2023

FAST & FIERY

2023, 2023 Round 4, Asia Production 250, Latest News /

Powerful and persistent are the descriptions of riders in the Asia Production 250cc as they continue to unveil hidden moves and enhanced abilities. No exception to this is Herjun Atna Firdaus of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM and Aiki Iyoshi of Motul Sniper Manual Tech who have both displayed spectacular performances in Round 3. Racing in Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit for Round 4 of the Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship however may pose two different set of experiences for these riders. Along with his teammates, Herjun has been exemplary in his racing endeavours this season. Although he lost some points in Race 2 of Round 1, his on-going achievements has positioned him at the third spot overall to-date; 1 point shy from his teammate at the second spot. Throughout the races, he was seen relentless in his pursuit for a winning recognition despite the challenges within the race category. Last season, Herjun bagged the third spot overall with two wins and two podiums. Commenting on his achievements, Herjun said, “Last year, I was a rookie in the AP250 race category. However, with the help of my teammates, I am able to scale up to greater heights this season. For the upcoming race at Mandalika, I have a strong feeling that it would be an awesome one. Perhaps, also with the upper hand of having the experiences racing there. I joined the ATC 2021 and raced at Mandalika which gave me some insights to the layout. Briefly, Mandalika circuit has many high-speed corners and also windy points which makes it interesting yet challenging. Not forgetting, having the support of my family and friends which serves as a motivational factor. The team at Astra Honda also gave us the opportunity to do testing as an early preparation. With all these in hand, my target would be to win for both races.” Fighting for the same opportunity and coming out strong in Race 2 of Round 3 was Aiki Iyoshi who managed to untangle himself from the chaos at the last lap before sprinting ahead towards the second spot on the podium. The Japanese lad who strides aboard the striking green Kawasaki Ninja 250 may have somewhat struggled in the first two rounds but round three was definitely the much-needed booster to alleviate him further. Commenting on the race, Aiki said, “This season has been a tough one, frankly. But in race 2 of Round 3, I made it to the podium although I know I could have done better. I wasn’t really satisfied with my performances but all I could do is move forward to achieve better outcomes. Racing in Mandalika would be my first so from the practice sessions onwards, I will have to work on my riding techniques and find the right setup. The goal is to leave a mark during the race therefore, it is going to be a lot of hard work. Speaking about his machine, he went on to say, “I am confident with my machine and it works well at the corners. So, attacking the opponent at the corners would be the best bet to move upwards. I know that closing the gaps with the other riders is a challenging task but my goal is to utilise the strengths of the machine where possible. I foresee a fierce battle at Mandalika but the aim is to be on the podium and I will do everything I can to achieve it from FP up till the end of the race! Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

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FROM WEIGHT WATCH TO ACHIEVEMENTS

2023, 2023 Round 4, Latest News, Underbone 150 /

The Underbone 150cc race category is not only captivating with its long stretch of line during the race but also the trick of riders in their pursuit to take dominance. Gupita Kresna Wardhana of 4S1M EVO YAMAHA Racing Team is just like any of his counterparts will continue to find the right opportunities to strike in Round 4 of Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship that will be held at Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit this weekend. The Indonesian rider may have struggled quite a bit with his positions last season but this year, he has made quite remarkable improvements with three podiums to-date. Taking the third spot in the overall standings, it may still be early to predict the outcome of his standings but what is evident would be his accomplishments thus far with the possibility of him raking it better on the charts at his home-ground circuit. Riding aboard the Yamaha Sniper 150, the UB150 race category is not so much about the speed of the machine but rather the ability to manage the manoeuvring techniques coupled with the ability to strike while the iron is hot. Gupita has certainly showcased those qualities. Commenting on his performances, Gupita said, “I’ve been performing quite well this season and it feels good, scaling to a better position with the accumulation of points. This season, it is all about conditioning myself physically, especially my diet. I have been working towards my weight goals that would complement my riding style. For Round 3, I was really grateful to be on the podium. The feeling was overwhelming. I had many chances to win but it was definitely not easy. Getting a place on the podium was already a great achievement and a blessing for me.” Speaking about the Mandalika circuit, Gupita said, “The Mandalika circuit is like the European circuit. It is very special. The weather while is nice can be challenging with the unpredictability of wind as it is near the sea. The layout is also a tricky one which would require time to adapt. Nevertheless, my team and I will work towards ensuring consistency in our achievements for this season. Usually, there is no pre-race preparations and the team will start working on our machines when we arrive at the track during the race week which is our regular routine each round. On my part, it is more of staying committed to physical enhancement routines.” Gupita looks forward to yet another podium this weekend. According to him, “I am motivated by the fact that I am in the top 5 right now. This is a good chance for me to prove to the ARRC community that I still have it in me to succeed. The machine is also more powerful than before which gives me the upperrhand to fight competitively. The mechanics and the 4S1M team have also been doing a great job since their enrolment into ARRC. Frankly, I am much boosted this time around with a team of members who have been supportive in every aspect. Therefore, I look forward to either win or be on the podium in both races of Round 4 so that I can be in the running towards becoming a champion this season.” Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

