Underbone 150

The top 15 riders from Friday’s Underbone 150cc qualifier went out for the final SuperPole session for the 2019 season. This format of seeding the top-15 spots on the race grid will see the riders going out in batches of five. Each rider is flagged off individually to ensure that everyone has a clear piece of track in front of him. The idea is to take away the vital slipstream advantage and create a front grid that is based solely on machine and rider capability.   Young Aldi Satya Mahendra (Yamaha Racing Indonesia) led the first batch of five comprised of Gupita Kresna Wardhana, Peerapong Luiboonpeng, Mohd Faiz Zekri and Aditya Fauzi.   Aldi’s best time 2’03.044s was quickly eclipsed by the second group (Izzat Zaidi, Hafiza Rofa, McKinley Kyle Paz, Amirul Ariff Musa, and Wahyu Aji Trilaksana). Wahyu posted the fastest time among the second group with 2’02.694s.   The third and final batch of riders were made up of the top five fastest riders from Friday’s qualifying session – Haziq Fairues, Affendi Rosli, Rozaiman Said, Ahmad Fazli Sham, and lap record holder Akid Aziz.   However, it was Haziq Fairues (UMA Racing Yamaha Maju Motor Asia Team) who stole the limelight when he claimed pole position with 2’02.470s. Wahyu Aji Trilaksana’s time was good enough to keep him on front row followed by his ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team team mate, Ahmad Fazli Sham on P3.   Top Friday qualifier and championship leader Akid Aziz will lead the second row with Izzat Zaidi and McKinley Kyle Paz.

Indonesian rider Rafid Topan Sucipto led the way on Day 1 at the season finale of the 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship, thanks to a 1’53.039s fastest lap that put him on provisional pole in the Asia Production 250cc class.   The former Moto2 rider was followed by A.P. Honda Racing Thailand trio Piyawat Patoomyos, Muklada Sarapuech and Tatchakorn Buasri, with the top seven riders all qualifying within a second.   ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team’s Rey Ratukore completed the top five on the overall charts. The Indonesian sits 0.7 seconds off compatriot Rafid as they head for qualifying and Race 1 on Saturday.   Aiki Iyoshi led the three AP250 title contenders on P6. Behind the Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki Racing rider, his team mate Andy Muhammad Fadly, Awhin Sanjaya, Irfan Ardiansyah and Lucky Hendriansya rounded up the top 10. All four has a critical role to play in the outcome of the Asia Production 250cc title chase. Team play is expected to be very much in evidence this weekend, especially with both Fadly and Irfan riding with a 1000rpm cut.

Underbone 150 title hopeful Mohd Akid Aziz is in top form as the season finale of the 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship opened at the Chang International Circuit on November 29, 2019.   The UMA Racing Yamaha Maju Motor Asia Team rider who stands a good chance of winning his second Asian title, logged a new Underbone 150 lap record at the 4.554km circuit when he posted 1’59.784s to take provisional pole in the Underbone qualifier. The Malaysian’s previous lap record was set at 1’59.974s.   One other rider managed to lap below the previous lap record. Ahmad Fazli Sham was clocked as the second fastest man on the Underbone grid with 1’59.940s. Fazli was the first to break the lap record earlier in the qualifier but his feat was eclipsed when Akid bettered him by 0.156 seconds. The seasoned campaigner from the ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team also topped the timesheets earlier in the day during the first two practice sessions.   In all, seven of the nine Underbone 150 title contenders made the cut for the SuperPole that will determine the final composition of the starting grid for the weekend. McKinley Kyle Paz, almost a second adrift of the provisional pole sitter, was eighth fastest on the timesheets. Akid’s team mate, Mohd Haziq Mohd Fairues posted 2’00.314s and placed fifth on the results.   Wahyu Aji Trilaksana clocked 2’00.416s in sixth while Peerapong Luiboonpeng checked in at P12 with 2’01.123s. Indonesian wonderkid Aldi Satya Mahendra squeaked through into the SuperPole in P15.   Fernando Masato and Wawan Wello were the only two still in the title hunt who will not be taking part in the SuperPole.

