The fight and fury just got better with the Asia Superbike 1000cc race category of the Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship and is bound to scorch the grounds of Chang International Circuit this weekend. As the season finale kicks in this weekend, will Andi Farid Izdihar of Honda Asia-Dream Racing with Astemo rise above the challenge and defeat Japanese contender, Yuki Kunii of SDG Team HARC-PRO Honda Ph.?
It was a shocker when Yuki Kunii bolted right to the top of the overall chart with his double win at Sepang International Circuit especially after pulling in on a low profile in the first two rounds. His victory in his home-ground circuit after a “DNS” was the motivation needed to tame his machine and accelerate further towards the possibilities. In Mandalika, he strung the momentum right and took home one podium-finish at the second spot before throttling with his maximum capacity for an unexpected outcome in Round 5. The question remains, “Will he be able to tackle the challenges of Chang circuit?” Considering a 2-point difference with his closest contender, the odds are high but not impossible. Yuki Kunii certainly has what it takes but again, racing is unpredictable at its core and with man and machine, the possibilities are limitless.
Commenting on the coming race, Yuki said, “We already had the experience of a double-P4 in the season opener, so that’s that and we hope to up the ante for a better outcome. I think at this point, if I am able to give my all, that would make me happy. At the moment, there is no pressure but I am pretty sure that the pressure will start mounting during the race weekend and it’s all about managing it well. At Chang, I think every one of the riders are fast and they definitely will speed up. But in my point of view, I think Andi will be very strong as will Hafizh and Chip Nakarin who is the home-ground rival. The change of machine has been very helpful and I am able to compete more competitively at this point. The bike is extremely powerful and my confidence level is much better now. All in, I am good to go for this weekend and keeping my fingers crossed that I will make it at the top!”
As for Andi Farid, it was not exactly a pleasure holding on to the throne for the first two rounds. As pressure mounted, he caved and fell two notches down in Round 3 when he took a “DNF”. But the Indonesian lad is not one to mess with and when opportunities presented itself on his home-ground, Andi was quick to seize and strike before moving himself back up comfortably where he belonged. Comparing with his closest contenders, Andi definitely has an upper-hand on the grounds of Chang circuit. But again, will he be able to fight the gravity of the storm that is about to hit the grounds? Will Andi be able to tip the scales in favour of himself?
Andi said, “Personally, taking a stride alongside former MotoGP rider and future Moto2 rider does not induce any kind of pressure in me. I just want to enjoy the ride and see where we end up. At the end of the day, I can only be focused on my performance and apart from that, it is beyond our control. The contenders are all strong and just waiting their moment to strike. They have their strengths and weakness in different sectors but I take it that this is what makes it even more exciting. Compared to last season, yes, I am more ready now and I have picked up on valuable insights. I have better understanding and greater clarity which I think worked well for me throughout. I am keeping my fingers crossed that there will be no major setbacks though.”
Also in contention are Hafizh Syahrin of JDT Racing Team and Nakarin Atiratphuvapat of Honda Asia-Dream Racing with Astemo. While Hafizh may have countered his challenges with productive outcomes throughout the season, Chang may not necessarily be a bed of roses for the Malaysian boy. As for Thai rider, Nakarin has his shots lined up for him on his playground but again, tying the lose ends may not be as easy as it may seem. In a nutshell, ASB1000 race category is about to heat up the grounds this weekend.