Supersports 600

The SS600 category provided a spectacular finish to Race 2 at the Mandalika International Circuit, Indonesia, with Anupab Sarmoon of YAMAHA THAILAND RACING TEAM taking a brilliant victory in Round 4 of LFN FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026 after a last-lap incident completely altered the top three. Race 2 in SS600 category at the Mandalika International Circuit during Round 4 of the LFN FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026. Anupab Sarmoon of YAMAHA THAILAND RACING TEAM secured a brilliant victory after a dramatic final-lap incident completely reshaped the podium. At the start, Wahyu Nugroho of YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA took the early lead, but Mckinley Kyle Paz of HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING quickly stole the spotlight. Launching from seventh on the grid, Mckinley surged forward to claim the top spot by the end of Lap 1. Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin of HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING and Thanat Laoongplio of HONDA RACING THAILAND followed closely behind to keep the pressure high. The lead changed hands frequently in the early stages. Wahyu reclaimed the front on Lap 4, setting a fast lap of 1’38.658s. However, Thanat responded immediately on Lap 5 with a 1’38.205s, taking the lead on Lap 6. Meanwhile, Anupab began his quiet but steady charge. After dropping to fifth early on, Anupab found his rhythm, dropping back-to-back fastest laps 1’38.074s and 1’37.929s to pull himself into second place behind Thanat by Lap 8. On Lap 11, As Kasma made a decisive move to overtake Thanat for the lead, Thanat aggressively defended his line. Seizing the perfect opportunity, Anupab capitalized on their duel, slipping past both riders to take control of the race. Disaster struck on the final lap when Kasma and Thanat crashed out together, shaking up the championship standings. Anupab crossed the finish line to take the win at 19’44.949s. Mckinley held steady to finish second at 19’45.242s, while Herjun Atna Firdaus of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM completed the podium in third at 19’46.586s. Anupab shared, “I want to express my deepest gratitude to my team and everyone who has supported me through the highs and lows. Today’s race was incredibly challenging right from the beginning of race. I didn’t get the best launch and ended up losing ground early on, slipping back into fifth. It was frustrating, but instead of panicking, I decided to stay calm, and study the situation.” “I was in a leading group filled with exceptionally fast riders. The pace at the front was absolutely relentless, so I used the bulk of the race to learn their lines and adapt my own riding with every passing lap. When it came down to the final laps, I knew it was time to put everything on the line. The biggest takeaway from today is just how fantastic our overall package is. I am genuinely so happy, relieved, and proud of how everything came together. I cannot thank my team enough for making this unforgettable result possible.” TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 2 1. ANUPAB SARMOON – YAMAHA THAILAND RACING TEAM (19’44.949s) 2. MCKINLEY KYLE PAZ – HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING (19’45.242s) 3. HERJUN ATNA FIRDAUS – ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM (19’46.586s) 4. WAHYU NUGROHO – YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA (19’46.638s) 5. MUHAMMAD HELMI AZMAN – IDEMITSU HONDA RACING MALAYSIA (19’46.939s)

Race 1 in Round 4 of LFN FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026 at the Mandalika International Circuit in Indonesia saw hometown hero Wahyu Nugroho of YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA secure a brilliant and composed victory, marking his maiden win in the SS600 category right in front of his local fans. Following the Qualifying session, Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin of HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING claimed pole position with a time of 1’37.091s. He narrowly edged out Herjun Atna Firdaus of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM and Wahyu Nugroho, with the three riders successfully locking out the front row. As the race started, Kasma made a strong initial start, but Herjun executed a precise move at Turn 1 to take the early lead. Anupab Sarmoon of YAMAHA THAILAND RACING TEAM slotted into third, closely followed by Muhammad Faerozi Toreqottullah of YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA. By lap 2, Wahyu found his optimal racing line and made a decisive move to take over the lead. Herjun dropped to second, while Thanat Laoongplio of HONDA RACING THAILAND began an incredibly impressive charge, moving up to fourth after starting from the eighth position on the grid. Wahyu maintained his lead through lap 3 to 5, carefully managing his pace ahead of Anupab and Thanat. The chasing pack continually pushed the limits, resulting