Round 1 of the IDEMITSU FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026 roared into life at the Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia, as the TVS Racing International Championship delivered a breathtaking Race 1, with India’s Sarthak Chavan emerging victorious after a dramatic final-lap showdown.
The race exploded into action with Pedrinho Matos from Portugal launching off the line in spectacular fashion, instantly breaking away from the pack. Malaysia’s Mohd Ramdan Rosli gave chase in second, followed by compatriot Md Naqib Rifqi, while India’s Rakshith Shihari Dave and Sarthak slotted into the early top five. However, the race took an early twist as Pedrinho crashed out, along with India’s KY Ahamed, reshuffling the order.
By Lap 2, Ramdan seized control at the front, with Naqib and Sarthak in close pursuit. Md Haziq Md Fairues joined the leading battle alongside Spain’s Luis Miguel, before the latter suffered a crash, further intensifying the fight at the front. Naqib attempted an aggressive move on Ramdan but the Malaysian responded calmly to reclaim the lead.
The intensity ramped up on Lap 3 as Ramdan continued to lead ahead of Naqib and Haziq, while Sarthak dropped to fourth. Demonstrating strong pace, Haziq clocked the fastest lap of 2’23.459s, keeping the pressure firmly on the leaders.
As the race entered Lap 5, a tight lead group had formed, featuring Ramdan, Naqib, Haziq, Sarthak, and South Africa’s Oratilwe Phiri, all separated by mere fractions as the battle for victory remained wide open.
The final lap delivered pure drama. Naqib surged into the lead ahead of Ramdan and Haziq, but Sarthak carved his way through the pack with clinical precision. In a nail-biting sequence of overtakes, he went head-to-head with Naqib, while Ramdan and Haziq remained locked in contention just behind.
Heading into the final corner, Haziq briefly took the lead but ran wide, opening the door for Sarthak to unleash a decisive run to the finish. The Indian rider powered across the line in 14’27.477s, securing a sensational victory. Ramdan followed just 0.044s behind in 14’27.521s, with Haziq completing the podium a further 0.058s adrift at 14’27.579s.
Sarthak said, “I will try my best again tomorrow, but today I really enjoyed the race. After many races and many P2 finishes, I’m finally back to P1, so it feels really good. I didn’t have the best start, but I managed to stay with the leaders and keep up the pace. In the end, I was able to make the move and finish P1. Thank you to everyone for the support. Tomorrow, the target remains the same, it’s to win again. Hearing the national anthem of India today makes me very happy.”
TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1
1. SARTHAK CHAVAN – INDIA (14’27.477s)
2. MOHD RAMDAN ROSLI – MALAYSIA (14’27.521s)
3. MD HAZIQ MD FAIRUES – MALAYSIA (14’27.579s)
4. MD NAQIB RIFQI – MALAYSIA (14’27.949s)
5. ORATILWE PHIRI – SOUTH AFRICA (14’33.065s)