2026 Round 2

In motorsport, it is always an all-or-nothing moment when opportunity comes, especially in the final moments of a race. For Muhammad Zaqhwan Zaidi of IDEMITSU HONDA RACING MALAYSIA, that moment arrived in the most decisive moment of the race at the Chang International Circuit, Buriram, Thailand. But it ended in heartbreak rather than celebration. Competing in the ASB1000 category, Zaqhwan delivered a strong opening to Round 2 of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026 with a solid P4 finish in Race 1, showing competitive pace and consistency within the leading group. However, Race 2 unfolded into a far more intense battle, with Zaqhwan firmly in podium contention right until the final lap. Entering the last corner in fourth position and still chasing P3, he made a decisive move in pursuit of a podium finish. But the attack went beyond the limit of grip, ending in a crash that resulted in a DNF, just moments away from what could have been a podium result. Reflecting on the incident, Zaqhwan admitted it was a fine margin between reward and disappointment. “I was battling for P3 with Nakarin Atiratphuvapat of HONDA RACING THAILAND into the last corner. On the braking point, I braked at my usual marker, maybe slightly deeper than normal, but suddenly the bike started chattering and became unstable. I tried to run a wider line, but I overslid and crashed. It happened so fast, and honestly in that moment I already knew I had pushed just a bit too far,” he explained. Despite the outcome, the Malaysian rider stood firmly by his attacking approach. “Of course I want to win. I don’t care what position it is, when I see an opportunity, I will go for it. That is racing, and I think any rider would do the same. We all push for the best result. I always try to give everything until the very end of the race,” he said. Looking back, Zaqhwan acknowledged the harsh reality of top-level racing. “Racing is always a high-risk sport. I could have taken the safer option and settled for P4 to bring home the points, but that would not reflect who I am as a rider. When you are fighting for the podium, these are the margins you deal with. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. In that moment, it didn’t work for me,” he added. Even in disappointment, he remained encouraged by his overall competitiveness throughout the weekend. “Yes, I take confidence from the fact that we were fighting at the front throughout the race and running competitive lap times with the leading group. That shows we have the pace to be there. Now it’s about putting everything together for the next round,” he said. Inside the IDEMITSU HONDA RACING MALAYSIA garage, the reaction mirrored his own frustration. “Of course, nobody in the team is happy — they feel the same disappointment as I do. We all came here with a target to fight for a podium, so missing out on that is tough for everyone. But at the same time, we know we gave everything throughout the weekend and pushed as hard as we could. In the end, I did my best to achieve the target, and that is all we can take forward,” Zaqhwan concluded.

Stepping into the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship is never easy. For many riders, the jump into the ASB1000 category means competing against some of Asia’s fastest and most experienced riders who have spent years honing their craft at the highest level. For Mohd Fahmi Abdul Wahaf of FGRT PROJECT ONE, the challenge is even greater. Just a few years ago, Fahmi was not racing at all. Today, he lines up on the same grid as Asia’s elite in the ASB1000 category, a remarkable rise for someone who only began his racing journey in 2022. But the transition to continental-level racing has not been easy. After building his foundation in the MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship in MSBK1000 A category, Fahmi earned the opportunity to take the next step into Asia’s premier racing championship. Yet, entering the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship quickly exposed him to the reality of competing at the highest level. “After competing in the MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship for the past two years, I became more familiar with the racing environment and level of competition there. However, stepping into the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship was a completely different experience because the level of competition is extremely high, with many top professional riders from across Asia competing at the highest standard.” For a rider still relatively new to racing, adapting to ARRC’s pace, pressure, and competitiveness has been one of the steepest learning curves of his career. “The biggest challenge for me was adapting to that level of intensity and pressure, especially during my first season in the championship,” he admitted. Currently still finding his footing in the standings, Fahmi views every race weekend not through the lens of immediate results, but as part of a long-term journey of growth. Behind every session lies another opportunity to learn. “ARRC has taught me a lot about discipline, race mentality, and consistency. At this level, every small detail matters, from physical preparation and bike setup to mental focus throughout the race weekend.” Unlike national racing, where familiarity becomes an advantage, ARRC constantly forces riders to adapt, with different circuits, changing weather conditions, and unfamiliar rivals. For Fahmi, learning to adjust quickly has become essential. “Racing on different circuits across Asia has given me valuable experience. The opportunity to interact and learn from experienced professional riders has helped me gain more knowledge, confidence, and understanding of racing at a much higher level.” Despite the challenges and difficult moments that naturally come with competing in Asia’s toughest racing arena, Fahmi remains focused on progress rather than pressure. Because for him, the journey itself is already proof of how far he has come. From attending his first-ever track day in July 2022 to lining up in the ASB1000 category just a few years later, the learning curve may be steep, but the ambition remains strong. And while the standings may not yet reflect the rider he hopes to become, Fahmi believes every lap, every challenge, and every setback is helping shape the rider he is striving to become. For now, Fahmi keeps his mission simple: keep learning, keep adapting, and keep moving forward. Because in Asia’s toughest racing arena, growth is sometimes the biggest victory of all.

