Underbone 150

With Izzat Zaidi second in the standings and declared unfit to ride, the focus of Underbone fans for Race 2 was whether SCK Rapido Hi Rev Honda’s Helmi Azman could clinch the 2018 championship by finishing first or second at Sentul. In a race that featured a good deal more wheel-to-wheel combat than we had seen in Race 1, the Malaysian championship leader kept himself clear of danger for most of the race, staying within striking distance of the front of a leading group that consisted initially of five, then 11 bikes as the bunch behind took advantage of the battle at the front. Gupita Kresna, who finished third in Race 1, only made it to the first corner; Travis Hall was another noteable first lap crasher. After a poor showing on Saturday, the UMA Racing Yamahas of Haziq Fairues and Akid Aziz made their presence felt, trying to break away on occasion, but without success. Wildcards, Agung Fahrul and Wawan Wello, also kept themselves in contention. Helmi was well placed on the last lap, until a bike got out of shape in front of him forcing him to slow and change direction. He had to settle for sixth, while Haziq, Agung and Akid crossed the line together, separated by an almost imperceptible five hundredths of a second. Wawan took fourth ahead of Reza Fahlevi, Helmi and Adib Rosley. Amirul Ariff Musa, Wahyu Nugroho and Iaham Elsan Efendi rounded out the top ten. It was another bad day at the office for 2016 champion, Wahyu Aji Trilaksana, who could only finish 14th. Helmi, with 164 points will take a championship lead over Izzat of 42 to Thailand at for the sixth and final round. Ahmad Fazli Sham and Akid Aziz lie fourth and fifth with 87 and 83 points respectively.

Advantage Helmi as wildcard Agung wins at Sentul Agung Fahrul, one of six wildcard riders in today’s opening race at Sentul , left his mark on the 2018 championship by taking a win from Helmi Azman, whose main rivals, Izzat Zaidi, Ahmad Fazli Sham and Whayu Aji Trilaksana fell further behind. Starting from fourth on the 26-bike grid, Agung stayed in the top five throughout and frequently held the lead, before timing a perfect run to the chequered flag to win from SCK Rapido Hi Rev Honda’s Helmi, who had begun work for the day with a 23 point advantage in the standings over RCB Yamaha’s Izzat. The drama bagan on the startline, when Wahyu’s Yamaha was pushed off the grid with a problem, effectively snuffing out the 2016 champion’s title chances. Haziq Fairues converted his pole position into an early lead, which he traded with Agung, Helmi and SND Factory’s Gupita Kresna, before falling back from the 11 bike leading group with mechanical problems. Defending champion, Akid Aziz also broke down and pulled into the pits on lap eight. A fast game of cat and mouse for nine laps gave way to a fist fight at the front at the end, with bikes fanning out across the circuit’s 15 metre width as they fought for advantage. Agung  gained a bike length at the start of the last lap, which computed into  a win of 0.153s over Helmi, who crossed the line a few hundredths in front of Gupita, Amirul Ariff Musa, Izzat, Syahrul Amin and fellow wildcard, Wawan Wello. Fazli Sham finished eighth from Rusman Fadhil and Murobbil Fatoni, who completed the top ten. Izzat suffered a heart-stopping crash after taking the chequered flag, being ejected from his machine, apparently due to another rider hitting his rear wheel. Helmi goes into Race 2 having extended his lead over Izzat by another 9 points and over Fazli Sham by a further 12.

Championship leader Helmi Azman shrugged off assumptions of local superiority to top both free practice and qualifying on Friday. The Malaysian took his SCK Rapido Hi Rev Honda around Sentul’s tricky 3.964km in 1:48.692, almost seven tenths faster than Yuzy Honda Vietnam’s Amirul Ariff Musa, who was just clear of Indonesian wildcards, Agung Fahrul and Reza Fahlevi. Gupita Kresna was fifth on the SND Factory Yamaha, while Adib Rosley was sixth for RCB Yamaha YY Pang. Two other wildcards, Rusman Fadhil and Wawan Wello made it to Superpole, as did 2017 champion, Akid Aziz, who was the last rider through on 1:50.447. Shock news was that 2016 champion, Wahyu Aji Trilaksana was 18th and will therefore miss the shootout for the first 15 grid slots. Travis Hall, riding with a strapped up arm from an injury he picked up in Australia, managed 1:51.121 on his Sentul debut and will start from 20th for SCK Rapido. United Oil’s Miu Nakahara, also on her first trip to Indonesia, was outside of the 107% Qualifying maxima and will take no further part this weekend.

For most of the 2018 season, the Indonesian riders in the Underbone 150cc category had been outnumbered 2-to-1 by their Malaysian arch rivals. Indonesia’s top performing Underbonerider, Wahyu Aji Trilaksana, had struggled with consistency issues for most of the seasons, often finding himself out-flanked and boxed in by the usual Underbone tactics. However, the Indonesians, long reigning champions in the Underbone class, will enjoy a respite in the upcoming round as an influx of six wildcard riders even out the odds at the 3.964km Sentul track. After four rounds, Mohd Helmi Azman has a small lead with 134 points. He leads Mohd Izzat Zaidi by 23 points. Ahmad Fazli Sham’s double win in India had promoted him to third overall while Wahyu Aji dropped down to fourth. The penultimate round in Indonesia will be Wahyu’s best opportunity to turn the tables around in the Underbone class. Mathematically, 53 points adrift to the leader, the Yamaha rider still has a shot at creating an upset that would open up the title chase.

