Supersports 600

The 2018 season of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship began in Buriram. It ended in Buriram with a dramatic flourish. It had been a weekend of non-stop drama, particularly in the SuperSports 600cc category where six riders were in contention for the title. Of the six, Yamaha Thailand Racing Team’s Ratthapong Wilairot had the slimmest chance of taking the crown. He needed to win both races.   With a little bit of help from his senior team mate Decha Kraisart, 26-year-old Ratthapong successfully turned the tables and revived his title hopes with a win in Race 1. By then, four riders were in the chase for the crown and Ratthapong, Ahmad Yudhistira and Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman each needed to win Race 2.   Team orders within the Yamaha Thailand Racing Team were very much in evidence in Race 2. Decha Kraisart set the pace at the front in the first nine laps. At exactly the midway point of the race, right on cue, Decha moved aside for Ratthapong to come through. Decha planted himself firmly in second place to guard his team mate’s flanks and succeeded in ushering Ratthapong to his second win of the season with 30’00.360s. Decha settled into second place with 30’00.701s.   While the two Yamaha Thailand Racing Team riders romped unhampered to the finish line, Keminth Kubo from the Yamaha Racing Team ASEAN managed to get into Ahmad Yudhistira’s head and disrupted the Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki Racing’s focus and concentration. The young Thai maverick hounded Yudhistira mercilessly until Kubo himself overcooked Turn 3 and crashed out on Lap 9. By then, it was too late for Yudhistira to catch up to the marauding duo at the front. For the second time this weekend, Yudhistira settled for third with 30’03.332s.   With this win, Ratthapong confirmed himself as the 2018 SuperSports 600cc FIM Asian Champion with 141 points. Ratthapong’s win has ended a 7-year title drought for Thailand in the premiere class of the Asian series.   “It has been a very emotional day for me. My late father, Christmas Wilairot, was a top rider in this Championship during its early years but he never managed to win the Asian title. Today, winning this on our home track, makes the victory even more meaningful. I dedicate this title to his memory,” said Ratthapong in a post-race interview.   “Further, I thank my team mate Decha Kraisart. He has taken me under his wings since I joined the Yamaha Thailand Racing Team this year. He and the team members have all made me feel very welcome and I have been able to accomplish my best season in my career to date.”   Anthony West is second overall with 136 points. Ahmad Yudhistira has been propelled up the ladder to third overall with 131 points while Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman dropped to fourth with 123 points. Astra Honda Racing Team’s rookie rider Andi Farid Izdihar is ranked fifth with 117 points.   Webike IKAZUCHI Racing’s Randy Krummenacher picked up eight points from Race 1 and five points from Race 2, enough to keep the team at the top of the team rankings. The Webike IKAZUCHI Racing team were equal on points with Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki Racing, but broke the tie with their stronger winning record.

Thai rider Ratthapong Wilairot successfully kept his SuperSports 600cc title hopes alive when he pocketed his first win of the season at Race 1 in the season finale of the 2018 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship.   26-year-old Ratthapong made headlines earlier this year when he took his career to the Yamaha Thailand Racing Team. Since then, the Thai rider has twice made it to the podium but had yet to pick up a win.   Ratthapong more than made up for the lack when the Championship landed on his home ground at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand. Fastest in the free practice, Ratthapong carried his momentum into the qualifier where he succeeded in clinching the pole position.   Ratthapong got off to a slow start in Race 1, opening up the gap for his senior team mate Decha Kraisart to race into the holeshot. However, Ratthapong managed to stay in the top end of the group while the other title contenders jostled for position.   Malaysian rider Mohd Zaqhwan Zaidi got taken off the title contention as early as the final corner of Lap 1. In trying to avoid Zaqhwan’s bike, Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman was also forced to run wide. Azlan lost valuable race positions in the process and was left with the uphill task of clawing his way back up from P21.   Up in front, the Yamaha Thailand Racing Team duo Decha Kraisart and Ratthapong Wilairot had opened up a 4-second gap by Lap 6. Behind them, another title contender, Ahmad Yudhistira of the Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki Racing Team, had his hands full staying half a wheel ahead of the unpredictable maverick, Keminth Kubo.   Team orders were very much in order within the Yamaha Thailand Racing Team. Decha Kraisart had the superior speed, but he played his wingman’s role to perfection when he slowed his pace for Ratthapong to catch up. The younger Yamaha rider finally drew abreast of his senior team mate on Lap 7 and successfully overtook on Lap 8. With 10 laps remaining to the end of the race, the two riders were almost racing in tandem as they swooped to a 1-2 finish with 29’56.061s and 29’57.431s respectively. Ahmad Yudhistira also kept his title hopes alive when he finished third with 30’01.433s. Keminth Kubo and Tomoyoshi Koyama rounded up the top-5 in the race.   Keisuke Kurihara finished sixth in the race, with Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman about a second off his pace in seventh place. However, Kurihara was penalized and dropped five positions for exceeding the track limit and Azlan was promoted to P6 instead. Yuki Ito and Azroy Hakeem Anuar were similarly penalized.   As it stands, the list of title contenders have been whittled down from six to four. Race 2 in the SuperSports 600cc class will be a straight-out battle for the win as Ratthapong, Yudhistira and Azlan all need the win to clinch the 2018 Asian crown.