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RIDING THE TVS RHYTHM

2023, 2023 Round 4, Latest News, TVS Asia One Make /

The TVS Asia One Make Championship has fulfilled a pleasurable yet provoking challenge since its  debut in the Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship and foresees continuous excitement for its  fans as it grows. Raking the charts to topple the lead are Md Muzakkir Mohamed of Malaysia and  Decky Tiarno Aldy of Indonesia who will compete once again in Round 4 which will be held at the  Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit this weekend.  While debutante, Muzakkir made victorious moves at Sepang circuit in Round 2, second-year rider,  Decky put on a fiery battle at Sugo circuit in Round 3 – both with a vision to claim the highest spot on  the chart with a four-point difference. For a newbie in the race category, Muzakkir has definitely come  a long way in quickly picking up the art of riding aboard the TVS Apache 310 machine while Decky  implemented his learning curves for a better position than the season before.   Commenting on his performances, Muzakkir said, “It has been quite an exciting season so far. I have  been able to get adapted to the machine really well and fight for a spot on the podium. Winning and  obtaining a double podium at Sepang was one of the best things that has happened to me this season.  Of course, I have been training a lot especially with the machine and I was also able to prepare myself  better, mentally. In Round 3 however, I faced some issues with the machine. There were a lot of  clattering on the front but could not find the real issue with it.”  “For Round 4 though, I am quite sure of the direction and with the rights steps, I am sure that I would  be able to manage it well there. Mandalika circuit is the much-anticipated circuit for most riders. The  layout is beautiful and requires absolute speed to stay on par with the competitive riders. I think it will  be a close race for every race category. I have already studied the layout and have done training on a  similar track here in Malaysia. So, I hope that I will be 100% prepared when I get there. So far, the TVS  Apache RR310 machine has been serving me really well and for the coming round, I will just have to  find the perfect setup like gearing and bike fitting that matches my riding style on the circuit.”  Having improved this season, Decky said, “The difference this season compared to before is the entry  list that entails more competitive riders. This season, I paid attention to my past mistakes and flaws to  find ways in making the necessary amendments. For me, the fact that there are highly credible riders  gives me greater motivation to continue training and improve my performances. For the coming race,  it would be my first at Mandalika so it is important to learn the layout and identify where I can be  stronger and minimise my weaknesses. I believe that with hard work and persistence, I would be able  to dominate the circuit. Whatever that I have learnt, I will make full good use of it.”  On TVS team, Decky said, “TVS team has helped me tremendously in achieving my goals last season  as well as for this season. Throughout the year and a half that I have been part of TVS’ aspirations and  mission, I have grown to understand and enjoy the machine better, even more so with the upgrades  for this season. My goal for the coming round would be the inject some fun for the audience while  making sure that I am at my best.” Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

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MARKUS TAKES LEAD IN ASB1000

