The heat of rivalry between Krittapat Keankum of YAMAHA THAILAND RACING TEAM and Murobbil Vitoni of YAMAHA LFN HP969 INDONESIA RACING TEAM at Motegi circuit came to a momentary end when the Thai lad swiped the most wanted 25-points in the final race of the Asia Production 250cc. The battle is about to resume soon for both the rivals in Round 4 of the IDEMITSU FIM Asia Road Racing Championship scheduled to be held at Mandalika International Circuit with an expected advantage for the Indonesian lad. Will national pride spur the Indonesian forward or will the Thai racer snatch victory instead?
It’s a hard guess especially with Krittapat’s wins, twice this season that indicates a polished performance and mastery in his game, quick to adapt and strike. Murobbil may not have bagged a win just yet but for a debutante in the race category, his performance has been more than ordinary especially with a double-podium in the recent round. Just a 6-point difference, Murobbil’s chances of closing the gap ahead is evident and easily achievable – only if he uses the home-ground circuit to his advantage.
While Krittapat may not have a record from last season, Murobbil who competed in the Underbone 150cc race category scored third place in Race 2 after a “DNF” in Race 1 – a score that surmises his ability to strategize effectively and rise above the challenge. Having said that, Kritappat may have to burn the midnight oil in studying the potential calamities and throw in additional efforts to brush his prowess up considering his rival’s upper-hand, but its not impossible for him to maintain his current standings, not especially with the mark he has made this season in the race category.
Commenting on the race, Krittapat said, “For me, at this point of time, it is more of avoiding mistakes and taking less pressure. So, while I would like to improve further, I am also very mindful on how it would also affect me mentally and physically. As for my machine, I think my machine is pretty much similar to the rest of the teams but more importantly, it is about timing and the right opportunity. So, the goal for me is to maintain at the top and it is not going to be easy for sure. We have to work very hard to survive where we are and do better. Racing in Mandalika is going to be tough as I do not have any prior experience on that circuit however, with the experience that I have gained over the course of three rounds, I can understand what is expected and needed. I have also been observing the patterns and character of riders which I believe is important to also know my own capacities against them. So, I am looking forward to the coming race, knowing that it will be an added advantage to some of the contenders from Indonesia. My goal is definitely to be a champion just like everyone else. We will continue collecting as many points and see where that takes us.”
Murrobil on the other said, “For me, the rivalry is very strong in the AP250 race category and the only way to outperform them is by doing my best. I will continue to try especially by achieving a consistent pace. There has been progressive transformation and improvements from round-to-round which I am deeply grateful for. The goal for the team and myself is to be the champion however I know it is not going to be an easy task. I will always learn from mistakes of the previous round. Mandalika is one of my favourite circuit grounds which means that I am also confident with my abilities there. What I like about the circuit are the turns which makes the races interesting and of course, the long-straight where we can maximise speed. The settings of my machine are currently quite good but the rivalry is getting trickier each round. That is where I have to be on top of my game. I have adapted pretty quickly from the UB150 to AP250, thankfully. The year is my first year and I will stay focused on finding the right machine setup that suits my character and riding techniques. More importantly, getting the bike data that is pertinent for bike setups.”