighting back for his spot. Meanwhile Zaqhwan could not keep up and by the last turn, it was either Haruki or Azlan before the former bolted ahead. Haruki bagged victory at 20’54:882s. Commenting on the race, Haruki said, “I am very happy for the win. During the test and practice, I did not do very well and struggled quite a bit. Moreover with the major injury on my back that I sustained last year. However, the team has been truly supportive and I owe it to them for this success.” Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman of ONEXOX BMW TKKR TEAM took the second spot at 20’55:567s. At third, Md Zaqhwan Zaidi of HONDA ASIA-DREAM RACING WITH SHOWA clocked in at 20’55:698s. Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

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SUPER KIP IS BACK

2023, 2023 Round 1, Latest News, Supersports 600 /

The SuperSports 600cc race category captivated fans as riders went on an awe-inspiring ride this evening in Race 1 of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) held at Chang International Circuit. Khairul Idham Pawi of BOON SIEW HONDA RACING TEAM appeared steady and strong aboard the Honda CBR600RR as he strode swiftly ahead to the finish line. During the qualifying session, Khairul Idham Pawi of BOON SIEW HONDA RACING TEAM once again topped the chart with the best lap time at 1’39:000s. Thai lad Nakarin Atiratphuvapat of HONDA RACING THAILAND recorded second fastest at 1’39:015s while Malaysian, Muhammad Helmi Azman of BOON SIEW HONDA RACING TEAM made third fastest at 1’39:061s. The riders were off to a flying start as the race flagged off. Nakarin immediately made a swift move on the inside and took lead at turn 1 however, Khairul was quick to recover his position. At P3, Soichiro stayed calm which Helmi trailed him closely. With the riders aligned quite comfortably in their positions, it was a matter of closing the gaps between Khairul and Nakarin however the former was steadily leading the race. At P4 on the other hand, Helmi upped his pace and switched places with Soichiro at the end of lap 4. At the end of lap 6, the trio in front was keeping it consistent. Behind them, Ratthapong inched his way into P4 while Soichiro slowly began losing his momentum. Gerry Salim was moving upwards with Keito Abe close by. Super KIP was on his best in a long time and was fired up by the chase. He kept his contender at bay and steered away from even a minor slip. With 3 more laps to go, Helmi was playing catch up with Nakarin but the latter pushed himself further towards Khairul. During the last lap, Nakarin placed intense pressure on Khairul, trying his best to overtake and he did it at turn 5. The heated battle continued as Khairul strategized to make his comeback. At the last turn, Khairul worked his magic and grabbed the opportunity from the inside before bolting ahead towards victory at 20’03:796s. Commenting on the race, Khairul said, “My team worked really hard for this weekend. In the beginning of the race, I tried to pull away with about 0.5s gap however by the sixth and seventh lap, I did not have much grip on the tires so I calmed down a little and tried to manage the rider behind me. However, Cip managed to overtake me and I followed him closely. Unfortunately, he braked a little too late and that was my shot to victory.” Nakarin Atiratphuvapat of HONDA RACING THAILAND succumbed to the second spot on the podium at 20’04:082s. Muhammad Helmi Azman of BOON SIEW HONDA RACING TEAM clocked in third at 20’04:186s. Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

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1-2-3 FOR ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM

2023, 2023 Round 1, Asia Production 250, Latest News /

The Asia Production 250cc race category was made exciting with riders striding aggressively to take lead in Race 1 of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship held at Chang International Circuit. However, Rheza Danica Ahrens of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM had the upper hand when he graced the finish line first, bagging his first victory for the season. Earlier this morning, Herjun Atna Firdaus of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM made an impressive mark when he topped the qualifying session at 1’50:860s. His teammates Rheza Danica Ahrens and Veda Ega Pra Tama made their best lap time at 1’50:897s and 1’51:162s making them the top three riders in the session. With the ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM trio taking the front row on the grid, the advantage was amplified for Rheza Danica who made a quick move to take lead at the first turn. With that impressive act, Rheza took control of the circuit, slowly increasing speed lap-by-lap. By the end of lap 3, teammate Veda Ega positioned himself steadily at P2 with Muklada trailing close behind. Herjun who was then at P4 overtook Muklada at sector 2 and by end of lap 4, the ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM trio aligned themselves on the top 3 positions. Rheza was then fleeing comfortably ahead at P1 with Veda Ega fighting to close to gap. At P3, it was an exchange between Muklada and Herjun, mid-race. Muklada lost her chances at top 5 as Jakkreephat went ahead but she was determined to make the cut. The feisty battle for the third position went on between Herjun, Muklada and Jakkreephat. With one last lap to go, Rheza was confirmed for a win with Veda Ega at the second spot. It was at the last turn that the excitement mounted with Herjun and Muklada making one last push towards the chequered flag. As Rheza clocked in his masterclass performance at 18’37:710s, Veda Ega made his best at 18’38:639s. At third place, Herjun clocked in just in time to bag to third spot at 18’45:659s. Commenting on the race, Rheza said, “It was a quite tough race today especially with the heat steaming up the track. In the beginning, I kept my consistency intact by being completely focused. I presume that Race 2 will be equally hard but I will do my best tomorrow.” Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