2023, 2023 Round 3, Asia Superbike 1000, Latest News /

Asia Superbike 1000cc is an intriguing race category which encapsulates not only the speed of the machine but also the ability to weigh between riding techniques and calculated moves. In Race 2, Round 3 of the Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship that was held at Sportsland Sugo International Racing Course, Markus Reiterberger of ONEXOX BMW TKKR Team showcased exemplary attributes that rewarded him with a victory. Taking a moment to reflect upon Race 1, Japanese rider Takume was off to a majestic start but soon started facing challenges of worn-out tires. Malaysian rider, Kasma used that to his advantage as he picked up pace la-by-lap before attacking him at the right time, with the right strategies in mind. German rider, Markus reduced his pace for a moment before jumping right back into the game. Japanese rider, Keisuke who was off the limelight for the first 17 laps emerged at the last lap to bag the third spot. Today, the race went on a high-speed chase once again with Markus taking lead in the first lap followed by Haruki at P2, Takume at P3 and Azlan Shah at P4. By the end of lap 2, the four riders in the front troop drew up a gap with the riders of the back troop. As TKKR rider, Markus glided confidently ahead, Takume was injecting pressure on Haruki. By the end of lap 3, Azlan was back into the pit. Meanwhile, the back troop was led by Kota Arakawa, followed by Rei Toshima, and Kasma. Among them, Kasma was seen moving fiercely forward and before the end of lap 4, he took over Rei Toshima’s position. Meanwhile, among the front troop, Takume took a slide ahead of Haruki. But, German rider, Markus was picking up speed with a gap of 1’452s. Down to 12 laps, Haruki took a slide from the inside ahead of Takume while Kasma pushed himself into P4. There was a huge gap between Takume and Kasma but the Yamaha rider was focused on closing the gap. With another 8 laps to go, Haruki crashed at turn one instantly opening the pathway for Kasma into P3. But luck was not on his side too when Kasma took a fall at turn one. With that, Markus was free of threats with a 5’074s away from Takume who was at P2. Meanwhile, taking P3 was Kota Arakawa followed by Andi Farid and Zaqhwan at P4 and P5 respectively. The two teammates worked towards closing the gap with the Japanese rider ahead. Kota Arakawa however does not intend to give up his position just yet. But Andi kept on with the pressure and finally overtook him. For Markus, it is all about maintaining his momentum and avoiding mistake. It was almost impossible then for Takume to bypass Markus. Unfortunately, Takume too took a fall. Andi moved into P2 and Zaqhwan took P3. At the final lap, Markus was on his way towards victory. Teammates Andi and Zaqhwan were leaning towards second and third position. With no mistakes made, the trio made it to the podium. Markus made an impressive 17’860s gap ahead when he clocked in at 26’42:374s. Commenting on the race, Markus said, “My weekend was almost perfect apart from the second place yesterday. I was still happy with the outcome yesterday but I can’t imagine a better race than today. It was really good. I could push from the very beginning as I have planned. I also studied the lap time from Noguchi as he was the strongest rider. I noticed that I could do a few laps very quick and then stabilise my lap time. So, I followed through with my plan and it happened. When I don’t hear the sound of machine and when I noticed the gaps, I relaxed a little so that I could keep it together till the end. Suddenly, I saw it was more than 17s since many riders crashed too. I thank my team for the machine.” Teammates Andi Farid Izdihar and Md Zaqhwan Zaidi of Honda Asia-Dream Racing with SHOWA took the second and third spot at 27’00:223s and 27’00:558s respectively. Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

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A WOW EFFECT!

