Supersports 600

Since Yuki Ito’s full season ARRC debut in 2013, the 26-year-old had frequently been considered as one of the potential riders who could lift the SuperSports 600cc crown. He came close to reaching that target in 2014 when he missed out on the title by only one point. 2016, in particular, was a year to forget. Bogged down by persistent mechanical issues, the Yamaha Racing rider struggled to match results to his full potential. Dogged persistence and sheer determination from both the rider and his engineering crew had made a comeback possible in 2017. The bad news is, Ito’s results had not been consistent this season. However, a performance graph with peaks and valleys is infinitely preferable to a flatline at the bottom of the chart. The good news is, consistency was a rarity among the front runners in the 2018 title fight. Everyone suffered from their own issues ranging from mechanical failure to injuries and unforced human errors. With four podiums and a race win under his belt, Ito rocketed up the SuperSports 600cc ladder. As the clock ticks down to the season finale at the Chang International Circuit, the Yamaha Racing rider is trailing championship leader Zaqhwan Zaidi by only 4 points and shares second overall with Taiga Hada. YUKI ITO Rank after Rd 5: 2 Points: 134 points 2017 Pole: 0 2017 Podium: 5 (50%) 2017 Win: 1 (10%)

The FIM Asia Road Racing Championship experienced a mini-trend from 2012 to 2014 that brought a wave of young Japanese riders into the Underbone category. Some of these riders included Kazuki Masaki, Kaito Toba, Ren Toba, and Taiga Hada. Only 18, Hada is one of the youngest riders in the SuperSports 600cc category, and certainly the youngest among the five racing for the title in 2018. This is his fourth season in the ARRC. In 2014, Hada finished second overall in the Underbone 130cc class behind Gupita Kresna Wardhana. Since that first year, Hada’s progress had been remarkable. He ranked 22nd overall in his rookie SuperSports 600cc year in 2015 and finished 10th overall in 2016. Hada started the 2017 season in top form but experienced a slight dip in the mid-segment of the season. Double podium results from Round 5 at the Madras Motor Race Track places him shoulder-to-shoulder on the points standings with Yuki Ito. TAIGA HADA Rank after Rd 5: 2 Points: 134 points 2017 Pole: 0 2017 Podium: 5 (50%) 2017 Win: 1 (10%)

Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman’s quest for his second Asian title had been derailed by a string of unfortunate incidences. Following a positive start in Round 1, the Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki Racing rider looked to be in good position, especially after inheriting a double win in Round 2 when Anthony West was disqualified. Azlan’s season went downhill after that. He injured his hand in Round 3 at Suzuka which also affected his results in Indonesia (Round 4). Just when he thought his injuries were behind him, another crash in India resulted in an injured leg and a start position from the back of the grid. The fact that Azlan is still in title contention is testament to his grit and determination. This rider had been racing in pain for most of 2017 yet had been able to keep his points-haul high enough for one last battle. AZLAN SHAH KAMARUZAMAN Rank after Rd 5: 4 Points: 128 points 2017 Pole: 0 2017 Podium: 3 podium (30%) 2017 Win: 2 (20%)

Since 2011, the SuperSports 600cc title had been won by either the Japanese or Malaysian riders. As the 2017 season draws to an end, Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki Racing’s Ahmad Yudhistira is in position to become the first premiere class champion from Indonesia. 24 years of age, Yudhis, had been racing in the SuperSports 600cc category since 2013. His best result in the class was in 2015 when he finished third overall. Currently standing fifth on the rankings with 110 points, Yudhis still has a mathematical chance of overcoming the 28-point chasm that yawns between him and Zaqhwan Zaidi in first place. AHMAD YUDHISTIRA Rank after Rd 5: 5 Points: 110 points 2017 Pole: 0 2017 Podium: 3 podium (30%) 2017 Win: 0