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SHAFIQ SCORED HIS FIRST WIN

2023, 2023 Round 1, Latest News, Underbone 150 /

It was a neck-to-neck battle of Asia’s best in the Underbone 150cc race category during Race 1 of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship held at Chang International Circuit. Md Shafiq Rasol of ONEXOX TKKR RACING TEAM made his first cut for the season when he bragged victory. Earlier this morning, Md Hafiza Rofa of ONEXOX TKKR RACING TEAM made the fastest lap time at 2’02:176s in the Superpole session. Wawan Wello of PITSBIKE JRT TECH 2 ONEWAY RACING TEAM hit it at 2’02:508s while Md Izzat Zaidi of CARDINALS FACTORY RACING TEAM ARRC recorded his fastest lap time at 2’03:828s. While the pole position may not pose a significant advantage in the Underbone race category, it however sets a tone to the race. The race flagged off with the troop making a bolt to find the best position. Wawan Wello however was quick to find his pace as he took lead after turn one. However, mid lap 2, Ahmad Fazli Sham managed to pressure his way into P1. Hafiza who was then out of sight in the top 5 group picked up pace and emerged at P1. The competition was stiff as riders looped in and out of the top 3 position. Mid-race, Izam Ikmal took lead before Wawan Wello took his shot ahead. However, Izam managed to up his pace back into P1. With one more lap to go, Wawan Wello took lead but was struck by Nazirul Izzat and Murobbil Vittoni. By turn 5, Haziq Fairues took lead with a gap that kept his away from the troop trailing him. He held on fiercely but was superseded by Shafiq Rasol from the inside before the duo engaged in one final battle for the win. Md Shafiq Rasol of ONEXOX TKKR RACING TEAM clocked in at 16’31:851s. Commenting on the race, Shafiq said, “First of all, thank you to my team for the opportunity to race in this category. During the first few laps, I took my time among the back group. I did not push myself too much. It was not until the last few laps that I worked on my moves to take lead. That worked for me!” Md Haziq Md Fairues of UMA RACING YAMAHA MAJU MOTOR ASIA TEAM came close behind at 16’31:863s. Third place on the podium went to Wawan Wello of PITSBIKE JRT TECH 2 ONEWAY RACING TEAM logged in at 16’31:909s. Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

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VORAPONG BACK IN ACTION

2023, 2023 Round 1, Latest News, TVS Asia One Make /

TVS Asia One Make Championship was made even more competitive this season with the likes of extraordinary riders marking the entry list. This time around, Vorapong Malahuan of Thailand found his way to the top of the podium in Race 1 of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship that was held at Chang International Circuit. During the qualifying session in the morning, Piyawat Patoomyos of Thailand clocked in at 1’49:742s followed by Md Muzakkir Mohamed of Malaysia at 1’50:388s. Vorapong Malahuan, defending champion made his best at 1’50:935s. The riders were off to a fantastic start as soon as the race was flagged off. Vorapong immediately found the opportunity to strike and took the lead at turn one but was superseded by Ramdan who seemed confident striding aboard the TVS Apache RR310. Vorapong however struck back. In the second lap, Kerwin managed to loop himself ahead of the troop at the second sector and by the end of lap 2, Ramdan once again bolted ahead. By mid-race, Vorapong was back at the lead position. Nevertheless, he was strained by Malaysian duo Ramdan and Muzakkir and by the end of lap 5, Thai rider Piyawat emerged at P1. The pressure mounted with each lap and with two more laps to go, Ramdan faced issues with his machine consequently slowing him down. At the last lap, it was nip and tuck between Vorapong and Piyawat nevertheless, the Season 2022 champion was fiery in defending his title. As the last turn, he increased speed and bolted ahead clocking in at 14’55:442s. Commenting on the race, Vorapong said, “This place is really hot. At the starting grid too, it was super- hot! Yesterday was not so good for me as I couldn’t achieve a good lap time. But during the qualifying, I was more confident with my machine because I could obtain a better lap time. I am really happy to bag the first win for the season.” Taking the second spot on the podium was Piyawat Patoomyos of Thailand with his best time at 14’55:582s. Taiyo Saito of Japan took the third place on the podium, logging in at 14’59:756s. Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

