The AP250 class at Mobility Resort Motegi saw Japan’s Hiroki Ono of HONDA RACING VIETNAM complete a dream weekend with a hard-fought victory in Race 2 of Round 3 of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026. After claiming Race 1 honours on Saturday, the home favourite secured a memorable double victory in front of his home fans.
The race got underway with Fahmi Basam of YAMAHA LFN HP969 INDONESIA RACING TEAM making a strong launch from the grid, but he was soon challenged by Krittapat Keankum of YAMAHA THAILAND RACING TEAM, who moved into the lead. Behind them, Riichi Takahira of Tianyu Asia Racing MFZ settled into third place.
The pace intensified as Hiroki set the early benchmark on Lap 2 with a fastest lap of 2’08.853s. While Gao Ziang of ONE FOR ALL saw his race end prematurely following a crash, the battle at the front continued to grow more competitive.
The race continued with constant position changes among six riders. Hiroki, Riichi, Krittapat, Fahmi, Candra H of YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA, and Irfan Ardiansyah of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM traded places lap after lap, with no rider able to establish a decisive advantage.
On Lap 7, Md Danial Syahmi Ahmad Shahril of UMA RACING YAMAHA MAJU MOTOR ASIA TEAM crashed out while running with the leading group. Riichi then briefly seized control of the race, only for Hiroki to fight back on Lap 8.
On the final lap, Riichi led Krittapat and Hiroki, while Irfan, Candra, Fahmi, and Rheza Danica Ahrens remained firmly in contention. The battle became increasingly intense, and Teppei Kugawa of SANWA RACING TEAM crashed out amid the frantic closing exchanges.
Hiroki produced a perfectly timed final attack to snatch victory in 21’34.185s. Irfan Ardiansyah charged through to finish second, just 0.105s behind, while Candra H secured third place, 0.119s adrift of the winner.
The victory marked Hiroki’s second win of the weekend and completed a perfect home round for the Japanese rider, much to the delight of the Motegi crowd.
Hiroki commented: “My feelings are very similar to yesterday, but today’s race was even more challenging from my side. The competition was incredibly close, and I knew I had to maintain my position at the front and save something extra for the final few laps. In the last two or three laps, I gave everything I had and pushed beyond my limits. I gave more than 100%, and when I crossed the finish line in first place, it was an unforgettable feeling. To achieve a double victory here at my home round in Japan makes this moment even more special and emotional for me. This result would not have been possible without the incredible effort from the team. Everyone at HONDA RACING VIETNAM worked tirelessly throughout the weekend to give me the best package possible, and I am truly grateful for their dedication and support. I would also like to thank all our sponsors, especially our Japanese sponsors, as well as the Japanese fans who came to the circuit and cheered for me every lap. Racing in front of my home crowd and rewarding them with two victories is something I will never forget. Thank you for believing in me and supporting me all the way.”
TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 2
- HIROKI ONO – HONDA RACING VIETNAM (21’34.185s)
- IRFAN ARDIANSYAH – ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM (21’34.290s)
- CANDRA H – YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA (21’34.304s)
- RIICHI TAKAHIRA – Tianyu Asia Racing MFZ (21’34.426s)
- MUHAMMAD FADHIL MUSYAVI – YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA (21’34.738s)