2023, 2023 Round 3, Latest News, Supersports 600 /

The SuperSports 600cc is constantly fuelled with nail-biting action scenes that makes it an ever- interesting race category. In Race 2, Round 3 of the Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship that was held at Sportsland Sugo International Racing Course today, Khairul Idham Pawi of Boon Siew Honda Racing Team further injected excitement before concluding the race with a victory. It was unfortunately a tough ride in Race 1 yesterday with the rain conditioning the riders’ riding techniques and limiting their potentials. However, Japanese rider Keito Abe refused to be restrained and went on to showcase confidence and stability throughout the time frame. His fellow countrymen, Soichiro too, embraced the challenge of the rainy condition and made striking moves before ending it at the second spot. Thai rider, Nakarin on the other hand took a different approach after the break from red flag. He engaged in a battle with contender Soichiro before succumbing at third place. Unlike yesterday, today was a better day for the race and Helmi was quick to take lead as soon as the race begun with Soichiro at P2 and Kengo at P3. While the position of riders in the front troop did not change much in the first 2 laps, championship leader, Khairul was slowly closing the gaps from the 10th spot. By the end of lap 3, Socihiro managed to take lead while Khairul chased furiously at 5th spot. Teammate, Helmi took a step back at P2 while Kengo managed his pace at P3 before Keito took over. As Boon Siew rider, Helmi looked out for the right moment to strike, Khairul boldly pressured Kengo and it was a matter of time that he moved ahead. At the end of lap 5, Keito overtook Helmi. As Soichiro began losing his momentum, Keito went on forward into P1, Helmi took P2 followed by Sho Nishimura at P3 and Khairul at P4, all in a tight line. Mid-race, Azroy emerged at P5. With another 5 laps to go, Khairul was strongly positioned at P3. Azroy was out of the equation when he took a fall. TKKR rider, Keito was steady at P1 as he powerfully led all the way. Khairul on other hand was injecting pressure onto Helmi and finally broke into P2. With another three laps to go, the gap between the front and back troop were wide enough to secure the three top positions among the trio. At the final lap though, the intensity between Keito and Khairul was nerve-wrecking. Khairul went on to intimidate Keito and in a highly-stiff battle, Khairul and Keito dashed towards the chequered flag. Khairul wowed with a finish at 22’59:568s. Commenting on the race, Khairul said, “Today was an amazing feat and I am beyond grateful for the win. Yesterday, I struggled so much with the wet conditions so I tried all out today to make the most of it. Starting from the 10th position is not easy but I tried to close the gaps ahead of me, one-by-one. Most importantly, I was aware that I cannot afford to make any mistakes. I kept my focus on the front rider and it worked very well for me. In the 2nd last lap, I was behind Keito and I know he is very strong on his home ground. In the last lap, last corner, it was a very tight line so I worked on my speed instead to ensure that I could make it to the chequered flag first before Keito does.” Keito Abe of ONEXOX TKKR Racing Team took the second spot at 22’59:581s. Md Helmi Azman of Boon Siew Honda Racing Team made it third at 22’59:889s. Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

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STRIKING WHILE THE IRON IS HOT

2023, 2023 Round 3, Asia Production 250, Latest News /

Since the beginning of the season, the Asia Production 250cc has been producing amusing scenes that portrayed extraordinary mastery of its riders. In Race 2, Round 3 of the Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship, Herjun Atna Firdaus of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM took a grand stand at the top spot on the podium at the Sportsland Sugo International Racing Course this evening. Recapping Race 1 that was held yesterday, intensity arose between Indonesian and Thai rider, Rheza and Muklada in the first few laps. Muklada went on a chase in an attempt to knock Rheza down however Rheza took a bold stance as he fought off the brewing pressure behind him. In the last few laps, Rheza accelerated and left Muklada in a distance before claiming victory. His teammate, Veda who fought his own battle with rivals in the back troop, concluded at third spot on the podium. In today’s race, Faerozi utilised his pole position well when he took lead at the first turn while Muklada rushed for P2. Before the lap ended, Muklada confidently took lead but seconds into lap 2, Rheza struck her and embraced the lead role. At the first turn of lap 3, Faerozi ferociously attacked Muklada before moving into P2. Meanwhile at P3 was Kawasaki rider, Irfan before Veda took over. Teammate, Herjun followed close behind at P6. Before lap 4 ended, Muklada found her way back into P2 and at P3, Irfan superseded Veda. In an interesting twist, Irfan made it into P2 but shortly after that, Veda overtook and teammate Herjun buckled up into P3. By then, Muklada was at P6 and the ASTRA boys lined up for the top three positions. Ifran went on to chase Herjun who was close by. With another 5 laps to go, leader of the troop was beginning to feel the pressure of teammate Veda however, Rheza went on steadily ahead. Irfan on the other hand found an opportunity to strike and took P3 but Herjun was relentless and took him down once again. With 2 more laps to go, Muklada decided to make moves and overtook Aiki into P4 however luck was not on her side when she took a fall before the final lap. Indonesian trio were once again at the top three positions and at the last lap, Herjun pushed past Veda and inched closer towards Rheza. In an unfortunate twist of fate, the battle between trio of ASTRA HONDA for the best position resulted in Veda rubbing against Rheza, causing the leader and Irfan to crash. Herjun in that moment grabbed the opportunity to dash ahead, clocking in at 20’00:053s. Commenting on the race, Herjun said, “I finished 4th in Race 1 but as soon as that was over, we analysed the outcome closely and made some fine-tuning on the settings. During the warm up earlier, we had a positive result. For this race, my machine was in a perfect condition but there are three more rounds to go after this so there is a lot of work that needs to be done. I hope to win the championship so let’s see how that goes!” Aiki Iyoshi of Motul Sniper Manual Tech Racing Team who was trailing behind immediately took the opportunity for the second spot at 20’03:273s. Teammate, Veda who quickly avoided the fall took the third spot on the podium at 20’01:735s. Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