Becoming Asia’s Top 600cc Team For every time the riders go out on track for the title hunt, a parallel but invisible race happens in the Asian paddocks – the race to win the title as the best Asian team in their race category.     In 2017, the Asia Production 250cc team title had been sealed by the Astra Honda Racing Team while team UMA Racing Yamaha Maju Motor picked up the Underbone 150cc team title.   As for the SuperSports 600cc category, five teams are in contention for the crown as the season finale looms at the Chang International Circuit this December 2 and 3. While MUSASHi Boon Siew Honda Racing’s Mohd Zaqhwan Zaidi leads the riders championship, it is team Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki Racing that tops the teams standings with 155 points.   Teams pick up points through their best performing rider in every race. In the case of team Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki Racing, the team could pick up points from either Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman or Ahmad Yudhistira, depending on which rider finishes higher in any particular race.   Having two experienced riders in their stable had given the Kawasaki outfit a nominal edge over its closest competitors. After five rounds of competition, the Indonesian-based team has a 9-point advantage.   Their closest rival is team MUSASHi Boon Siew Honda Racing. The Malaysian team had opted for a senior-rookie combination in 2017. Mohd Zaqhwan Zaidi is racing for the first time as lead rider this season. In the past, Zaqhwan had always had a senior rider or at the very least a peer of similar experiences. This year, Zaqhwan is paired with SuperSports 600cc rookie Teppei Nagoe. This meant that team MUSASHi Boon Siew Honda Racing is completely reliant on the points accumulated by Zaqhwan in their quest to win their sixth consecutive SuperSports 600cc team title.   Just as Yuki Ito and Taiga Hada are tied in second overall on the riders’ chart, their teams, team Yamaha Racing and RAMA Honda by NTS T.Pro Ten10 Racing are tied in third overall with 140 points each.   Yamaha Thailand Racing Team has a mathematical chance, hovering in fifth overall with 115 points. The Thai team is 40 points adrift of the leading pack but they may be able to improve on their rankings. This is especially because the final race will take place on home ground.

He spent the entire 2016 almost sunk in obscurity, struggling to whip his campaign into shape. Sheer determination, perseverance and willpower has finally brought team Yamaha Racing rider Yuki Ito back to the top step of the podium. Competing at the Madras Motor Race Track in Chennai, India, Yuki Ito’s bid for the 2017 crown took a turn for the better when he was finally able to ride to his true potential. The premiere class, the highlights of the day’s racing, took place after a heavy drizzle during the Asia Production 250cc category. The drying track left the SuperSports 600cc teams and riders in a quandary with regards to their tyre choice. The track surface was not wet enough for the rain tyres. But with the track temperature measured at only 37 degrees Celcius, most teams were torn between the choice of the hard and medium compound slicks. In the end, the entire grid opted for dry tyres, with the majority of the front runners racing on hard front and rear. The SuperSports 600cc race was further shortened from its original 16 laps to 14 laps. The starting grid itself underwent a small change. Pole sitter Keminth Kubo opted out of Race 2. The Yamaha Racing rider suffered a big crash in the last lap of Race 1. Although given the green light to get back onto the grid, team Yamaha Racing decided that it would be wiser to rest the rider. Kubo’s absence from the starting grid meant all the other riders moved up one spot. Team MUSASHi Boon Siew Honda’s Mohd Zaqhwan Zaidi settled in on pole position. Zaqhwan was unable to capitalize on his prime starting position. He lost the holeshot to a charging and more aggressive Taiga Hada. However, it was the experienced campaigner Chalermpol Polamai who jumped into the lead on Lap 1 when Hada hit a wet patch and ran wide.  More disaster was in store for championship leader Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman. Still in the championship lead but still injured, Azlan was up to eighth position after starting from the back of the grid. Unfortunately, the Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki Racing rider took another spill in Lap 1. The Kawasaki rider managed to get back into the race, but was never able to regain his position within the top 10. Up ahead, Chalermpol Polamai had lost ground. On Lap 3, Zaqhwan Zaidi rode to the front with Yuki Ito in tow. Ratthapong Wilairot put in a highly impressive performance in the opening laps of the race when he got as high as third position. However, in chasing after Ito, Wilairot rode beyond his limits and crashed out of third place on Lap 7. A lap later, Taiga Hada made up for lost ground and came within sight of the leading duo. However, Ito was solely focused on the rider ahead of him – his Honda rival, Zaqhwan. The Yamaha rider was consistently a shade faster than Zaqhwan in every lap, yet held back from overtaking until Lap 11. It was a well thought-out strategy that worked perfectly. Zaqhwan’s tyre had been completely worn by the final two laps, and the MUSASHi Boon Siew Honda rider had no response for Ito’s move. Ito immediately set about creating a gap ahead of Zaqhwan, and eventually ended his inch-perfect race in first place with 23’55.967s. Zaqhwan crossed the finish line in second place with 23’56.832s, 0.865s behind. Taiga Hada completed a solo ride in third place with 24’04.372s. Just off the podium, Teppei Nagoe repeated his fourth place finishing in Race 2. Yamaha Thailand’s power duo Decha Kraisart and Chalermpol Polamai finished in fifth and sixth positions. Team AP Honda Racing Thailand’s replacement rider Sittisak Onchawiang gave good account of himself in seventh followed by Sena Yamada, Ahmad Yudhistira and Noriyuki Haga who rounded out the top ten. Further down the finishing order, Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman limped home in 12th position, picking up four valuable championship points to keep his title hopes alive. The Madras Motor Race Track had proven to be an effective game-changer in the race to become the 2017 SuperSports 600cc champion. As the Asia Road Racing Championship heads to a final showdown at the Chang International Circuit in December, there are five riders in contention for the crown. Zaqhwan now leads with 138 points. Yuki Ito and Taiga Hada share the second spot with 134 points apiece. Azlan Shah is fourth with 128 points and Ahmad Yudhistira is still in with a chance, holding 110 points to his name. From a team perspective, team Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki Racing’s bid to win the Team Award is also under threat. They suffered their worst results at the Madras Motor Race Track and their lead in the team standings have been whittled down to a 9-point margin. The Kawasaki outfit holds 155 points while five times team champion MUSASHi Boon Siew Honda Racing has strengthened its position with 146 points. Team RAMA Honda by NTS T.Pro Ten10 is also in contention, the Japanese-Indian racing team shares third overall position with Yamaha Racing. Both teams have amassed 140 points to date.

