Asia Production 250

It was a highly competitive feat, the Asia Production 250cc race category with aggressive riders moving on full force to gain victory. Nevertheless, the mark of excellence is meant for only one and it belonged to Herjun Atna Firdaus of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM in Race 1 of Round 4, Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship which was held at Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit. During the qualifying session that was held earlier this morning, Herjun Atna of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM took pole position at 1’47:258s. Aiki Iyoshi of Motul Sniper Manual Tech Team made it to the second spot on the grid at 1’47:479s followed by Aldi Satya Mahendra of YAMAHA Racing Indonesia took the third spot on the grid at 1’47:561s. It was a great start for Herjun before Aldi overtook him at turn one. At P3 was Kawasaki Ninja rider, Aiki Iyoshi, appearing strongly before superseding the duo ahead of him into P1. Herjun seemed to have lost his momentum for a moment but find his footing once again before taking lead towards the end of lap 2 with Faerozi close behind and Aldi at P3. By the end of lap 3, Herjun has picked up speed and drawn a gap of 0.9 seconds. As Herjun went on to create an impossible gap, Aldi overtook Faerozi. At P4, Wahyu tried to close the gaps with Faerozi as Rheza moved into P5. The current championship lead, while he managed to move into P4 from P7, he seemed to be struggling with his momentum as Wahyu inched closer, placing immense pressure. With another four laps to go, Herjun was speeding way ahead of the troop. In that moment, Rheza found the opportunity to strike and he crossed the two riders ahead into P2. By then, Rheza was seen picking up speed and he went on a chase to close the gaps with his teammate. The three robust Yamaha riders behind him went on to pump in pressure. With two more laps to go, the ASTRA HONDA riders were determined to make the best in their home- ground. Rheza embraced the continuous pressure as he guarded his position. At the final lap, Herjun was on his way towards victory but his teammate began feeling the intensity. At the last turn, Rheza gave in to the challenge as the two Yamaha riders moved ahead into P2 and P3 before claiming the spots on the podium. Herjun Atna Firdaus madfe an impressive finish at 17’59:708s. Commenting on the race, Herjun said, “In the beginning of the race, I tried to manage my tire but at the same time, I enjoyed the race and went on a good speed to ensure that there is a comfortable gap between me and the rider behind me. It was a good race to be honest, taking the win at my home- circuit. There is another race tomorrow so, will keep my fingers crossed.” Teammates Aldi Satya Mahendra and Wahyu Nugroho of YAMAHA Racing Indonesian made it second and third at 18’00:278s and 18’00:762s respectively. Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

Moving swiftly today at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit were the Asia Production 250cc riders in the free practice sessions. Rheza Danica Ahrens of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM made some impressive moves when he marked the fastest lap time for Round 4 of the Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship. In the FP1 session earlier this morning, Indonesians once again emerged at the top three fastest list with teammates Rheza and Herjun Atna Firdaus of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM marking their best at 1’47:734s and 1’47:804s respectively. At third, fellow rider of Motul Sniper Manual Tech, Irfan Ardiansyah clocked in at 1’48:339s. In FP2, Herjun scaled up in performance and clocked in fastest at 1’48:079s followed by Muhammad Faerozi of YAMAHA Racing Indonesia at 1’48:444s and Muklada Sarapuech of Honda Racing Thailand at 1’48:481s. In FP3, Rheza Danica once again made fastest at 1’47:149s followed by Faerozi at 1’47:508s and Herjun Atna at 1’47:606s. While is it not surprising that Rheza made it the fastest in the practice sessions, combined, Faerozi definitely seemed to have upped his performances this round, landing himself at the second fastest spot for the day while Herjun took the third fastest spot. While confidence on home-ground is an added booster for the day, this is just the beginning to a challenging feat ahead. Commenting on the session, Rheza said, “Racing on home-circuit gives a different feel, even more so in the presence of my friends and family members. It is more exciting and there is a rush of adrenaline that pushes you to do better and move faster. With that, undoubtedly comes the pressure – the pressure to maintain my overall momentum for the season as well as to make sure I achieve the best for my fans and family. I am lucky that with my team, I have the opportunity to clock in more training hours on the machine. Apart from that, the condition of the machine has been perfect thus far which gives me an added advantage. I hope to be the pole man tomorrow so that it gives me the boost I need for the race.” Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