in a continuous exchange of fastest lap times. Herjun clocked a 1’37.706s on lap six, only for Thanatvto respond with a 1’37.680s on lap 7. The pace continued to quicken as Herjun posted a 1’37.635s on lap eight. The immense pressure at the front finally took its toll during the closing stages of the race. On lap ten, while Anupab set the fastest lap of the race at 1’37.458s in pursuit of the leader, Herjun suffered a sudden crash, abruptly ending his podium hopes. The drama escalated further on lap eleven when Anupab running in a strong second place, also fell from contention. These late-stage incidents cleared the path for Wahyu. Navigating the final lap with total composure, he crossed the finish line to claim his first SS600 victory with a total time of 19’35.596s. Kasma capitalized on the late-race attrition to take second place at 19’35.971s, while Thanat’s excellent recovery ride earned him third place at 19’36.308s. The top three riders had established a massive seven-second gap over the second group. Further back, a final-lap crash for Faerozi promoted McKinley Kyle Paz of HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING to fourth place, with Arai Agaska Dibani Laksana of YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA rounding out the top five. Wahyu expressed, “Alhamdulillah, I am so incredibly grateful to Allah for blessing me with this beautiful result today. Crossing that finish line and hearing the home crowd cheering, I honestly felt overwhelmed with emotion. This achievement is truly the reward of a massive collective effort. My team has worked relentlessly behind the scenes, pouring their hearts out, staying up late, and giving absolutely everything to provide me with a perfectly set-up machine. I simply could not have achieved this without their dedication and hard work in the garage.” “On a personal note, this weekend is exceptionally special for me and my family. I want to dedicate this performance to my sister and wish her a very happy birthday! Even more exciting, I can officially share that I am now a very proud uncle! Being able to bring this maiden victory home to celebrate these beautiful family milestones makes this moment even sweeter and more meaningful than I could have ever imagined.” “As for the race itself, I managed to get a fantastic launch off the line, which gave me a very strong start and positioned me perfectly with the front group right away. From that moment on, I just kept my head down, focused on maintaining my rhythm, and made sure to ride smartly while managing my tires. It was a tough and demanding race mentally, especially seeing the crashes happening closely behind me in the final laps. My heart rate spiked, but my confidence in the bike was high, and I kept telling myself to stay calm. Everything just clicked for us today.” TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1 1. WAHYU NUGROHO – YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA (19:35.596s) 2. KASMA DANIEL KASMAYUDIN – HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING (19’35.971ss) 3. THANAT LAOONGPLIO – HONDA RACING THAILAND (19’36.308s) 4. MCKINLEY KYLE PAZ – HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING (19’48.829s) 5. ARAI AGASKA DIBANI LAKSANA – YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA (19’51.586s)

The LFN FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026 continued its action at the Mandalika International Circuit in Indonesia for Round 4, bringing the SS600 category action back to the track on Friday. The three practice sessions saw the leading competitors continuously traded the top spot on the timing sheets. By the end of the day, the Combined Practice standings revealed that Anupab Sarmoon of YAMAHA THAILAND RACING TEAM secured the fastest overall time, besting home favourite Wahyu Nugroho by a 0.005s gap. The day began with local riders utilizing their deep knowledge of the circuit to set an early and definitive benchmark. Practice 1 saw Wahyu Nugroho from YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA navigating the flowing layout smoothly to log a session-best time of 1’37.644s. Fellow Indonesian Herjun Atna Firdaus of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM, closely followed in second with a 1’37.934s. Malaysia’s Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin of HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING claimed third, while Anupab and Thanat Laoongplio of HONDA RACING THAILAND used the morning session strictly to dial in their initial setups, finishing fourth and fifth respectively. In Practice 2, the competitive dynamic changed. Anupab found significant improvements in his machine and delivered a smooth lap to record a 1’37.433s. This impressive effort moved the Thai rider to the top of the leaderboard. While Wahyu remained consistent by posting a 1’37.646s to finish second in the session. Herjun also improved his overall pace, clocking a 1’37.769s to maintain third. The final session of the day, Practice 3, saw