The ASB1000 category delivered another exciting battle at the Chang International Circuit, Buriram, Thailand as Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah of JDT RACING TEAM held off a strong Honda challenge to secure victory in Race 2 of Round 2 in the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026. At the start, Muhammad Zaqhwan Zaidi of IDEMITSU HONDA RACING MALAYSIA made a strong launch to take the lead, followed closely by teammate Azroy Hakeem Anuar and Hafizh in third. Home rider Nakarin Atiratphuvapat of HONDA RACING THAILAND settled into fourth, while Keito Abe of SDG HARC-PRO. HONDA PHILIPPINES completed the top five. By Lap 2, Hafizh had moved into the lead after overtaking Zaqhwan, while Azroy remained in close contention in third. Behind them, Keito and Nakarin continued to stay within striking distance as the front group remained tightly packed. Hafizh continued to increase the pace, setting the fastest lap time of 1’35.788s on Lap 4 while defending several overtaking attempts from Zaqhwan. The battle behind also intensified as Keito briefly moved ahead of Azroy for third, though the Malaysian quickly reclaimed the position. On Lap 5, Azroy responded with a fastest lap of 1’35.673s and a top speed of 299.2km/h as the leading trio began to separate themselves from the chasing riders. A lap later, Azroy overtook Zaqhwan to move into second and immediately began chasing Hafizh at the front. However, the race took a turn on Lap 8 when Azroy crashed at Turn 8 while pushing hard to close the gap to Hafizh. The incident promoted Zaqhwan back into second, with Keito moving up to third and Nakarin into fourth. Despite being chased by Honda riders for much of the race, Hafizh remained calm and steadily built his advantage. By Lap 10, the JDT RACING TEAM rider had extended his lead to 3.017s, maintaining strong pace with a top speed of 295.9km/h. The fight for the podium intensified in the closing laps as Keito overtook Zaqhwan for second on Lap 11. On the final lap, Nakarin also moved ahead of Zaqhwan, while the Malaysian rider crashed at the final corner during an overtaking attempt. Unchallenged at the front, Hafizh crossed the finish line to claim victory in 24’01.995s. Keito secured second place in 24’04.743s, while Nakarin completed the podium on home soil in 24’05.477s. Hafizh shared, “I made a good start and entered the first corner in third position. I almost hit Azroy Hakeem Anuar because he braked a bit early at Turn 3, but thankfully I managed to avoid an accident. During the middle of the race, I struggled a little as the bike felt different, possibly due to the changing conditions from hot to cooler temperatures. I tried to understand the situation, stay calm, and control my pace. Luckily, toward the end of the race, I managed to set the fastest lap and create a good gap, which helped me control the race until the finish. Achieving four wins in a row feels really special, and this victory is for my team, my boss, HRH Tunku Mahkota Ismail, and everyone who has supported me. I also want to wish good luck to Johor Jewel in their finals tonight, and JDT football team. Seeing others from the same camp succeed gives me extra motivation to keep pushing and finish the season strongly. As I always say, hard work pays off. I trained hard in the heat, spent many hours cycling, and pushed myself to prepare for moments like this. Now, I just want to enjoy this moment, prepare mentally for the next race, and continue working hard. Thank you to all the Malaysian fans, this victory is for you.” TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 2 1. HAFIZH SYAHRIN ABDULLAH – JDT RACING TEAM (24’01.995s) 2. KEITO ABE – SDG HARC-PRO. HONDA PHILIPPINES (24’04.743s) 3. MUHAMMAD ZAQHWAN ZAIDI – IDEMITSU HONDA RACING MALAYSIA (24’05.477s) 4. NAKARIN ATIRATPHUVAPAT – HONDA RACING THAILAND (24’10.150s) 5. LACHLAN EPIS – SWIFT GROW RACING TEAM (24’12.771s)

