Astra Honda’s latest racing sensation, Gerry Salim, is expected to seal the Asia Production 250cc title at Round 5 of the 2017 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship in Chennai, India.
A near-perfect season had netted 175 points for Gerry, giving him a 60-point advantage over the chasing pack. One more win at the Madras Motor Race Track would put the 2017 title beyond the reach of Anupab Sarmoon and Takehiro Yamamoto.
Indonesia had long been a powerhouse in Underbone racing. Over the course of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship, Indonesia had taken 13 Underbone titles through luminaries like M. Fadli Immammuddin, Doni Tata Pradita, Gilang Pranata Sukma, Wahyu Widodo, Owie Nurhuda, Hadi Wijaya, Rafid Topan Sucipto, Gupita Kresna Wardhana and Wahyu Aji Trilaksana.
Years of determined and consistent development had resulted in a new breed of Indonesian riders who had successfully reached beyond the borders of the underbone.
If, or when, he succeeds, Gerry Salim will be the first Indonesian rider to win an Asian title in a full-frame category. His victory will also complete the triumvirate in Asian motorcycle racing. When it was first introduced in 2015, the first title went to Kawasaki rider Takehiro Yamamoto from Japan. 2016 was the playground of Yamaha Thailand’s Apiwat Wongthananon. This season, Gerry’s ability to bring the coveted trophy home for Honda Indonesia seems to be almost certain.