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PHILIPPINES BRAGGED VICTORY

2023, 2023 Round 3, Latest News, Underbone 150 /

Never a boring moment in the Underbone 150cc race category, the riders have their way of injecting fun into the scene. In Race 2, Round 3 of the Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship that was held at Sportsland Sugo International Racing Course today, John Emerson Inguito of 4S1M EVO YAMAHA Racing Team boasted victory with one final dash towards the chequered flag. A glance at Race 1 that was held yesterday, the fast and furious battle between riders saw the exchange of the lead position among a number of riders. Among them, the most striking ones were Nazirul who maintained his composure among the top three riders before slipstreaming towards victory, Wahyu Aji who showcased great riding techniques and Gupita Kresna who fought a good fight to take the third spot. Today’s race began with Wahyu taking lead followed by Murobbil at P2. The duo was off to a good start before Murobbil overtook Wahyu. But Wahyu was quick and managed his position well and by end of lap 2, Wahyu was back at P1. By the end of lap 3, Wawan made it to P1 and Nazirul who was at the back troop trailed closed at P2 while Shafiq Rasol made it into P3. The long trail of riders diligently stayed put in their racing lines, occasionally finding the right opportunity to strike. By mid-race, Nazirul cleverly bolted ahead of Peerapong with Wahyu close behind. Interestingly, the rivalry was strong among Wahyu, Nazirul, Murobbil and Peerapong at Sugo circuit and were seen taking turns at the top three positions. With another 2 more laps to go, it was all about managing their momentum and their positions among the front troop. At the final lap, riders buckled up for one last push. Racing uphill, John Emerson, Nazirul and Gupita were seen taking a dash towards the finish line. John Emerson however touched the finish line first at 18’01:380s. Commenting on the race, John said, “I am extremely happy with my achievement today. It is a dream come true for the team and I therefore, I am truly glad to have made them happy. UB150 has always been a challenging feat and everyone has an opportunity to win. The race was not easy at all but my experiences have been key to this success today. To all my Pilipino fans, supporters of 4S1M, thank you all so much. I could not have made it without you.” At second spot was Md Nazirul Izzat Bahauddin of UMA Racing YAMAHA Maju Motor Asia logging in at 18’01:458s. Team Gupita Kresna Wardhana of 4S1M EVO YAMAHA Racing Team made it third at 18’01:484s. Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

