Not only did he score a hat-trick – a continuation of his victorious mark from Round 2 but the highly dextrous rider, Husni Zainul of ZIEAR LFN HP969 MCR RBT 34 banked in a 50-pointer flat in Round 3, instantly shooting him out of the boundaries of rivalry and onto the pathway towards stardom in the Underbone 150cc race category. Round 4 of the IDEMITSU FIM Asia Road Racing Championship which will be held at Mandalika International Circuit may just be the ground he celebrates the championship glory.
Not a stranger but not a full-season rider, Husni made his appearance in 2023 as a wildcard rider in the debut season at his home-ground circuit, Mandalika. He may not have taken a win then but he certainly flaunted his prowess to finish third. In Season 2024, Husni once again marked his entry in the championship, not for a full-season but as a replacement rider. Despite his trial and error as well as limited mileage on the ARRC front, he scored two podium-finish before concluding the season seventh for his team.
Fast-forwarding to where it stands to-date, Husni seemed to have taken a huge leap up in terms of input and output through the quiet strength found across the previous two seasons. The Indonesian lad with a big-smile seemed to have unlocked the door to mastery and he is unstoppable. But again, with a handful of competitive countrymen competing on a common ground, will Husni be able to ward of the threats and release the pressure? It’s a tough bet but not an impossible one and if Husni pulls it off, it will be a hat-offs moment that deserves nothing but a standing ovation.
Husni said, “I am truly blessed and thankful to have won the races a number of times in this season’s underbone race category but it is not time for me to relax yet because the season has a long way to go before it ends. While the pressure is always there, maintaining my position doesn’t come as a pressuring factor but more so a motivational one. I enjoy riding and that’s the best part of it. If I were to take a double-win in Mandalika, my home-ground, it would mean an early championship title and if that happens, I will be the happiest. I have an excellent team with such great mechanics, Pak Bima and Pak Bonce who use their own data to ensure that the machine is in a perfect condition for race. That’s probably where my strength is. Of course, the fact remains that everyone in this race category has an opportunity to win but it is also luck to a certain extent. Next race in Mandalika, it is my favourite track and also of many other Indonesian riders but my best part is T15 and T16 where I will optimise more as my winning strategy. Overall, I hope to continue enhancing my riding capacities and performance in ARRC.”