The Thai riders in the SuperSports 600cc are living it up at the Chang International Circuit, host to the season finale of the 2018 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship.   Ratthapong Wilairot, Decha Kraisart and Keminth Kubo locked out the SuperSports 600cc front row with Ratthapong at the sharp end of the grid after posting 1’38.903s. Team play was very much in evidence throughout the 40-minute Qualifier. Ratthapong will park his bike alongside his Yamaha Thailand Racing Team teammate, Decha Kraisart who was second fastest with 1’39.219s. Keminth Kubo from Yamaha Racing Team Asean completed the all-Thai front row with the third fastest time of 1’39.288s. Of the three, only Ratthapong is in contention for the 600cc title.   Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki Racing’s Ahmad Yudhistira qualified fourth with 1’39.288s, followed by Randy Krummenacher (1’39.384s) and Tomoyoshi Koyama (1’39.417s).   Further down the field, Zaqhwan Zaidi qualified seventh with 1’39.520s while a visibly upset Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman will be starting both races from eighth on the grid with 1’39.606s. Azlan will have his work cut out for him if he hopes to finish second in both races in order to keep his SuperSports 600cc title.

Thai rider Ratthapong Wilairot is giving it his all at the final round of the 2018 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship. Even though the Yamaha Thailand Racing Team rider only has a very slim chance, the 26-year-old rider is prepared to put up everything he’s got.   Ratthapong is one of six riders with a chance to win the SuperSports 600cc title in 2018. Currently ninth on the standings with 91 points, Ratthapong will need a double win on his home track to turn the tables on the other five contenders.   The Thai rider did just that when he aced the first day of free practice sessions by clinching the quickest lap of 1’38.939s. However, Ratthapong has yet to break the existing lap record held by Mohd Zaqhwan Zaidi (1’38.469s).   Ratthapong’s compatriot and team mate Decha Kraisart was second fastest with 1’39.226s. Although the seasoned campaigner is no longer in championship contention, team play within the Yamaha Thailand Racing Team could see Decha playing wingman to Ratthapong’s race strategies.   Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki Racing’s Ahmad Yudhistira clocked in third fastest with 1’39.469s. Randy Krummenacher has quickly gotten back into the groove with a fourth quickest time of 1’39.500s.   The main title contender for the weekend, Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman, posted fifth fastest after the first day of practice with 1’39.691s.