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TITLE DEFENSE IN PROGRESS

2023, 2023 Round 1, Asia Superbike 1000, Latest News /

The roar of the ASB1000 grew louder today in the first practice session with riders pushing beyond  limits, testing their engine capacities with the hope that tomorrow would score them their first goal for the season. In that bid Md Zaqhwan Zaidi of HONDA ASIA-DREAM RACING WITH SHOWA emerged  fastest with the combined result at 1’35:486s, held at the Chang International Circuit.  Earlier this morning, Md Zaqhwan Zaidi of made the fastest in Practice 1 when he clocked in his fastest  followed by Markus Reiterberger of ONEXOX BMW TKKR TEAM at 1’35:755s. At third fastest, it was  Andi Farid Izdihar of HONDA ASIA-DREAM RACING WITH SHOWA at 1’35:805s. During Practice 2 in the  noon, Markus and Zaqhwan exchanged positions with the former clocking fastest at 1’36:069s while  the latter at 1’36:132s. Andi remained at third fastest, marking his best at 1’36:336s.  Markus hit it back again in Practice 3 at 1’35:623s while Zaqhwan and Andi followed suit in second and  third fastest spots. However, with the combined result, Zaqhwan was recognised fastest while Markus  and Andi concluded at second and third.  Commenting on the session, Zaqhwan said, “It definitely felt very good. I was happy, excited and  challenged. This year is foreseeably a tough one ahead with the likes of Markus, Andi, Noguchi and  other international riders making up the entry list. If you noticed, the earlier session was pretty tough with the difference of less than a second. I have to be forward thinking in my approach during the race  especially in managing the pace, even more so with such hot weather. The machine is indeed at its  best and I am feeling really good manoeuvring it. Using the No. 1 on the machine definitely amplifies  the pressure but I like the pressure. It pushes me further to do well especially my defence of the  championship title.” “The weather will be somewhat similar tomorrow, I presume. I can already imagine the strain during  the race especially among the top 5. I have to work on some strategies – perhaps, work on widening  the gap or even trail someone close. But the more challenging bit would be preserving the tire till the  end of the race. It is not going to be easy and I expect the tires to wear out by the 5th lap. Well, anyhow,  I will keep my fingers crossed.” Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

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SUPER KIP, SUPERB SPEED

2023, 2023 Round 1, Latest News, Supersports 600 /

The blazing scene of the SuperSports 600cc came into action today with practice session throughout  the day. The day ended when Khairul Idham Pawi of BOON SIEW HONDA RACING TEAM emerged  fastest in the combined practice, clocking in his best at 1’39:204s.  In Practice 1 this morning, Khairul made his best lap time for the day followed by Thai duo Nakarin  Atiratphuvapat of HONDA RACING THAILAND at 1’39:230s and Ratthapong Wilairot of YAMAHA  RACING THAILAND at 1’39:406s. At noon, as the heat picked up, Khairul was relentless and once again went ahead with brave speed, clocking in fastest at 1’39:717s in Practice 2. This time around, Keito  Abe of ONEXOX TKKR RACING TEAM flexed his muscles, marking his fastest at 1’39:993s followed by  Azroy Hakeem Anuar of BOON SIEW HONDA RACING TEAM at 1’40:068s.  In Practice 3, the Malaysian lad, fondly known as Super Kip did not give up despite the steaming  temperature and made it again, while his teammate Muhammad Helmi Azman emerged third fastest  at 1’39:824s. Pannasorn Kaewsonthi of HONDA RACING THAILAND made it in between at 1’39:66s.  The combined result at the end of the three sessions marked Khairul as fastest for the day while  Nakarin and Ratthapong took the third and second fastest spots.   Commenting on the practice session, Khairul said, “Honestly, this was a huge improvement for me  compared to last year. I wondered why I could not perform last year and based on my analysis and  performances, I realised that I needed to change my direction and this year has been good. I recognised the changes in me and I am better-able to fine tune my riding techniques. I made many  mistakes with my riding style and of course with the fact that I did not race for two years prior to that,  it was difficult for me to find my momentum back then. But that gave me the real push to do better  this time around and I am calmer now, too.”  “In the morning, it was not too hot and it was a good ride. But as the temperature increased further,  I noticed that it was difficult to find my pace, the braking system did not work that well and speeding  only increased the risk with the rear tires. But, it gave me good insights as to how it would work for  tomorrow’s race and I am ready to race tomorrow.” Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