Wahyu pushed his machine to the absolute limit in a bid to reclaim the top overall spot. The YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA rider successfully topped the final session with a brilliant 1’37.438s. However, when the times were compiled across all three sessions, Wahyu’s best effort fell just five-thousandths of a second short of Anupab’s Practice 2 benchmark. Consequently, Anupab’s 1’37.433s stood as the fastest time of the Combined Practice. Wahyu safely secured second overall. Herjun’s Practice 2 time earned him third place in the combined standings, ensuring two Indonesian riders finished the day in the top three. A late surge in Practice 3 from Thanat at 1’37.932s and Kasma at 1’38.092s secured them fourth and fifth respectively. Anupab commented, “Securing the top spot in the combined results today is a fantastic feeling. From the moment I went out on track, I had a really strong and comfortable connection with the bike. Honestly, everything aligned perfectly for us today, the track conditions were ideal, our base setup was solid, and the tire grip was exactly where I needed it to be to push for that lap time.” “However, we know how tight the competition is, so we cannot just sit still and be satisfied. My team and I have been analyzing the data, and we already have some fresh ideas and strategies for Qualifying and Race 1. We are looking forward to introducing a new suspension specification tomorrow morning. If it works the way we expect it to, I am confident we can find even more pace and be even better. It is a great start to the weekend, but we are fully focused on keeping this momentum going.” TOP 5 FASTEST – COMBINED PRACTICE 1. ANUPAB SARMOON – YAMAHA THAILAND RACING TEAM (1’37.433s) 2. WAHYU NUGROHO – YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA (1’37.438s) 3. HERJUN ATNA FIRDAUS – ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM (1’37.769s) 4. THANAT LAOONGPLIO – HONDA RACING THAILAND (1’37.932s) 5. KASMA DANIEL KASMAYUDIN – HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING (1’38.092s)

Familiar territory awaits Indonesia’s top riders as the LFN FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026 arrives at the Mandalika International Circuit, Indonesia for a pivotal Round 4. Prominent among them is YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA’s Wahyu Nugroho, who is gearing up for a crucial weekend in the SS600 category. Currently sitting 6th in the overall championship standings, Wahyu is determined to leverage his home circuit advantage to secure a long-awaited maiden victory in his third demanding season in the class. “It has certainly been a long journey for me in this class. Securing that first win is something I have been striving for relentlessly. Being back on home soil gives me extra motivation, and I am putting absolutely everything into finally achieving that breakthrough.” The Mandalika circuit holds strong memories for the Indonesian rider. During Round 4 last season, he showcased exceptional speed, ultimately securing a solid pole position. Replicating that pace this year comes with its own technical hurdles. “Last year, everything just clicked perfectly. I had the ideal setup and timing. This season has presented some unexpected challenges with the bike’s behavior that we are still working to fully understand. However, my dedicated team and I are working tirelessly to resolve these issues, and I am confident we can find that strong pace again.” Last season’s visit yielded very mixed emotions for Wahyu. A strong P2 finish in Race 1 was followed by a deeply frustrating DNF in Race 2 after a rear-end collision. Looking ahead, Wahyu remains optimistic. “It was tough to end last year’s weekend with an incident after such a strong start. But that disappointment only fuels my determination. We are taking all the hard work and lessons from the past and applying them now to ensure we finish even stronger.” He arrives with fresh momentum, having recently claimed victory in Race 1 at the Mandalika Racing Series in the 600cc class. “I am incredibly grateful for the result at the MRS a few weeks ago. It was an unforgettable weekend. Standing on the top step of the podium here gave me a massive boost, and I am using that positive energy as ammunition for this upcoming ARRC weekend.” The SS600 class remains intensely competitive, with riders like Kasma, Herjun, and teammate Faerozi consistently pushing the pace. Wahyu’s stated, “The grid is packed with incredibly fast riders. Rather than getting distracted, my focus remains entirely on my own performance. I am concentrating on improving my own limits.” When asked about the pressure of racing in front of expectant home fans, Wahyu said, “Regardless of where we are racing, I keep my mindset consistent. I focus my energy on my own preparation, my team, my family, and drawing from all the positive support around me. The home crowd is wonderful, and I choose to channel that energy into focus rather than letting it become pressure.”  