The battle to become the Asian 2019 Underbone 150 champion is set to ignite at the season finale in Buriram, Thailand. UMA Racing trio, Mohd Akid Aziz and Mohd Haziq Mohd Fairues from the UMA Racing Yamaha Maju Motor Asia Team and McKinley Kyle Paz from the UMA Racing Yamaha Philippine Team, are locked in as the front runners of the battle. Underbone podiums have been hard to come by in 2019. Akid has the highest podium haul this season, topping out at four podiums from Malaysia, Thailand, and China. The Malaysian rider also holds the highest number of pole positions and wins. Should he succeed, this will be the second Asian Underbone 150 title for Akid. He last won the title in 2017. Meanwhile, McKinley Kyle Paz is determined to become the first Asian Underbone 150 champion from the Philippines. There is very little to choose from between the two talented youngsters. Both have had their ups-and-downs all season long. For Kyle to return home triumphant, he must ensure that he keeps himself always four points ahead of Akid, a tall order in the ever-unpredictable UB150 race. Mohd Haziq Mohd Fairues, team mate to Akid Aziz, will be the biggest wild card in the Underbone battle. Haziq’s campaign got off to a bad start at the season opener. The 18-year-old had been able to put in better results in the second half of the year when he finally claimed a win at the China round. Away from the top three, Aldi Satya Mahendra’s best chance to steal the title would be to win both races while hoping that Akid, McKinley and Kyle finish off the podium. Mathematically, the top nine riders are still in the hunt for the title. These include Ahmad Fazli Sham, Fernando Masato, Wawan Wello, Wahyu Aji Trilaksana and Peerapong Luiboonpeng.

Mohd Haziq Fairues has put his bid in for the 2019 Underbone 150cc Asian champion when he scored his first win of the season at Round 6 of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship at the Sepang International Circuit. Race 2 for the Underbone 150cc class got off with poleman Akid Aziz serving out a controversial ride-through penalty for irresponsible riding in Race 1 on Saturday. In a 6-lap race with 35 bikes on the grid, the penalty effectively put Akid out of podium contention for Race 2. The UMA Racing Yamaha Maju Motor Asia Team rider elected to serve out the penalty on Lap 1, giving himself more time to catch up and collect as many points as possible. At the front, Fernando Masato led the pack into the first lap even as Akid rejoined the group in P32. On Lap 2, Mohd Faiz Zekri from the ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team pushed his way to the front, with Mohd Izzat Zaidi, Affendi Rosli, Aldi Satya Mahendra, and Haziq Fairues in tow. A number of retirements brought championship leader Akid closer to the front group. Notably, Mohammad Murobbil Vitoni crashed out on Lap 3 followed rapidly by Wawan Wello sputtering to the side of the grid. On Lap 4, both championship leaders Akid Aziz and McKinley Kyle Paz were still out of points contention even though a determined Akid put in the fastest lap of the race, 2’31.525s. More crashes at the last corner allowed Haziq Fairues a bit of breathing space at the sharp end of the group. As he came into the final two corners of the race, Haziq was able to carve out a small lead at the front, enough space to keep the horde from his back. Haziq crossed the finish line uncontested in first place with 15’36.361s. It was a day of many firsts for the riders celebrating on the podium – Haziq’s first win of the season, and Faiz Zekri’s first UB150 podium when he finished second with 15’36.728s. Aldi Satya Mahendra finished third with 15’37.608s. Further down the grid, championship leaders Akid and McKinley crossed the finish line in 13th and 10th places respectively. The two riders netted enough points to stay at the front of the title chase. Akid still leads with 119 points while Kyle stays in second overall with 111 points.

Mohd Akid Aziz had been able to sustain his Underbone 150cc competitive edge as Round 6 of the 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship unfolds at the Sepang International Circuit. After setting a new lap record in the practice sessions, the UMA Racing Yamaha Maju Motor Asia Team rider went on to confirm his slot on pole position when he aced the SuperPole with 2’34.505s. Mohd Izzat Zaidi from RCB Accentwire Yamaha YY Pang Racing and Akid’s team mate Mohd Haziq Mohd Fairues joined him on the front row. Izzat Zaidi took early control of the race, but soon lost his advantage when the 14-rider leading pack engulfed him. Akid popped into the lead on Lap 4, dropped to eighth on Lap 5 before emerging out of the group to take the win at the chequered flag with 15’43.137s. Wahyu Aji Trilaksana settled for second spot with 15’43.254s. Cardinals Racing Team celebrated their first ARRC podium when Rozaiman Mohd Said fought his way to third with 15’43.678s. Meanwhile championship leader McKinley Kyle Paz finally received medical clearance to join the race. However, having missed out on the qualifier the previous day, the UMA Racing Yamaha Philippine Team rider had to start the race from the back of the grid. The gritty Filipino rider pushed his way up from 35th to sixth, enough to keep his title hopes alive. Akid Aziz became the new UB150 championship leader with 116 points. McKinley dropped to second overall with 105 points. Ahmad Fazli Sham is still in with a long shot. He is third on the rankings with 81 points followed by Fernando Masato fourth with 77 points. Indonesian riders Wawan Wello and Wahyu Aji Trilaksana tie for fifth overall with 74 points apiece.