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

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

It was a no-shocker in the Asia Production 250cc when Rheza Danica Ahrens of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM charged towards the chequered flag ahead of the rest for an impressive win in Race 1 of Round 3, Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship that was held at Sportsland Sugo International Racing Course this evening. During the Qualifying session that was carried out in the morning, Muhammad Faerozi Toreqottullah of YAMAHA Racing Indonesia marked the fastest lap time at 1’39:078s giving him the additional boost needed for the race. At second fastest was Rheza Danica Ahrens of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM at 1’39:097s followed by Muklada Sarapuech of Honda Racing Thailand at the third place with the lap time of 1’39:270s. Faerozi was off to an awesome start from the pole position however seconds into the race, Rheza grabbed P1 from him while teammates Muklada and Jakkreephat moved into P2 and P3 respectively. Mid lap 2, Irfan Ardiansyah found the opportunity to strike and immediately took P3. While it was not surprising of Rheza to makes waves once again at the circuit, female rider Muklada was quite a stunner at Sugo. She was relentless as she went on a chase to bring Rheza down. Meanwhile at P4 and P5 teammates Herjun and Veda made it past Jakkreephat and began pressuring Irfan. By the end of lap 5, Veda succeeded. The trio was left battling for a better position as duo, Rheza and Muklada fled ahead with neither distraction or pressure from the troop. By end of lap 7, Aiki closed his gap with teammate and moved in P5 before overtaking Herjun. With another 3 laps to go, Rheza began working his magic as he drew wider gap with Muklada. At the final lap, it was almost impossible for Muklada to make her moves. Rheza was on his way to yet another victory and clocked in at 19’58:348s. Commenting on the race, Rheza said, “After the practice sessions yesterday, we have achieved quite a good lap time so we were aware of our strengths and the capacities of the machine. During the race, I was able to manage my rhythm well and I avoided making mistakes on each lap. I know that Muklada was right behind me at each lap but I kept my focus on creating some gap towards the last few laps. For the remaining rounds of the season, I aim to give my best shot even though there have been some changes after the RPM cut. It definitely will require more work but I will do my best.” Muklada Sarapuech of Honda Racing Thailand took the second spot on the podium at 20’00:396s. Veda Ega Pratama of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM made it third at 20’00:456s. Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

The Asia Production 250cc race category once again called the riders for an ambitious ride in Round 3 of the Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship that was held at Sportsland Sugo International Racing Course. Rheza Danica Ahrens of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM took the call graciously and emerged fastest in the practice sessions, combined that was held earlier today. In the practice session 1 that was carried out earlier in the morning, Muklada Sarapuech of Honda Racing Thailand made a positive start when she logged in fastest at 1’41:529s. At the second fastest spot was Irfan Ardiansyah of Motul Sniper Manual Tech Racing, clocking in his best lap time at 1’41:696s. Third was Veda Ega Pratama of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM with his best time at 1’42:154s. In practice session 2, Aiki Iyoshi of Motul Sniper Manual Tech made a new lap record with his fastest at 1’40:695s. Muklada showed consistency when she emerged second fastest at 1’41:129s whereas Irfan made it third fastest with an improved lap time at 1’41:201s. In the practice session 3, Rheza Danica who has been laying low in the first two sessions emerged fastest with a new lap record at 1’39:764s. Irfan made it second fastest while Muklada marked third fastest at 1’39:893s and 1’39:986s respectively. With that, Rheza claimed the fastest in the combined session for the day. It was quite an impressive move by Rheza this time around considering his performance last season where he only took home 2 points from the race here. Commenting on the session today, Rheza said, “Considering the cut in the RPM, I have to work extra hard now. But overall, though, I have been feeling good. This season has been good and I have been able to do so much more. Hopefully I am able to retain the same quality in performance for the qualifying session tomorrow.” Irfan and Muklada took the second and third position respectively in the practice session, combined. Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