The SuperSports 600cc title is still wide open with six riders in contention as the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship heads to its season finale at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand this weekend.   Team Webike IKAZUCHI Racing’s Anthony West had been unbeatable in the first half of the season. He has picked up 136 points so far.   Defending champion Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman has had an erratic season. The Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki rider is second on the standings with 102 points. Azlan will face a strong contender in the form of Randy Krummenacher who is set to replace West in the final round. To close the 34-point gap, Azlan must finish second in both Race 1 and Race 2.   Also in the running are Andi Farid Izdihar (Astra Honda Racing Team) and Ahmad Yudhistira (Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki). Both Indonesian riders are tied in third place with 99 points each. For either one to win the title, they must finish at least second in both Race 1 and Race 2, and they must also finish ahead of Azlan.   2014 and 2016 600cc Champion Mohd Zaqhwan Zaidi also has a shot of winning his third Asian title. However, currently standing fifth with 94 points, Zaqhwan will need a double win from the Buriram weekend to leapfrog his way up the ladder.   The same goes for Ratthapong Wilairot who is racing under the Yamaha Thailand Racing Team colours this season. The Thai rider is sixth on the standings with 91 points. If Ratthapong can pull off a double win on his home track, he stands a chance of becoming the third Thai rider to win the 600cc crown.

Team Webike IKAZUCHI Racing, the present leader in the SuperSports 600cc category, will be relying on Swiss rider Randy Krummenacher to be their knight in shining armour.   The Singapore-based outfit roped in Liam Taylor MacDonald and Sheridan Morais for the previous round in Indonesia. For the final round, the team has decided that Krummenacher, with his experience in the MotoGP as well as his recent win at the Chang International Circuit in the World SSP, would be the ideal rider to bring home the top prize for them.   Team Webike IKAZUCHI Racing has amassed 149 points at the top of the 600cc team standings. Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki Racing, which fields Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman and Ahmad Yudhistira, trails by only 19 points.   Should the Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki Racing duo dominate the race proceedings in Buriram this weekend, Krummenacher will need to finish third in both races to win the team title by a single point.

Fans of 2017 Asia Production 250cc Champion Gerry Salim will get to see him in action on the Asian stage this weekend at the Chang International Circuit.   As the clock ticks down to the final race of the season, Gerry has been tapped in to replace injured Irfan Ardiansyah in the SuperSports 600cc class. The Astra Honda Racing Team rider was recently injured in a training session.   Gerry Salim has spent the bulk of 2018 in Europe, particularly in the Moto3 class of the CEV. The talented Indonesian rider is no stranger to the 600cc class. Prior to taking the AP250 category by storm in 2017, Gerry was already making fans take notice when he raced in the SuperSports 600cc class in 2016.

Astra Honda’s Andi Farid Izdihar completed a statistically perfect weekend by adding a Supersport 600 Race 2 win to the pole position and Race 1 he achieved on Saturday in ARRC Round 5 at Sentul International Circuit, Indonesia. The first half of the race looked much like the previous day’s, as Ahmad Yudhistira rocketed away from the middle of the front row to take the lead. Farid struggled to get away cleanly and Zaqwan Zaidi and Ratthapong Wilairot pushed him back to fourth. By the end of the first lap, the red and white Honda was through to second and began pushing his compatriot’s Kawasaki for the lead, while Zaqwan tagged on, looking intent on making the most of the absence of championship rivals, Anthony West and Yuki Ito. Ratthapong Wilairot tried to stay with the leaders, but was two tenths of a second a lap off their pace and slowly drifted back, while Farid’s team-mate, Irfan Adiyansyah, contested fifth place with Decha Kraisart, Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman, and Tomoyoshi Koyama  in a group behind. The pattern of the race began to change from lap nine of 16, as tyre wear became an increasing factor and Zaqwan lost touch with the fight at the front. After a few rehearsals, Farid got past Yudhistira, who, after an initial attempt to fight back, slipped out of reach of the leader. Meanwhile, Yamaha Thailand’s Rattaphong got the better of Zaqwan and moved away to make a Honda-Kawasaki-Yamaha podium look likely. Further back, Azlan Shah was not having an easy time in the dispute over fifth, which was being led by Irfan. Farid’s lead increased in the last few laps, as Yudhistira struggled on the Manual Tech KTY Kawasaki’s worn Dunlops and he took his second win of the weekend by more than three seconds. Ratthapong was another two seconds behind, resisting a last lap charge by Zaqwan, who was fourth. Irfan took fifth as he, Decha, Azlan and Koyama all crossed the line within four tenths of a second. Keminth Kubo and Taiga Hada were ninth and tenth, while Ramdan Rosli, Sheridan Morais, Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin, Zulfahmi Kairudin Amirul Hafiq Azmi took the remaining point scoring positions. While it is still unknown whether West will race in the final round at Buriram, he leads the championship by 34 points from Azlan, who added just 17 at Sentul. Three points behind Azlan, Farid and Yudhistira are tied on 99, while Zaqwan has 94 and Koyama 91. With 50 points on the board, all five riders have a chance of winning the title.