Ahmad Fazli Sham again came out tops in the unpredictable Underbone 150cc category. After delighting the ONEXOX TKKR Racing Team with their first win in Race 1, the seasoned campaigner added to the team’s celebrations by making it a double. Completing the 10-lap race with a time of 18’59.247s, Fazli put up a masterclass in defensive racing as he beat Mohd Helmi Azman to the chequered flag by 0.108s. As the Underbone 150cc riders lined up for Race 2, Fazli was once again faced with the prospect of starting from the back end of the grid. However, this was a negligible disadvantage in the Underbone class. By Lap 3, he had arrived to spoil the party in the front group. As Fazli engaged Helmi, Mohd Affendi Rosli and Peerapong Luiboonpeng for the lead, the formidable UMA Racing Yamaha Maju Motor Asia Team trio (Mohd Akid Aziz, Mohd Haziq Mohd Fairues and McKinley Kyle Paz) had dropped off the pace. The grid lost another rider when Fakhrusy Syakirin Rostam pitted on Lap 5. By Lap 6, Fazli had a 1-second lead but was unable to shake clear of Helmi Azman. The two duelling riders soon extended a lead at the front. Behind them, Travis Hall finally got into the Underbone rhythm when he challenged team mates Affendi Rosli and Peerapong Luiboonpeng for P3. The two race leaders pulled the lead to two seconds by Lap 8 and as their battle intensified in the final lap, Fazli put up a rock solid defense against Helmi’s attacks. More drama ensued in the second group when Peerapong Luiboonpeng low-sided on the final lap. The Thai rider crashed into Affendi Rosli, simultaneously taking out both Team One For All riders. Travis Hall became the first Australian rider to step onto the Underbone podium in third place. Mohd Adib Rosley and Mohd Aiman Azman finished 4th and 5th respectively while Mohd Izzat Zaidi, Wahyu Aji Trilaksana, Mohd Amirul Ariff Musa, Syafieq Aiman and Miu Nakahara completed the top 10. Helmi Azman’s double podium in Chennai has brought his championship points up to 134 points. Mohd Izzat Zaidi, still in second overall, has lost some traction in the title chase with 111 points. Fazli Sham jumps up to third overall with 88 points.

Ahmad Fazli Sham has picked up a first win for the ONEXOX TKKR Racing Team in Race 1 of the Underbone 150cc at Round 4 in Chennai, India. The Malaysian rider reverted to his old winning ways with a solid performance throughout the 10-lap race, eventually coming home as winner with 19’02.205s.   The seasoned Underbone specialist kept his cool under pressure from younger upcoming names such as McKinley Kyle Paz from the Philippines, defending champion Mohd Akid Aziz, championship leader Mohd Helmi Azman and Thai rider Peerapong Luiboonpeng.   Fazli held his ground within the leading group while positions continued to change at every corner. The Yamaha rider only made his presence felt on the two final laps when he began making decisive moves to take control of the race.   Despite Mohd Helmi Azman’s best efforts, the championship leader was unable to outwit Fazli Sham. The SCK Rapido Hi Rev Honda Racing rider eventually had to settle for second with 19’02.460s.   Meanwhile, another sterling performance from Peerapong Luiboonpeng saw the Thai rider from Team One For All go from fifth on Lap 9 to third at the finish line. Peerapong clocked 19’02.502s and pocketed the first Underbone podium of his career.

A long stint racing astride the 1000cc machine has obviously not affected Malaysian rider Mohd Zaqhwan Zaidi’s ability to finesse the 600cc bike. Fresh from a stint in the prestigious Suzuka 8 Hour Endurance Race, the MUSASHi Boon Siew Honda Racing rider charged on to Chennai, India, where the Madras Motor Race Track played host to Round 4 of the 2018 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship.   After the first day of free practices, Zaqhwan led a mixed bag of competitors by posting the fastest time of 1’41.306s. Just off Zaqhwan’s pace, championship leader Anthony West clocked second fastest with 1’41.388s in his first official run on the 3.74km race track.   The most impressive rider of the day was team MUSASHi Boon Siew Honda Racing rookie Azroy Hakeem Anuar. Azroy, who has been recording increasingly impressive performances in each successive round of the ARRC, stands third fastest with 1’41.677s.   Yamaha Thailand Racing Team rider Ratthapong Wilairot and Taiga Hada representing home team Idemitsu Honda Racing India by T.Pro Ten10, rounded up the top five.   Defending champion Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman continues to struggle with balance issues and just managed to clock within the top 10.

