Race 1 of the TVS Asia One Make Championship, Round 5 of the IDEMITSU FIM Asia Road Racing Championship, took place today at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, where Japanese rider Hiroki Ono celebrated a well-earned victory.
In the qualifying session earlier, Riichi Takahira from Japan secured pole position with a blistering lap time of 2’21.011s. In second position was Mohd Ramdan Rosli from Malaysia with a time of 2’21.122s, followed by Indian rider Sarthak Ramdan in third position with a time of 2’21.585s.
When the race began, Hiroki Ono immediately seized the lead, with Mohd Ramdan Rosli closely trailing behind and Indian rider Sarthak Chavan in third.
Positions remained unchanged until Sarthak crashed at Turn 6 on Lap 5, allowing Vorapong Malahuan to take over third place.
As the front group riders continued searching for opportunities to overtake Hiroki, Rocco Sessler from Germany made his move, overtaking Ramdan and Vorapong before crossing the finishing line.
Hiroki crossed the finish line to win the race with a time of 14’24.182s.
Hiroki commented, “This weekend has been incredibly tough for me, and I’m still feeling quite unwell. Despite the challenges, a race is a race, and each one presents its own set of circumstances. I remained focused on the task, aiming to cover as much distance as possible. By maintaining my concentration and drawing on my inner strength, I was able to push through. This victory is a testament to my team’s relentless hard work and dedication. I am truly grateful for their support and effort.”
Second place went to Rocco Sessler, who completed the race with a time of 14’24.354s, while Ramdan finished third with a time of 14’24.503s.
TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1
TVS Asia One Make Championship
- Hiroki Ono – Japan (14’24:182s)
- Rocco Sessler – Germany (14’24:354s)
- Mohd Ramdan Rosli – Malaysia (14’24:503s)
- Chiranth Vishwanath – India (14’24:559s)
- Vorapong Malahuan – Thailand (14’24:700s)