Andi Farid Izdihar broke new ground for himself and Astra Honda by delivering the team’s first Supersports pole position and first win and podium finish of the season after 16-lap battle with Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki’s Ahmad Yudhistira. Starting from the middle of the front row, Yudhistira got the holeshot from Farid and rode a confident race in the lead as the 20-year-old pressed him relentlessly. Behind them, MUSASHI Boon Siew Honda’s Zaqwan slotted into an increasingly distant third place, before being passed by a plucky Ratthapong Wilairot, who was riding impressively after dislocating his shoulder in a fast crash at Turn 2 on Friday. The Yamaha Thailand rider looked to have made third place his own, but a problem with his R6’s gear lever forced him to run wide, which let Zaqwan back through. Farid’s team-mate, Irfan Irdiyansyah, made a poor start before making his way back up into contention and eventually past Ratthapong. Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman, who started hoping to close the championship gap on the absent Anthony West, found his Kawasaki unable to rev into the power band and struggled as Taiga Hada and Tomoyoshi Koyama pushed him down the order. Late in the race, as the front two moved further ahead, Farid converted pressure into a pass on Yudhistira, who snatched back the lead a few corners later. With tyre wear playing an increasing part in proceedings, Farid kept pushing on the last lap, slithering in front under braking for Turn 10 and holding on as the Kawasaki powered back at him on the run to the line to get within three hundredths of a second. More than eight seconds back, Zaqwan fought off a late charge by Irfan to claim third, another four seconds clear of Ratthapong. Hada and Koyama were another two seconds back in sixth and seventh, while the ailing Azlan was eighth in front of Azroy Anuar, Keisuke Kurihara and Thai duo, Passawit Thitiwararak and Decha Kraisart. Zulfahmi Kharudin, in as a replacement rider for his own team, was 13th, 38 seconds adrift of Farid. Webike IKAZUCHI replacement riders, New Zealander, Liam Taylor MacDonald and Sheridan Morais finished 14thand 17th respectively.

Friday’s free practice at Sentul International Circuit initially went as expected, as Astra Honda’s Andi Farid Izdihar and Irfan Ardiansyah, together with Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki’s Ahmad Yudhistira, locked out the top three slots on the timing screens in the first two sessions. Then MUSASHI Boon Siew Honda’s Zaqwan Zaidi spoiled the neighbourhood party by barging his way past first past Yudhistira, then Andi Farid, with a lap of 1:30.424 to end Free Practice 3 almost two tenths ahead of the Astra Honda man. Looking at combined times, Yudhistira was next on 1:30.682. The next four fastest all clocked their best times in the second session. Irfan was fourth for the day with a 1:31.029, from Yuki Ito, Taiga Hada and Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman, whose best round was 1:31.422. Behind Azlan were another five riders in the 1:31s: Keminth Kubo, Decha Kraisart, Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin, Tomoyoshi Koyama and Ratthapong Wilairot, who did his best time of 1:31.704 in session 3. The Yamaha Thailand rider had been running close to the top in the first session, before destroying his YZF-R6 and dislocating his shoulder in crash at the fearsomely fast Turn 2. He sat out the lunchtime session in the Medical Centre while his bike was being rebuilt before coming back with a strong run in Free Practice 3. All the above-named riders can be expected to improve their times by around half a second in Saturday morning’s qualifying session as they target Zaqwan’s 2017 pole winning 1:29.628. With championship leader, Anthony West, sidelined by his provisional doping test suspension, and Joe Francis absent and Patrick Li absent, Webike IKAZUCHI have drafted in South African World Supersport winner, Sheridan Morais, and New Zealander, Liam Taylor MacDonald. Morais was the quicker on day one, getting round in 1:33.327, as he found his way with the bike and the unique challenges of Sentul’s track surface.