Yamaha Thailand Racing Team’s Decha Kraisart has logged a new track record at the Madras Motor Race Track, host to Round 5 of the 2017 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship.  Lapping home in the third free practice with 1’41.305s, Decha smashed the previous 2013 record by 1.5 seconds. The last record, held by Malaysian rider Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman, was posted at 1’42.785s. Decha, who stands sixth overall on the championship ladder after eight races, still holds a mathematical chance of staging an upset in the final stages of the title chase. However, the seasoned Thai campaigner will have his work cut out for him with both defending champion Mohd Zaqhwan Zaidi and current championship leader Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman hot on his tail. Zaqhwan posted second fastest with 1’41.501s while Azlan ended the day third fastest with 1’41.801s. Strong performances from Ahmad Yudhistira and Ratthapong Wilairot placed them fourth and fifth fastest respectively. Yuki Ito, Keminth Kubo, Sittisak Onchawiang, Chalermpol Polamai and Teppei Nagoe completed the top 10.

As the Madras Motor Race Track prepares to host the penultimate round of the 2017 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship, local boy Shankar Sarath Kumar is also dealing with the immense home ground pressure.  For the rider who is Chennai born and bred, the sky high expectations from his fans and supporters are understandable. He has logged almost 2,000 laps at the 3.717km circuit and has lost count of the number of wins that he had crafted in his home track. “I am very grateful for all the well wishes from Indian motorsports fans. I feel the pressure more intensely now that the race had been moved to the Madras Motor Race Track. Last year, in Delhi, there was not much of a home advantage because of the race was held in a distant part of the country. This time around, I will be racing in front of fans and family who will be praying hard that I finish on the podium,” said Sarath. “But what I hope everyone would understand is that the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship is a whole different ballgame. The level of competition had increased tremendously since the last time the ARRC raced in Chennai back in 2013. I’m not making any excuses, but we will be racing against former GP and World Superbike riders. We need to look at this realistically. The level of competition now is world-class.” Nevertheless, the RAMA Honda by NTS T.Pro Ten10 rider hopes that the continued and unwavering support of the fans will spur him to achieve his best results to date.

Round 4 of the Asia Road Racing Championship closed with a dramatic, almost surreal Supersport 600 Race 2. The race ran in two parts. In front of a packed grandstand, MUSASHI Boon Siew Honda’s Zaqwan Zaidi made up for a lackluster performance on Saturday, by getting away first and opening a gap on the rest of the field, which was led by Rama Honda’s Taiga Hada, who was hounded and then overtaken by Chalermpol Polamai, who opened up a few bike lengths on the rest of the field. Then everything changed. First the 22 year-old Malaysian crashed out of the lead at Turn 10 at the start of lap 3, then his team mate, Teppei Nagoe went down a few seconds later. With Zaqwan unable to get to safety, the red flag was shown and the riders returned to the pits. As the last bike came in a heavy rain storm started, causing a delay to the restart as tyres were changed and a wet race declared over nine laps. With the rain almost stopped, but with standing water on the track, Chalermpol took the early lead from Decha Kraisart and Ahmad Yuhistira on the Manual tech KYT Kawasaki. Decha quickly got past his Yamaha Thailand team mate, followed by Yudhistira, who pushed Decha hard for another lap. Unable to find a way past and with Decha making the wet conditions his own, a few bike lengths soon appeared between him and the Malaysian. Behind Yudhistira, a similar gap opened up to Chalermpol, and then there was another two seconds back to Yuki Ito, Dimas Ekky Pratama, Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin and Anthony West, who were fighting for fourth. Decha remained poised at the front, to cross the finish line 1.6 seconds in front of Yudhistira and Chalermpol, who was 5.7 seconds clear of the four-way battle for fourth, which was won by Dimas from Kasma, West and Ito. Ratthapong Wilairot had another good outing to finish eighth ahead of Azlan Shah and his AP Honda team mate, Tetsuya Yamaguchi.