Underbone 150

It’s a “survival of the fittest” in the Underbone 150cc race category and while Husni Zainul of ZIEAR LFN HP969 MCR RBT 34 may not have had the opportunity to score a hat-trick just yet in the last two rounds, he definitely became worthy of the phrase when he bagged a 50-point flat in Round 2, adding his scores up to a staggering 88 points. With a 40-point difference from Fahmi Basam of YAMAHA LFN HP969 INDONESIA RACING TEAM who currently takes second on the overall charts, what would the odds be for the Indonesia in defending his title at Mobility Resort Motegi in Round 3 of the IDEMITSU FIM Asia Road Racing Championship? Husni definitely has a leg up at the moment and the next race may not necessarily affect his game-plan however, trio, Fahmi, Akid Aziz of PITSBIKE SUPERFAST JRT RACING TEAM and Nazirul Izzat of UMA RACING YAMAHA MAJU MOTOR ASIA TEAM has to up their performance a notch or two to secure a place in the book of champions. On record, Akid and Nazirul have great potential on Motegi’s well-crafted layout especially with the former bagging a win in Race 2 and the latter taking two shots on the podium last season. Akid said, “Motegi has always been my booster and last season’s performance was one that I will not forget. It was a result that spurred solid progress for me last season. So, yes, I feel even more prepared this time around despite the tough competition ahead. What’s important is coming in with a winner’s mindset and I do believe that I have what it takes to win again. Of course, we have a list of high-performing contenders and for now, Husni who has been in great form, undoubtedly, whom I know will go all out too. Motegi being a tough ground would be an added advantage if good strategies are in place especially on the last straight. I work with pressure well so when it gets tougher, I get going!” “With the data obtained from Sepang, we are building towards a better outcome but again, the long straight and the downhill through tight corners will definitely be a challenge. The setup ensures the bike is stable during braking and cornering. UB150 race category is unpredictable and full of action which makes it exciting and most importantly, it leaves no room for mistakes. For me, this race category is all about skill and race craft. The goal here is to come out strong, ideally a podium or a win. For the season though, I aim to stay consistent and be in contention for the championship title. Every point matter, so I have to be smart in making sure that every race counts.” Not so much for Fahmi who finished fourth in Race 1 and a “DNF” in Race 2. But the twist remains, its not just about the round-to-round basis but the overall competency that adds up to the game of thrones. In this case, Fahmi may be one with a competitive stride who could potentially challenge Husni further but it comes with a kick up on his side. Having said that though, the game is also such that one may never possibly expect the strike of a “DNF” or “DNS” as it was with Fahmi in Race 1 of Round 2 which added up to his zero-points. In the last two rounds, Fahmi took the podium twice at the second spot and while that may not have placed him on the limelight just yet, it could probably be a matter of time before the heat turns up for the duo on top. Commenting on the race, Fahmi said, “This year, the most challenging and pressuring thing for me lies in the question of how I would maintain my championship title. As was seen in the previous races, the question is one, strategy is another but whether or not I can live up to the expectations of defending the title is one that worries me. As we all know, the riders are all in top form, no doubt and everyone has the ability to make it to the podium. They are all highly experience. But even then, and along with that, the possibility of an unfortunate incident occurring even unto the best of the riders is always present. In other words, before the chequered flag, many things can happen.” “The race towards stardom has begun and, on my part, the preparations are focused on building a good physique and carving out the strategies that would work best. For Motegi, I will extract the needed experience from last year and apply it once again with a little modification to suit the challenges ahead. The team has also been working endlessly to ensure that the machine is in its optimised condition. We have the data from last season and will utilise it to ensure the performance is up to par with the needs of the circuit layout. In all, I will do my best for my team, my country and myself and if everything goes well, the goal is to make it champion once again.” Husni definitely has a leg up at the moment and the next race may not necessarily affect his game-plan however, trio, Fahmi, Akid Aziz of PITSBIKE SUPERFAST JRT RACING TEAM and Nazirul Izzat of UMA RACING YAMAHA MAJU MOTOR ASIA TEAM has to up their performance a notch or two to secure a place in the book of champions. On record, Akid and Nazirul have great potential on Motegi’s well-crafted layout especially with the former bagging a win in Race 2 and the latter taking two shots on the podium last season. Akid said, “Motegi has always been my booster and last season’s performance was one that I will not forget. It was a result that spurred solid progress for me last season. So, yes, I feel even more prepared this time around despite the tough competition ahead. What’s important is