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ASTRA HONDA LADS BOOSTED

2023, 2023 Round 1, Asia Production 250, Latest News /

The Asia Production 250cc race category went on with a swift move throughout the practice session  today despite the heat at the Chang International Circuit. Herjun Atna Firdaus of ASTRA HONDA  RACING TEAM emerged fastest for the combined practice session when he clocked in his best for the  day at 1’50:661s. In Practice 1 this morning, riders of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM aboard the Honda CBR250 RR conquered the three fastest spots with Herjun at his best lap time followed by Rheza Danica Ahrens  and Veda Ega Pra Tama at 1’50:772s and 1’51:187s respectively. Pumped up further, the trio of ASTRA  HONDA RACING TEAM went on to make the fastest in Practice 2 with Rheza taking lead at 1’51:116s,  followed by Veda and Herjun at 1’51:374s and 1’51:898s respectively.  In Practice 3 however, Thai lad, Jakkreephat Puettisan of HONDA RACING THAILAND made fastest at  1’51:104s while ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM duo, Rheza and Veda concluded with second and third  respectively.   With the final practice session, the combined result placed Herjun and Rheza in the first and second  fastest spot while Jakkreephat took the third fastest spot.  Commenting on the practice session, Herjun said, “The temperature was not too high in the morning but during the afternoon session, the asphalt temperature was close to 60 degrees which made it very  hard to maintain speed. With an increased temperature, we face limitations with the tire and the grip becomes less functional in terms of speed.”  “My teammates are excellent riders. Rheza has a lot of experience as a rider in the AP250 race category while Veda has gained his bulk of experience from ATC and MSF. So, it would definitely be an  interesting ride with them and definitely, my hope is to win the race tomorrow.” Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

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NAZIRUL CONFIDENT ON LONG-STRAIGHTS

2023, 2023 Round 1, Latest News, Underbone 150 /

It was a fiery morning with the sound of the Underbone 150cc race category machines filling up the  air. As the day went by, Nazirul Izzat Md Bahauddin of UMA RACING YAMAHA MAJU MOTOR ASIA  TEAM emerged fastest in the combined practice session held at the Chang International Circuit, with  his best time at 1’59:120s.  In Practice 1 this morning, the top 3 fastest spots were marked by Yamaha riders with Nazirul Izzat marking fastest followed by Md Hafiza Rofa of ONEXOX TKKR RACING TEAM at 1’59:661s and teammate Ahmad Fazli Sham at 1’59:686s.   In the afternoon, as the riders were further fuelled, Fazli Sham braced the scorching heat to showcase  his strengths consequently made his fastest at 1’59:706s. At second and third fastest, it was Murobbil  Vittoni of LFN H. Putra 969 Indonesia Racing Team, logging in at 2’00:202s and Wawan Wello of  PITSBIKE JRT TECH 2 ONEWAY RACING TEAM with his best at 2’00:443s. The combined result however placed Nazirul at the top. Taking the second fastest with the combined  result was Hafiza Rofa with his best for the day at 1’59:661 while at the third fastest was teammate,  Fazli Sham with his fastest time for the day at 1’59:686s.  Commenting on this lap time, Nazirul said, “In the morning, the weather was not too bad. But in the  noon, it became extremely hot which makes it difficult to find the right setup of the machine. With  Race 1 to be held in the afternoon tomorrow, it worries me as the weather is expected to be similar  to what it was today but I will try to do my best.”  “I am good with high-speed track and Chang International Circuit has many turns and long straights.  It is also a little technical hence we have to strategize to ensure that we are able to compete  competitively.” Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

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