Asia Production 250 – Page 25 – Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship

YAMAMOTO-APIWAT RIVALRY RESUMES IN NEW SEASON

Defending Asia Production 250cc champion Takehiro Yamamoto is set to resume his rivalry with Thai ace Apiwat Wongthananon. However, Yamamoto believes that defending the title may be easier than winning it for the first time last season. Yamamoto spent an entire year fending off repeated attacks from then AP Honda trio comprising of Apiwat, Nakarin Atiratphuvapat, and Vorapong Malahuan. This season, Nakarin has left the Asian series for a slot in the Spanish National Championship. Vorapong is the only seasoned rider left in the Honda team because Apiwat has switched over to Yamaha. The 23-year Yamamoto believes that 2016 may turn out to be a two horse race with Apiwat. The results from the official pre-season test of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship lends credence to Yamamoto’s assumptions. Apiwat set the Asia Production 250cc benchmark with a time of 1’45.057s. Yamamoto, second fastest, was 0.4 seconds off with 1’45.402s. Apiwat’s new team mates Anupab Sarmoon and Peerapong Loiboonpeng were third and fourth fastest respectively. “On paper, it may seem like I am being hounded by a trio of Thai team mates again. But in actuality, it is only Apiwat who is the fastest rider. Anupab and Peerapong were only able to climb up the timesheets by catching a tow from the other riders. We will have to wait for Round 1 to see how well Vorapong works with his new team mates,” said Yamamoto who suffered a crash during the first day of the pre-season practice but has since recovered. “It was just a flesh wound on my hand. Nothing that will stop me from racing next week,” Yamamoto dismissed the injury. Combined Asia Production 250cc Practice Results: 1. Apiwat Wongthananon (THA), 1’45.057s; 2. Takehiro Yamamoto (JPN), 1’45.402; 3. Anupab Sarmoon (THA), 1’45.611s; 4. Peerapong Loiboonpeng (THA), 1’45.620s; 5. Somkiat Chantra (THA), 1’45.781s; 6. Ayumu Tanaka (JPN), 1’45.853s; 7. Vorapong Malahuan (THA), 1’45.917s; 8. Suhathai Chaemsap (THA), 1’45.989s; 9. Galang Hendra Pratama (INA), 1’46.013s; 10. Sitthisak Onchawiang (THA), 1’46.185s

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ARRC RELEASES 2016 CALENDAR FEATURING JOHOR CIRCUIT, BURIRAM, SUZUKA, BUDDH AND SENTUL

The FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) 2016 calendar will feature a combination of familiar and new circuits as the 21st season of the Asian series get underway. The season will open with a return to the Johor Circuit in Pasir Gudang, Johor, Malaysia on April 1 and 2, 2016. The last time the 3.86km Johor Circuit hosted the ARRC was in 2007. The second leg will take place at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand followed by Suzuka Circuit in Japan and the Sentul Circuit in Indonesia as hosts for the third and fourth rounds respectively. Round 5 will take place at a new venue – the Buddh International Circuit in New Delhi, India. Thailand’s Chang Circuit will close off the 2016 season in December. Quote by Ron Hogg – Director, Two Wheels Motor Racing (race promoters of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship) “This year, we are excited at the opportunity to return to the Johor Circuit. The Championship has taken a 10-year leave of absence from Johor and we hope that this homecoming will create a huge impact with the local motorsports fans.” “Even more exciting is the prospect of racing at the Buddh International Circuit in New Delhi, India. The Championship’s previous visits to India were at the southern tip of the continent, the Madras Race Track in Chennai. This time, the riders will be taking on new challenges from the 5.13km Formula 1 circuit.” Round Venue Date Round 1 Johor Circuit, MALAYSIA April 1 & 2, 2016 Round 2 Chang International Circuit, THAILAND May 7 & 8, 2016 Round 3 Suzuka Circuit, JAPAN June 4 & 5, 2016 Round 4 Sentul Circuit, INDONESIA August 6 & 7, 2016 Round 5 Buddh Circuit, INDIA October 1 & 2, 2016 Round 6 Chang International Circuit, THAILAND December 3 & 4, 2016 Note: All dates and venues are subject to change.