Never ceased the amaze, the boys of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM showcased exemplary team work as they worked hand-in-hand to conquer the Asia Production 250cc race category in the last two rounds. Standing out among them is youngest in the team Veda Ega Pratama who has raised eye-brows with his exceptional performances. What would Sportsland Sugo International Racing Course hold for Veda? Round 3 will say it all. As a debutante in the AP250 race category, Veda has stunned fans with his racing actions. In Round 1, the Indonesian lad was seen engaging in furious strides alongside his teammates. He was steady and in control of his machine, maintaining his position among the top three. In Round 1, Veda emerged with a strong front when he bagged the second spot in Race 1. Although a miscalculation in his move brought him down in Race 2, he returned for Round 2 with a greater disposition. Charging ahead in the front troop, Veda made a quick recovery and into the second spot in the overall standings when he took the third place in Race 1 and the winning spot in Race 2. Commenting on the race, Veda said, “Personally, I think that ARRC is one of the toughest championships in the Asian region and it definitely challenges me to be better. I love the adrenaline rush, the speed and the pressure injected by the other riders. My aim with ARRC is to gain more experience. I think the exposure has a lot to offer in terms of helping me in my riding abilities and also in understanding the machine’s technicalities.” Speaking about his team, Veda chirped, “I am happy to compete in ARRC with such a great team as a backup. The team has a highly experienced mechanic who is ever-ready to look into matters pertaining the machine and make the right calls. I have awesome senior riders who have been insightful and ever willing to guide me. To be honest, I have learnt many tricks from them when it comes to riding and I am truly lucky to be part of this amazing team. In fact, I feel privileged to be the youngest riders in the team and I have a lot to be thankful for.” The rider took interest in two-wheels at the age of 4. He said, “My father exposed me to motor-cross at that time and I immediately took a liking for it. The extremity of the sports kind of inspired me to know more and be part of the two-wheels racing scene. So, here I am! Of course, I had to brace through many challenges to be where I am but those are all somewhat the fundamentals of motorcycle racing. So far, the circuits in Thailand and Malaysia have been really a push-factor for me. But I have never raced at Sugo. At this point of time, I put my trust in my team and am confident that they will fight the battle with me.” Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

Striking in his moves and showcasing mastery in the Asia Production 250cc race category, Veda Ega Pratama of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM went on a grand finish when he swiped victory in Race 2, Round 2 of Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship that took place at the Sepang International Circuit. It was a day to celebrate for the Indonesians when trio of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM bagged all three spots on the podium in Race 1. Steady and poised, Herjun, Rheza and Veda were relentless in their pursuit towards their goals leaving a trail of robust riders, defeated. With the flag off, ASTRA HONDA boys were off to a fiery start with Rheza taking lead followed by Herjun and Veda. However, before the lap ended, Thai rider Jakkrephat made a slide past Herjun into P3. His moves did not last when he crashed before the end of lap 2 opening up the space for Herjun to move back into P3. Meanwhile, in the second group behind the leading trio were Aiki Iyoshi, Irfan Ardiansyah and Thanat. Into lap 4, Herjun picked up speed as he moved past Rheza. Veda remained in P3. A wide gap started forming between the trio and the pack behind. Between teammates Irfan and Aiki, a battle of their own forced them in and out of P4 and P5. The Kawasaki Ninja riders may not make it into P3 considering the huge gap in between nevertheless, its all about scoring. With two more laps the go, Herjun was fearlessly taking charge drawing up almost a 1-second gap from Rheza. Into the last lap, Herjun was on fire as he picked up speed while staying focused to avoid any mishap. Seconds towards the end of the game, Veda made his final move into P1. At the last turn, teamwork prevailed as the trio rode towards a 1-2-3. Commenting on the race, Veda said, “This is my first win for the season in the Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship and I am beyond thrilled. I did face some difficulty in a few laps and I was left out in the beginning. But I am grateful to have picked up the momentum and maintained the right rhythm after that. It is a huge achievement for my team members and I in the AP250 race category. I thank my team members, the crew who have been supportive towards us throughout.” Veda clocked in at 19’13:176s followed by Herjun Atna Firdaus at 19’13:274s and Rheza Danica Ahrens at 19’13:517s. Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

