Waiting for the confirmation of the 2017 Asia Production 250cc Champion is like waiting for the other shoe to drop. There is a sense of inevitability as everyone waits for Astra Honda Racing Team’s Gerry Salim to end the suspense.
The 20-year-old had virtually monopolised the Asian intermediate class this season. He had won seven out of ten races. Only an engine failure in Round 2 followed by a bizarre race weekend in Round 5 marred an otherwise perfect season. Gerry has 38 points over Anupab Sarmoon in second place. To put an end to the waiting business, all Gerry need to do in the final round is to finish within the top-10 in both Race 1 and Race 2. Alternatively, a top-4 finish in Race 1 would render Race 2 a mere formality.
If (or when) he succeeds, Gerry will become the first Indonesian rider to win an Asian title outside of the Underbone scope.
Gerry first came under the radar in 2013 when he clinched 2nd overall in the Asia Dream Cup (Hiroki Ono was the ADC Champion that year). His training continued apace and in 2015, he raced in the GP3 class of the MFJ All Japan Road Race. Gerry made his SuperSports 600cc debut in 2016 where he ended the year 9th overall.