The SS600 category delivered another closely contested race at the Chang International Circuit, Buriram, Thailandas Thanat Laoongplio of HONDA RACING THAILAND fought back from a Long Lap Penalty to secure victory in Race 2 of Round 2 in the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026. The race got underway with Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin of HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING making a good launch, but a slight wheelie off the start slowed him down, allowing Anupab Sarmoon of HONDA RACING THAILAND to move into the lead. Kasma quickly settled into second, followed by Thanat in third, McKinley Kyle Paz of HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING in fourth and Muhammad Helmi Azman of IDEMITSU HONDA RACING MALAYSIA in fifth. By Lap 2, Kasma had taken over at the front, leading ahead of Thanat and Anupab. However, the race took an unexpected turn when Thanat was handed a Long Lap Penalty, dropping the Thai rider down to 11th position after rejoining the race. At the front, the battle remained intense between Kasma and Anupab, with both riders exchanging positions while keeping the pace high. Anupab set the fastest lap time of 1’39.841s on Lap 3 as he continued to pressure Kasma. Behind them, McKinley, Helmi and Muhammad Faerozi Toreqottullah of YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA remained in contention. Thanat meanwhile began his recovery ride. The Thai rider steadily worked his way back through the field, setting the fastest lap time of 1’39.604s on Lap 4 before improving further with a 1’39.586s on Lap 7 and a 1’39.529s on Lap 8. By Lap 9, Thanat had rejoined the leading group and quickly moved into third position before overtaking Kasma for second on Lap 10. With two laps remaining, Anupab and Thanat pulled slightly clear of the chasing riders, setting up a close battle for victory. On the final lap, Thanat made his move at the final corner, going around the outside of Anupab before racing to the finish line to complete an impressive comeback win. Thanat crossed the line first in 20’02.096s to secure victory on home soil, with Anupab finishing just 0.130s behind in second at 20’02.226s. Behind them, McKinley made a bold final-corner move on Kasma to secure third place in 20’02.673s, relegating the Malaysian rider to fourth. Thanat expressed, “When I first found out that I had to take the long lap penalty, honestly, I lost some confidence and felt a bit discouraged. In a race like this, every second matters, so naturally I was worried about how much it would affect my chances. But my team kept encouraging me and telling me that I can do it and their belief gave me the confidence to keep fighting. In the end, I told myself to stay calm and focus on the race, and thankfully, the long lap was not a problem for me. I managed to recover, keep pushing, and achieve this result. I’m really happy and emotional because it has been such a long time since I last won here, and to finally do it again means so much to me. Honestly, it’s difficult to even describe how I feel right now. I just want to sincerely thank everyone who has supported me throughout this journey, my team, supporters, and everyone who kept believing in me. This moment means a lot, and I’m truly grateful.”   Top 5 Fastest – Race 2 1. THANAT LAOONGPLIO – HONDA RACING THAILAND (20’02.096s) 2. ANUPAB SARMOON – YAMAHA THAILAND RACING TEAM (20’02.226s) 3. MCKINLEY KYLE PAZ – HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING (20’02.673s) 4. KASMA DANIEL KASMAYUDIN – HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING (20’02.865s) 5. MUHAMMAD FAEROZI TOREQOTTULLAH – YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA (20’06.674s)

The Race 1 of the SS600 category at Round 2 of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026 delivered breathtaking drama at Chang International Circuit, Buriram, Thailand, as Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin of HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING snatched an extraordinary victory by the slimmest of margins after a nail-biting final-corner showdown. Kasma emerged victorious in spectacular fashion, edging out Thailand’s Thanat Laoongplio of HONDA RACING THAILAND by a mere 0.003s after a photo-finish sprint to the chequered flag. Kasma crossed the line in 20’06.403s, with Thanat heartbreakingly close at 20’06.406s, while Anupab Sarmoon of YAMAHA THAILAND RACING TEAM completed the podium in 20’06.544s, capping off a fiercely contested all-out battle. Drama unfolded from the very beginning as Thanat stormed into the lead at lights out before hometown hero Anupab seizing control of the race. Starting from the second row, Kasma quickly settled into the leading pack, while poleman Wahyu Nugroho of YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA, despite starting from the back of the grid following a penalty, carved through the field impressively in the opening laps. The pace at the front was relentless. Lap after lap, the top contenders traded positions in a relentless chess match at over 250km/h. Anupab led early proceedings before McKinley Kyle Paz of HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING surged into contention midway through the race, briefly taking control as the front five remained separated by mere tenths of a second. By Lap 8, tension reached boiling point as McKinley launched repeated attacks on Thanat, eventually muscling his way through, only for the order to shuffle again moments later. Entering the closing laps, it became a four-rider