Confidence and determination described the Asia Production 250cc riders as they glided with great dexterity to attain the winning title. Herjun Atna Firdaus of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM however stood up best in his performance when he bagged the top spot in Race 1, Round 2 of the Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship held at Sepang International Circuit this evening. In the qualifying session this morning, trio of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM made the top three fastest positions with Rheza Danica Ahrens taking lead at 2’22:498s followed by Veda Ega Pratama at 2’22:895s and Herjun Atna Firdaus at 2’22:901s. It is not surprising that the trio went on to makes waves around the circuit. In the first lap, Veda went on a strong front but he was then superseded by rising AP250 star, Rheza with Herjun shadowing closely behind. At the last corner of lap 2, Herjun managed to slide ahead of Rheza. Only for a moment before Rheza barged back ahead. Meanwhile, Jakhreephat was comfortably pacing at P4 with Irfan trailing behind. As one after another lap went down, the Indonesia trio were strongly grounded ahead with a wide gap. By the end of lap 5, Irfan Ardiansyah made it to P4 as the troop behind began picking up speed. With 3 more laps to go, it seemed almost impossible for rider at P4 to speed up into the top three position. The battle for the winning title went on among the teammates as they exchanged positions rapidly. With one more lap to go, the battle became stiff among the trio. Herjun took lead at the last lap and while Rheza tried to pursue the position, the former was adamant in securing the win. By the last turn, Herjun managed to build a little gap as he fled to the finish line. He marked his best at 19’17:057s. Commenting on the race, Herjun said, “I am extremely happy. I enjoyed the ride throughout. The circuit condition was good including the newly resurfaced asphalt which makes the race even more exciting. Today, my teammates and I did a pretty excellent job and it was fun to have had a good fight with them. I am truly proud that we bagged all three spots. It’s a proud moment for Indonesians however I hope to ride competitively with the other riders as well. As for tomorrow, I am not sure if I can get the same result considering my very robust teammates however, I will try my best.” Rheza finished the race at 19’17:231s. At third, Veda Ega Pratama clocked in at 19’17:292s. Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com

The Asia Production 250cc is always an eye-catcher in the Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship. In Round 1, Rheza Danica Ahrens of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM set a benchmark of excellence as he strode to a double victory despite the rising temperature. What would Sepang International Circuit hold for him? It was a great start for the ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM boys as all three lined up ahead of the rest when they made the top three fastest during the Practice Session 1 this morning. Herjun Atna hit it at 2’24:072s followed by Rheza at 2’24:687s. The youngest in the team, Vega Eda Pratama made it third fastest at 2’25:338s proving that he is slick in his moves. In Practice Session 2, Herjun maintained his composure and made fastest with an improved lap time at 2’23:465s. However, at second fastest, Irfan Ardiansyah of MOTUL SNIPER MANUAL TECH clocked in at 2’23:505s. Rheza seemed to be still finding his pace nevertheless marked a slightly better time compared to the earlier session at 2’24:472s. By Practice 3, ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM seemed to have established an interesting pattern. Herjun once again made it fastest at 2’22:578s, followed by Rheza at 2’22:732s and Veda Ega at 2’23:240s. That wraps up for the day in the AP250 with Herjun at the top followed by Rheza and Veda in the combined result. Commenting on the race, Herjun said, “Compared to Round 1, I have taken the approach to enjoy the race better. With the new settings as well, it gives me greater confidence when I am riding it. This is a manageable circuit and I have raced here a couple of times. The weather here is not that hot compared to Buriram hence I am hoping for a better outcome. However, I know that the weather can be quite unpredictable here in Malaysia. Rain or shine, I will give my best and enjoy the moments as much as I can.” Connect with Us! Latest news at asiaroadracing.com