Round 6 of the IDEMITSU FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2025 at Chang International Circuit, Buriram, Thailand, concluded with a thrilling Race 2 in the ASB1000 class. Nakarin Atiratphuvapat of HONDA RACING THAILAND claimed victory, and Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah of JDT RACING TEAM crowned as the 2025 ASB1000 Overall Champion.
At the drop of the lights, Nakarin stormed off the line with a strong start, immediately setting the pace at the front. He was closely followed by Keito Abe of SDG HARC-PRO. HONDA PHILIPPINES, Muhammad Zaqhwan Zaidi of IDEMITSU HONDA RACING MALAYSIA, and Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah of JDT RACING TEAM in fourth position. Andi Farid Izdihar of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM completed the top five early contenders.
By lap three, Nakarin was in full control, setting the fastest lap of 1’35.911s and pulling a one-second gap from the chasing pack. His relentless pace continued as he improved further to 1’35.599s on lap four and 1’35.248s by lap five, gradually extending a commanding two-second lead. Meanwhile, the second group of Hafizh, Zaqhwan, and Keito engaged in a fierce battle for position, exchanging attacks and defending their lines with precision.
Throughout the middle stages of the race, Nakarin maintained his advantage, while Hafizh faced mounting pressure from Zaqhwan and Keito. On lap eleven, Zaqhwan timed his move perfectly to overtake Hafizh and claim second, but the fight for the podium remained intensely competitive.
The final lap saw Nakarin holding a comfortable 2.377s lead as he crossed the finish line to claim a dominant victory in 20’45.446s. Hafizh surged past Zaqhwan to finish second at 20’47.951s, while Zaqhwan secured third place at 20’48.060s, rounding off a thrilling podium.
Despite finishing behind Nakarin in the race, Hafizh’s consistent performance throughout the season ensured he collected enough points to be crowned the 2025 ASB1000 Overall Champion with 193 points, narrowly ahead of Nakarin, who finished the season with 190 points. Keito Abe completed the top three in the championship standings with 170 points.
Nakarin said, “I just tried to go for first position, but left it to the riders behind me to do the fighting. I did my best this season. We almost achieved the championship, but we are happy with the results we delivered. Next season, we will try even harder. I want to thank everyone who supported me, and congratulations to Hafizh.”
Hafizh expressed after clinching the title, “No words can describe how I feel. Alhamdulillah, finally we did it. The hard work, the training, and everything we went through in Round 5 made us stronger to be here today. This win is for my boss, my family, the fans who always believed in me, those who doubted me, and also for my late grandmother. I am sure she is proud of me from up there.”
TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 2
1. NAKARIN ATIRATPHUVAPAT – HONDA RACING THAILAND (20’45.446s)
2. HAFIZH SYAHRIN ABDULLAH – JDT RACING TEAM (20’47.951s)
3. MUHAMMAD ZAQHWAN ZAIDI – IDEMITSU HONDA RACING MALAYSIA (20’48.060s)
4. KEITO ABE – SDG HARC-PRO. HONDA PHILIPPINES (20’48.949s)
5. LACHLAN EPIS – SAVITAR RACING ASIA (21’02.639s)
TOP 5 – OVERALL RIDER STANDINGS
1. HAFIZH SYAHRIN ABDULLAH – JDT RACING TEAM (193 points)
2. NAKARIN ATIRATPHUVAPAT – HONDA RACING THAILAND (190 points)
3. KEITO ABE – SDG HARC-PRO. HONDA PHILIPPINES (170 points)
4. MUHAMMAD ZAQHWAN ZAIDI – IDEMITSU HONDA RACING MALAYSIA (168 points)
5. AZROY HAKEEM ANUAR – IDEMITSU HONDA RACING MALAYSIA (135 points)
TOP 5 – OVERALL TEAM STANDINGS
1. IDEMITSU HONDA RACING MALAYSIA (303 points)
2. JDT RACING TEAM (201 points)
3. HONDA RACING THAILAND (182 points)
4. SDG HARC-PRO. HONDA PHILIPPINES (170 points)
5. A1 ENERGY BMW RACING TEAM (133 points)