battle involving Thanat, Anupab, Kasma and McKinley, with every braking zone turning into an overtaking opportunity. On Lap 11, McKinley suffered a costly slide at the final turn while fighting at the sharp end, leaving the battle for victory wide open heading into the final lap. Thanat looked destined for a memorable home triumph, leading into the final corner with Anupab and Kasma right behind. But Kasma had one final gamble left. Diving aggressively to the inside on a tighter line, the Malaysian rider powered side-by-side with Thanat in a breathtaking drag race to the finish line, winning by the tiniest of margins in one of the closest finishes. Kasma said: “Honestly, it was a really tough race for me today. We were battling hard from the beginning, and at one point I even dropped to fourth and fifth position as we kept overtaking each other lap after lap. It was a crazy and demanding race. In the first two or three laps, I focused on managing my tyres because I knew if I pushed too hard too early, I would lose performance near the end. So I stayed patient and waited for the right moment to attack. Alhamdulillah, there was a bit of luck for me again in the final corner, just like last year when I won the championship title. At that moment, I told myself, ‘This is the time to attack,’ and thankfully everything worked out. I’m very grateful for today’s result, and tomorrow we will push for even more.” TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1 1. KASMA DANIEL KASMAYUDIN – HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING (20’06.403s) 2. THANAT LAOONGPLIO – HONDA RACING THAILAND (20’06.406s) 3. ANUPAB SARMOON – YAMAHA THAILAND RACING TEAM (20’06.544s) 4. HERJUN ATNA FIRDAUS – ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM (20’06.743s) 5. WAHYU NUGROHO – YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA (20’07.853s)

Home hero Anupab Sarmoon stamped his authority on the opening day of Round 2 in the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026 after delivering a commanding performance in the SS600cc category at Chang International Circuit, Buriram, Thailand. The YAMAHA THAILAND RACING TEAM rider emerged as the benchmark across all three practice sessions, steadily raising the pace each time he hit the track before eventually setting the fastest combined lap of 1’39.402s in Practice 3. More impressively, Anupab consistently looked in control around the fast and technical circuit, combining blistering corner speed with remarkable straight-line performance, reaching a top speed of 257.80km/h in Practice 2. While the Thai rider led the charge, the battle behind him was anything but settled. Indonesia’s Herjun Atna Firdaus of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM stayed firmly in contention throughout the day and closed the gap significantly in the final outing. Herjun posted a strong 1’39.568s in Practice 3, just 0.166s adrift of Anupab, signaling that the fight for pole position and race victory is far from over. Malaysia’s Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin also reasserted himself as a serious contender after bouncing back strongly in Practice 3. The HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING rider improved his pace to 1’39.598s, ending the day third overall and only 0.196s behind the leader in an incredibly tight top three battle. Thailand’s Thanat Laoongplio ensured local riders remained firmly in the spotlight as the HONDA RACING THAILAND rider consistently featured among the front-runners in every session. Thanat wrapped up the day fourth overall with a best lap of 1’39.726s, further highlighting the growing strength of the Thai contingent on home soil. Not far behind was Malaysia’s Khairul Idham Pawi from IDEMITSU HONDA RACING MALAYSIA, who steadily built momentum throughout the sessions before climbing into the top five in Practice 3 with a time of 1’39.749s. Khairul looked increasingly comfortable as conditions evolved, adding another experienced challenger into an already stacked field. Earlier in Practice 1, the pace had already hinted at the intensity to come, with the top five separated by less than half a second. Anupab drew first blood with a 1’40.162s effort, narrowly edging Kasma and McKinley Kyle Paz of HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING, while Thanat and Muhammad Helmi Azman completed a fiercely contested top five. Anupab expressed, “We had a really positive day today and managed to perform well in all three practice sessions. Session by session, we kept improving the bike and understanding the track better, so that gives us a lot of confidence moving forward. Racing at home always brings a special feeling because we can feel the support from the local fans and everyone cheering for us. That motivation gives us extra energy and determination every time we go out on track. We know the expectations are high, but we are ready to give everything we have. Tomorrow will be another important challenge, and we will fight as hard as possible in qualifying and the race. We’ll continue pushing together as a team and hopefully make our home supporters proud with a strong result.” TOP 5 FASTEST – COMBINED PRACTICE 1. ANUPAB SARMOON – YAMAHA THAILAND RACING TEAM (1’39.402s) 2. HERJUN ATNA FIRDAUS – ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM (1’39.568s) 3. KASMA DANIEL KASMAYUDIN – HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING (1’39.598s) 4. THANAT LAOONGPLIO – HONDA RACING THAILAND (1’39.726s) 5. KHAIRUL IDHAM PAWI – IDEMITSU HONDA RACING MALAYSIA (1’39.749s)