Husni Zainul Fuadzy of ZIEAR LFN HP969 MCR RBT 34 celebrated a thrilling victory in Race 2 of Round 2 at the 2025 IDEMITSU FIM Asia Road Racing Championship at the Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia. The win marked his third victory of the season in the AP250 category, further cementing his status as one of the season’s standout riders. The race began with all eyes on the Malaysian riders, Md Akid Aziz and Ahmad Afif Amran of Pitsbike Superfast JRT Racing Team, who were the early leaders. However, the lead changed hands several times right from Turn 1, setting the stage for an exciting battle. Throughout the race, 2024 UB150 Champion Fahmi Basam of YAMAHA LFN HP969 INDONESIA RACING TEAM briefly took the lead but was quickly challenged by Akid, who regained the top spot. Nazirul Izzat Md Bahauddin of UMA RACING YAMAHA MAJU MOTOR ASIA TEAM also kept the pressure on, staying in close pursuit of the leaders. The race reached a dramatic turning point on the final lap. As the riders approached the last corner, a crash involving Masato Fernando of KOBY SEC YAMAHA RACING TEAM, Ahmad Afif Amran, and Muhammad Febriansyah of ONE FOR ALL, allowed Husni to seize his opportunity. With a final surge of speed, Husni pushed ahead to take the chequered flag with a time of 15’43.635s, edging out Adytya Fauzi of JPNW SND FACTORY RACING, who finished in second at 15’43.866s. Fahmi Bazam rounded out the podium in third place at 15’44.020s. Following the release of the official results, Adytya Fauzi of JPNW SND FACTORY RACING was handed a +3 second penalty for unsporting behaviour during Race 2. The penalty saw him drop from P2 to P13 in the final classification. This post-race decision reshuffled the podium standings, with Fahmi promoted to second place, while Nazirul who had originally finished fourth, moved up to third place. Husni expressed, “Thank you to everyone in the team for their hard work, and I wish my teammate, Gupita, a speedy recovery. I hope to maintain this position and continue fighting for the championship until the end of the season.” TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 2

Race 1 of Round 2 in the 2025 IDEMITSU FIM Asia Road Racing Championship delivered thrilling showdown in the UB150 category at the Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia, with Husni Zainul Fuadzy of ZIEAR LFN HP969 MCR RBT 34 emerging as the winner after a fierce multi-rider battle.In the Super Pole session earlier in the day, Md Akid Aziz of Pitsbike Superfast JRT Racing Team secured pole position with a best time of 2’34.094s. His teammate, Ahmad Afif Amran, lined up beside him in second with 2’34.624s, while Fahmi Basam of YAMAHA LFN HP969 INDONESIA RACING TEAM locked out the front row with 2’34.761s. When the race began, Akid made a strong start to maintain the lead, closely followed by Afif and Nazirul Izzat Md Bahauddin of UMA RACING YAMAHA MAJU MOTOR ASIA TEAM. However, the race was red-flagged shortly after due to a crash involving Fahmi Basam at Turn 4, whose bike spilled oil on the track, forcing an immediate halt. Following a brief delay, the race was restarted and reduced to 4 laps, notably without 2024 UB150 champion Fahmi, who was unable to continue. Akid once again led the pack off the line but was swiftly overtaken by Nazirul at Turn 1. From there, positions at the front shuffled relentlessly through every turn and lap as riders pushed their limits in the shortened race format. On the final lap, the intensity escalated as the riders went all in for victory. At the critical final turn, Husni Zainul Fuadzy made his decisive move, surging into the lead and powering across the finish line to clinched victory at 10’30.863s. Wahyu Aji Trilaksana of RACETECH SIXTY Racing finished just behind with a time of 10’31.283s, while pole-sitter Akid rounded out the podium in third at 10’31.297s. Husni said, “Alhamdulillah, today’s race gave us a very positive result, and I’m truly grateful for that. The team and I have worked hard to reach this point, and it’s rewarding to see it pay off. Hopefully, we can maintain this momentum in Race 2 tomorrow and fight to stand on the podium once again.” TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1

Round 2 of the 2025 IDEMITSU FIM Asia Road Racing Championship unfolded today at the iconic Sepang International Circuit, with Malaysia’s Ahmad Afif Amran of the Pitsbike Superfast JRT Racing Team showcasing his exceptional talent, securing the fastest overall time after the combined practice sessions. In the Practice 1, Afif made a strong statement, clocking a blistering lap time of 2’32.500s to take the top spot. Hot on his heels was Husni Zainul Fuadzy from ZIEAR LFN HP969 MCR RBT 34, who finished second with a time of 2’33.241s. April King Mascardo of UMA MMR Yamaha Philippine Racing Team completed the top three with a lap time of 2’33.260s. Practice 2 saw a shift in the lead, with Husni Zainul Fuadzy bouncing back to finish fastest in the session with a lap time of 2’33.382s. His teammate, Gupita Kresna Wardhana, followed in second place with a time of 2’34.826s, while John Emerson Inguito of 4S1M EVO Yamaha Racing Team impressed by securing third place with a time of 2’35.047s. After both practice sessions, it was Afif’s scorching pace in Practice 1 that propelled him to the overall fastest time of the day. Husni’s consistency across both sessions earned him second overall, while April King rounded out the top three in combined results. Afif said, “Alhamdulillah, it was a good start at my home circuit, securing P1 in FP1. However, in FP2, we tried a different bike, however that wasn’t as strong as the one in FP1. During FP2, I became a reference point for the other riders, which prevented me from setting a faster lap time. So I focused on alternative strategies to preserve my bike and prepare myself for tomorrow’s qualifying session.” TOP 5 FASTEST – COMBINED PRACTICE