Anupab Sarmoon’s recent success at the 41st Suzuka 4 Hour Endurance Road Race has given the Yamaha Thailand Racing Team rider the additional impetus he needed to try to bring an end to Rheza Danica Ahren’s domination in the Asia Production 250cc class. Just a week ago, Anupab successfully defended his Suzuka 4 Hour title with the help of his team mate, Peerapong Boonlert.   As the AP250 riders went out on track for the first day of practice in Round 4, Anupab has been able to equal speedy Rheza’s pace at the top of the timesheets. Although the Astra Honda Racing Team rider emerged as the fastest rider of the day with 1’48.030s, Anupab was able to lap within the same parameters, coming home second fastest with 1’48.252s.   With the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship now entering the second half of its 2018 season, Anupab, currently third overall in the AP250 standings, is under pressure to bring home more podium finishes and race wins. As Rheza took the win in round after round, Anupab’s last victory was taken in Round 1, and he has only managed two podium finishes so far.   As always, Anupab will be facing a field of top Indonesian aces in the AP250 class. The Astra Honda Racing Team’s latest wonderkid, Mario Suryo Aji, posted third fastest with 1’48.775. Rey Ratukore, ONEXOX TKKR Racing Team’s latest recruit, was fourth fastest with 1’48.853s. Andy Muhammad Fadly from Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki Racing, ended the free practices fifth fastest with 1’49.510s.

The Underbone 150cc riders kicked off a record-breaking day as Round 4 of the 2018 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship officially got underway at the Madras Motor Race Track in Chennai, India. With most of the Underbone riders having had some experience at the challenging South Indian race track, the class is now competing on a whole different level.   At the end of Free Practice 2, the top seven riders in the class have managed to break the 2017 1’53.944s lap record held by Mohd Akid Aziz.   As of Practice 2, SCK Rapido Hi Rev Honda Racing Team duo Mohd Helmi Azman and Fakhrusy Syakirin Rostam have emerged as the provisional leaders of the class, clocking 1’53.169s and 1’53.178s respectively. Defending champion Mohd Akid Aziz was third fastest with 1’53.225s followed by Mohd Adib Rosley from the YY Pang camp. Filipino wonderkid, McKinley Kyle Paz, again riding wildcard for the UMA Racing Yamaha Maju Motor Asia Team was impressive on his first run out on the Madras Motor Race Track. He posted fifth in the class with 1’54.252s.   However, Akid came out with guns blazing in the 30-minute qualifying session. The UMA Racing Yamaha Maju Motor Asia Team rider beat his own fastest time by two whole seconds and clocked the fastest time in the class with 1’51.970s. Half a second off Akid’s pace, SCK Rapido Hi Rev Honda Racing Team duo Mohd Helmi Azman and Fakhrusy Syakirin Rostam logged the second and third fastest times with 1’52.524 and 1’53.325s respectively.

Rheza Danica Ahrens completing his second ​career double win was the only predictable outcome from another fraught intermediate class battle this afternoon. Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki’s Andy Md Fadly did his best to spoil Rheza’s perfect weekend by beating the Astra Honda rider into Turn 1. O​rder was restored one turn later as Rheza dismissed the Kawasaki man, putting plenty of fresh ​air ​between himself and the rest by the time they got to Degner curve at the end of Sector 1. The two best Yamahas of the weekend, under Reynaldo Christiano Ratukore and Anuparb Sarmoon​,​ also got away well from the second and third rows to latch onto the back of Fadly and ahead of the rest of the 15-strong chasing group. Muklada recovered from a poor start to muscle her way from 7th to 3rd, sparring again with Fadly, whose exuberance a day earlier had pushed her out of podium contention. As he had done in Race 1, Anuparb kept himself in with a chance by staying within the top four of the group fighting for second place. Kritchaporn Kaewsonthi, Muklada’s team mate, again impressed, taking ​turns at the front​, with Mario, Awhin and Fadly. Things went badly wrong for the two AP Honda riders early on Lap 5, when Kritchaporn clipped Muklada’s rear wheel as they braked for the first first corner, sending​ them both over the high side and, together with the two CBR 250RRs they had just vacated, tumbling end over end through the gravel trap. That broke up the big group, leaving the battle for second and third between the Astra Hondas of Mario and Awhin, Fadly on the Kawasaki and the Yamahas of Anuparb and Reynaldo. However, the chasing group led by Peerapong Boonlert, Ahmad Afif Amran,​ Akito Narita and M Faerozi, worked together to catch up on the overpass, making a ​party​ of ten to dispute the final few turns. Almost nine seconds after Rheza had clocked out for the day, Mario and Fadly converted their hard work into second and third places, while Afif and Narita edged out Anuparb, who got over the line two tenths clear of his Yamaha Thailand team mate, Peerapong. Awhin and Reynaldo were similarly pushed back to 8th and 9th, while Faerozi was 10th, 0.7 ahead of Takehiro Yamamoto. By adding 50 points over the weekend, Rheza has neatly matched his points tally to his race number of 123, which is 21 more than his 15-year-old wingman, ‘Super’ Mario. Anuparb is 10 points further behind on 92, which is 30 more than the unfortunate Muklada has been able to accumulate.