The Race 1 of the ASB1000 category at Round 2 of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026 delivered a spectacular showdown at Chang International Circuit, Buriram, Thailand, as Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah of JDT RACING TEAM produced a calculated comeback ride to secure a commanding Race 1 victory after an intense battle unfolded at the front. Starting from fifth on the grid, Hafizh found himself chasing a relentless leading pack early on as pole-sitter Muhammad Zaqhwan Zaidi of IDEMITSU HONDA RACING MALAYSIA launched perfectly off the line to seize the holeshot. Teammate Azroy Hakeem Anuar slotted into second, while local hope Nakarin Atiratphuvapat of HONDA RACING THAILAND briefly held third ahead of Keito Abe of SDG HARC-PRO. HONDA PHILIPPINES. Hafizh and teammate Andi Farid Izdihar remained close behind, waiting for the right moment to strike. By Lap 2, the race pace intensified as Zaqhwan and Azroy attempted to establish control, but Keito soon inserted himself into the fight. Hafizh, meanwhile, remained composed in the blistering Buriram heat, carefully managing his pace and tyres while staying within touching distance of the leaders. Drama unfolded on Lap 4 when Keito overtook Azroy for second before capitalising on a mistake from Zaqhwan at the final corner to briefly inherit the race lead. From there, the race evolved into a breathtaking contest as positions changed repeatedly among the front-runners. The defining moment came on Lap 8, with clinical precision, Hafizh carved his way through the leading group, executing a stunning move to overtake both Keito and Zaqhwan in a single sequence to move into second place. Just one lap later, the defending champion completed his charge, sweeping past Azroy to take over at the front. Once clear, Hafizh began to stretch his advantage while chaos continued behind him. By Lap 11, Hafizh had opened a gap of more than one second, showcasing the experience and race management that made him last season’s champion. After 14 laps of relentless pressure and tactical racing, Hafizh crossed the finish line in 24’06.445s to secure a memorable victory and extend his remarkable run to three consecutive podium finishes. Behind him, Azroy held off fierce late pressure to finish second at 24’09.071s, while Keito secured a hard-earned third place at 24’09.321s. The battle for the podium remained alive until the final corner as Andi launched a brave attack on Azroy, only to run wide and ultimately settle for fifth behind Zaqhwan. Hafizh expressed, “I really appreciate everyone around me who pushed me hard during training and preparation. The heat training helped a lot in today’s tough conditions. Earlier, during the long run, I almost crashed at the second-last corner, but thankfully I managed to save it and came back stronger with a faster lap. During the race, I focused on keeping my rhythm and staying patient. Honestly, my target was not the podium. I was aiming for a top-four finish. But when I saw the riders in front battling and unable to pull away, I knew I had a chance, so I started making my moves and thankfully, we did it again, three wins in a row. It feels really special. This result is for all my fans, my boss, HRH Tunku Mahkota Ismail, and my family, who have always supported me and been my backbone. Alhamdulillah, all the hard work has paid off.” TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1 1. HAFIZH SYAHRIN ABDULLAH – JDT RACING TEAM (24’06.445s) 2. AZROY HAKEEM ANUAR – IDEMITSU HONDA RACING MALAYSIA (24’09.071s) 3. KEITO ABE – SDG HARC-PRO. HONDA PHILIPPINES (24’09.321s) 4. MUHAMMAD ZAQHWAN ZAIDI – IDEMITSU HONDA RACING MALAYSIA (24’09.723s) 5. ANDI FARID IZDIHAR – JDT RACING TEAM (24’09.814s)