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STRONG FINISH BY MALAYSIAN

2023, 2023 Round 3, Latest News, TVS Asia One Make /

The TVS Asia One Make Championship has been fuelling an experience of a kind to its riders since its debut in the Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship. In Race 2, Round 3 that was held at the Sportsland Sugo International Racing Course, Md Ramdan Rosli of Malaysia gave it an interesting twist when he bagged the winning spot on the podium. Reflecting on Race 1 that was held yesterday, we saw the mastery of Japanese rider Hiroki Ono who flaunted his experience o the circuit when he went on at the lead position from flag off to chequered flag. Riders of neighbouring countries, Decky and Ramdan engaged in an exchange of positions before Decky upped his performance further to take the second spot while Ramdan concluded at third. In Race 2, Decky was off to a great start when he took lead as soon as the race flagged off. Ramdan strode at P2 while Hiroki took a more relaxed approach at P3. Uphill after turn 14, Hiroki dashed ahead of Ramdan but seconds into lap 2, Ramdan made it back into P2. A comfortable gap was drawn between the trio ahead and the troop trailing behind led by Vorapong before Fugo broke into P4. By the fourth lap, Ramdan made it past Decky for a moment before the latter resumed his lead role. Meanwhile, Muzakkir who was trailing behind took a leap into P5. Hiroki who was playing it safe at P3 began making his moves mid-race and barged ahead into P1 with Decky and Ramdan close behind. Hiroki confidently picked up speed and quickly drew gap with the duo behind. With 4 more laps to go, Hiroki has worked on a 0.891s gap. By the 8th lap, Ramdan moved ahead of Decky before Hiroki succumbed to a mechanical issue and was out of the equation. That left Ramdan and Decky at the top two positions. Two more laps to go, Decky worked on his rhythm and glided ahead of Ramdan. At P3, Fugo battled with Piyawat and Muzakkir. Fugo however retained his positions at P3 but Vorapong broke into P4 and began his attack on Fugo but the Japanese rider managed his position firmly. Ahead of them, Ramdan boldly chased Decky down before dashing uphill towards victory at 16’38:545s. Commenting on the race, Ramdan said, “I was prepared to put up a fight with Ono as we have worked on our machine’s suspension. I was quite confident to embrace the battle in Race 2. But sadly, he faced some mechanical issue with the machine. Anyway, I am very happy with the outcome of the race today. It is never an easy feat, furthermore with my body weight in comparison to other riders but again, I am really grateful for this win.” Decky Tiarno Aldy of Indonesia took the second spot at 16’38:938s. Fugo Tanaka of Japan made it third at 16’44:373s. Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

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ACED BY KASMA

2023, 2023 Round 3, Asia Superbike 1000, Latest News /

The riders of the Asia Superbike 1000cc went on a blistering speed in their attempt to conquer the Sportsland Sugo International Racing Course in Race 1 of Round 3, Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship and emerging ahead to claim victory was Kasma Daniel Kasmayuddin of YAMAHA GEN BLU Racing Team ASEAN. Earlier today, during the Qualifying Session, Haruki Noguchi of SDG MS Harc-Pro. Honda. Ph. flaunted his mastery when he made a striking lap time at 1’27:610s which gave him an added advantage at the pole position. He was awarded with the “Pole Position Award” brought to you by SDG – Showa Denki Group and was presented by the Chief Executive Officer, Mr Kensaku Kashiwagi. Second fastest was Markus Reiterberger of ONEXOX BMW TKKR Team who clocked in at 1’27:780s followed by Takume Kunimine of TOHO Racing at the third spot with his best lap time at 1’27:972s. As the weather condition settled, the riders of ASB1000 were off to a great start with Takume at the lead position and Kota Arakawa at P2. Markus took P3. There was no wasting time with Takume as he went on a blistering speed ahead, drawing an almost 1 sec gap by the end of the first lap. Meanwhile, Malaysian rider, Azlan Shah was trying to catch up at P4. Pressured by Murayama, Azlan went on with impressive manoeuvring techniques to guard his position. At P6, Kasma was picking up speed in a bid to close the gap with rider ahead of him. Kota Arakawa on the other hand was getting closer to Takume and as intensity built up, Azlan managed to bypass his teammate, Markus. In an interesting twist, Kasma found his way ahead of Markus and went on to attack Azlan before finally striking from the inside. From P3, Kasma was on fire as he went on full steam to bring Kota Arakawa down and he did it. By then, Markus picked up speed and superseded Azlan. By mid-lap, Kasma began breathing down Takume’s neck. The gap was closing up and with 8 laps to go, Kasma worked his moves from the outside to take lead. Meanwhile, behind him, Markus sped up into P3 while Haruki worked on his strategies into P4. While Kasma went on to draw a wide gap, Markus inched closer towards Takume and from the inside, made it into P2. With 4 more laps to go, Andi trailed Takume diligently, finding ways to strike. He did, before speeding of ahead for another 2 laps. At the final lap, Kasma who managed to maintain his momentum was off towards a gleaming victory while Markus maintained at P2. At P3 though, Keisuke emerged ahead of Andi and concluded the race at the third spot. Kasma clocked in at 29’37:392s Commenting on the race, Kasma said, “In the beginning, I did not feel confident but I kept my eyes on the front group. I realised then that I had the potential to move forward therefore I tried to close the gaps lap-by-lap. My strategy worked and I am so thankful for my first win this season. There is another race tomorrow and I am keeping my fingers crossed to repeat the success.” Markus Reiterberger of ONEXOX BMW TKKR Team made it second at 20’39:529s. Keisuke Maeda of Team GYTR took the third spot at 29’42:993s. Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