UMA Racing Yamaha Maju Motor Asia Team’s Mohd Akid Aziz has set a new Underbone 150cc benchmark at the Sepang International Circuit. On track for the first day of practices for Round 6 of the 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship, Akid threw down the gauntlet when he posted 2’32.165s during the Underbone 150cc qualifier. The Underbone 150cc title chase resumed with McKinley Kyle Paz in the lead. The UMA Racing Yamaha Philippine Team rider was determined to replicate his performance from the season opener but highsided at the last corner during the second practice session. The crash resulted in an injured ankle and the young Filipino rider was not cleared for the UB150 qualifying session in the latter half of the day. In his absence, Mohd Akid Aziz seized the opportunity to steal provisional pole in preparation of the intense Underbone 150cc battle ahead. SND Factory Racing Rapido’s Wawan Wello will be looking for more wins to get himself back in title contention. He clocked second fastest in the qualifying session with 2’33.211s. With McKinley potentially carrying an injury in this round, Wawan will have his best opportunity to take the championship lead ahead of the final round in Thailand. Peerapong Luiboonpeng from Team One For All was third quickest with 2’33.280s. Ahmad Fazli Sham and Mohammad Murobbil Vitoni rounded up the top five.

Tengku Amirul Haffirudin will be filling in for Mohd Adib Rosley in the RCB Accentwire Yamaha YY Pang Racing Team at Round 6 of the 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship in Sepang. Adib broke his leg two weeks prior to the ARRC, during the sixth round of the 2019 PETRONAS Malaysian Cub Prix Championship in Teluk Intan, Perak. The Malaysian rider is recovering rapidly from surgery, but is not yet fit to race.

Just as the Indonesian riders view the Sentul Circuit as their playground, so does the Malaysian riders with the Sepang International Circuit. At the 2019 season opener, the Malaysian camp had been expected to dominate the UB150 podium especially. When Filipino riders McKinley Kyle Paz and Fernando Masato claimed the win in both Race 1 and Race 2, it was a painful blow for the local heroes. Fortunately for the Malaysian riders, they will get a chance for a do-over when the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship returns to Sepang for Round 6 on September 21 and 22. At Sepang, the Malaysians will make up 50% of the 35-rider UB150 grid. UMA Racing Yamaha Maju Motor Asia Team’s Mohd Akid Aziz will be in the thick of the action as he challenges McKinley Kyle Paz for the leadership position in the class. Both riders have picked up two wins apiece in the previous four rounds. Akid trails McKinley by only four points. However, in the case of Underbone racing, numerical advantage can sometimes become a strategical nightmare. With so many bikes out on track, threading one’s way through the charging horde in the final few corners of the race can be challenging. Wily seasoned campaigners like Ahmad Fazli Sham, his younger brother Ahmad Fazrul Sham (wildcard) and championship mainstay Mohd Affendi Rosli can be expected to throw up obstacles of their own in their quest for the top step of the homeground podium. With the Malaysian national day celebrations only a few weeks ago, fans can expect to see their favourite Malaysian riders amp up the level of competition in Sepang.

SND Factory Racing Rapido rider Wawan Wello will face an uphill battle to get back into the UB150 title chase. Wawan led the pack into Round 5 in China, but saw his 12-point lead evaporate following a disastrous weekend at the Zhuhai International Circuit. Coming into the penultimate round in Sepang, the Indonesian rider is now trailing by 24 points in fifth overall. Three DNF results in a row has checked Wawan’s upward trajectory. With only two rounds and four races left on the calendar, he will need a slew of podium finishes to make up for lost ground. The stakes are high for Wawan. He is still the best performing Indonesian rider in the UB150 class, as well as the sole Honda representative among the top-10.