SEPANG, April 11 – JDT Racing Team rider Hafizh Syahrin was in a class of his own today. He emerged as the champion of Race 1 in the ASB1000 class during Round 1 of the FIM Idemitsu Asia Road Racing Championship, which kicked off at the Sepang International Circuit.
Riding a Ducati Panigale V4R, the former national MotoGP rider comfortably led the pack without facing significant challenge once the 12-lap race began.
He remained at the front throughout, widening the gap between himself and his rivals until the finish line, despite pressure from Keito Abe (SDG HARC-PRO Honda Philippines) in the early stages.
However, that did not derail Hafizh’s mission. He appeared increasingly confident with a solid riding style and masterfully navigated the challenging corners of the 5.543 kilometer circuit.
As expected, he finished the race in first place with a time of 29:32.797s, while Keito Abe took second with 29:36.823s. Hafizh’s Indonesian teammate, Andi Farid Izdihar, completed the podium in third place with a time of 29:38.088s.
“I am grateful to have made it through today’s race very well. This is the result of the hard work of the entire crew who prepared the best machine for Race 1. Today’s race was certainly challenging, but I chose to be cautious while maintaining my position in the front group,” Hafizh explained.
“I just focused on enjoying the race and hope everything goes even better for Race 2 tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, Indonesian riders dominated the Sepang International Circuit today after a stylish performance in Race 1 of the UB150 class.
In the 8-lap race, Indonesian riders occupied the top nine positions. Gupita Kresna Wardhana of the ZIEAR LFN HP969 ADELIN MCR RBT34 team emerged as champion with a time of 15:50.980s.
Dimas Juli Atmoko (HJS Youngstar Kawahara RCTH SIXTY) and Husni Zainul Fuadzy (ZIEAR LFN HP969 ADELIN MCR RBT34) finished second and third respectively.
It was an extraordinary achievement for the Indonesian riders, who left no room for their rivals to break through to the podium.
The top-performing Malaysian in the category was Ahmad Darwisy Ahmad Sahir (Yuzy Asia Team), who finished 11th with a time of 15:52.096s.
In the AP250 class, Thailand’s Krittapat Keankum (Yamaha Thailand Racing Team) stole the spotlight by winning Race 1 with a time of 19:32.842s while experienced Indonesian rider Gerry Salim took second, followed by Malaysia’s Md Danial Syahmi Ahmad Shahril in third.
Meanwhile, luck was not on the side of national rider Khairul Idham Pawi in the SS600 category. He crashed on the eighth lap while looking certain for victory after leading from the start.
The incident allowed teammate Muhammad Helmi Azman to take over the lead and win Race 1 with a time of 21:58.392s.
An Indian rider, Sarthak Chavan showed world-class form to win the TVS Racing International Challenge with a time of 14:27.477s, while Malaysian riders Mohd. Ramdan Rosli and Md Haziq Md Fairues secured second and third place respectively.
Race 2 for all categories will take place tomorrow. Can the Malaysian riders bounce back to dominate the podium? Watch the action live at the Sepang International Circuit tomorrow!
About The Author