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STUNNING WIN FOR KEITO AND TKKR

2023, 2023 Round 3, Latest News, Supersports 600 /

The rivalry among the riders of the SuperSports 600cc has taken up a notch with boosted performance and agility. Significant to the change was Keito Abe of ONEXOX TKKR Racing Team who emerged victoriously at the chequered flag in Race 1 of Round 3, Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship this evening held at Sportsland Sugo International Racing Course. Earlier this morning, Kengo Naga of Team KENKEN boasted an impressive lap time when he emerged fastest in the Qualifying session at 1’30:318s. That was one up for him, having a spot at the pole position. At the second spot was Muhammad Helmi Azman of Boon Siew Honda Racing Team with a lap time of 1’30:370s followed by Sho Nishimuara of ONEXOX TKKR Racing Team at the third spot on the grid at 1’30:382s. It was raining when the race flagged off but Helmi embraced the challenge and raced to the lead position at the first turn shortly before Soichiro took over. At the last turn, Keito Abe moved into P2. Meanwhile, Galang was at P4 while Nakarin took P5. The weather condition was not very helpful but Japanese rider, Keito was confident as he overtook his fellow countrymen at the end of lap 2. Before the lap ended, Helmi took a quick slide ahead of Soichiro and into P2. By then, Nakarin worked on his moves and took over P4. By the end of lap 4, Keito has drawn up a gap of 4.4s from Helmi. The wet circuit situation was a buzz- kill with a number of riders succumbing to falls. Nevertheless, Keito did not seem affected by the rainy day. He went on, picking up speed over the laps. While Helmi tried to catch up, the gap only got wider. With 9 more laps to go, the red flag came up and the riders headed back to their pits. As soon as the race resumed, Keito once again went on to take lead as Helmi trailed on. Soichiro was close by at P3. With the race cut down to 5 laps, it was all about strategizing and Nakarin did not waste a moment when he found the opportunity amidst casualty to move up into P2. Helmi lost focus for a moment and Soichiro took advantage of the situation to get ahead. Keito however was unaffected and went on with speed and stability at P1 with an impressive gap by the end of the lap. With three more laps to go, Nakarin was pressured by Soichiro took a slide ahead but the Thai rider will not be defeated. He quickly found a loop-hole and grabbed P2 back. But Soichiro was relentlessly and struck Nakarin once again. As Keito rode to victory, the battle heated up between Soichiro and Nakarin. The Japanese rider played his cards well and succeeded at second spot. Keito Abe made a stunning finish at 8’44:531s. Commenting on the race, Keito said, “The race was very difficult. Even more so with the wet circuit condition. I was scared but right now, I had a good feeling about the situation. I kept pushing myself until the end. So, I am truly happy with my achievements for the day. There is another race tomorrow and I want to win it!” Soichiro Minamimoto of YAMAHA GEN BLU Racing Team ASEAN clocked in his best at 8’47:313s. Nakarin Atiratphuvapat of Honda Racing Thailand concluded at third with his best at 8’47:770s. Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

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