Round 4 of the IDEMITSU FIM Asia Road Racing Championship delivered another breathtaking showcase in the TVS ASIA One Make Championship at the Mandalika International Circuit, Indonesia, where Japan’s Hiroki Ono stormed to a decisive Race 1 victory with a flawless display of pace and control.
As the lights went out, Australia’s Hunter Corney got off to a strong launch but was swiftly overtaken by Malaysia’s Md Ramdan Rosli, who seized the early lead. Behind them, Hiroki fought to break into the front but found himself shuffled back into sixth place after the opening exchanges.
By Lap 2, Ramdan led the charge with Hunter close behind, while India’s Sarthak Chavan, Hiroki, and Indonesia’s Decksa Almer Alfarezel stayed firmly in the hunt. Momentum began to swing on Lap 3, as Hiroki clawed his way forward to join Ramdan, Sarthak, and Indonesia’s Rendi in the battle for podium positions.
The defining moment came on Lap 4, when Hiroki recorded the fastest lap of the race at 1’45.518s, overtaking Ramdan to snatch the lead. Sarthak moved into third, while local heroes Rendi and Decksa gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about in fourth and fifth.
From there, Hiroki never looked back. By Lap 6, the Japanese ace had stretched his advantage to two seconds ahead of the chasing pack, leaving Sarthak, Ramdan, and Rendi locked in a thrilling tussle for the podium. In the closing stages, Rendi surged past Chavan to take second spot, sparking roars of approval from the Indonesian fans.
But at the chequered flag, it was all about Hiroki. The Japanese rider crossed the finish line in 14’11.874s, a commanding 3.370s clear of his rivals. Behind him, Sarthak reclaimed second place with a bold final-lap maneuver, clocking 14’15.244s, while Rendi was forced to settle for third in 14’15.709s, less than half a second adrift.
Hiroki said, “The race was a little bit tough because, at the beginning, I was fighting with many riders. Lap by lap, I pushed my best and managed to improve my pace. Finally, I took the victory, and I’m very happy with this win!”
TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1
- HIROKI ONO – JAPAN (14’11.874s)
- SARTHAK CHAVAN – INDIA (14’15.244s)
- RENDI – INDONESIA – (14’15.709s)
- MD RAMDAN ROSLI – MALAYSIA (14’15.921s)
- CHIRANTH VISHWANATH – INDIA (14’16.210s)