Zaqhwan Zaidi quickest rider on Friday: ARRC Practice

David Bodapati August 3, 2018

501 3 minutes read

Md Zaqhwan Zaidi (Malaysia), quickest in the SuperSport 600cc class on Friday.

Chennai, 3 Aug 2018: A long stint racing astride the 1000cc machine has obviously not affected Malaysian rider Mohd Zaqhwan Zaidi’s ability to finesse the 600cc bike. Fresh from a stint in the prestigious Suzuka 8-Hour Endurance Race, the Musashi Boon Siew Honda Racing rider charged on to Chennai, India, where the Madras Motor Race Track played host to Round 4 of the 2018 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship here on Friday.

After the first day of free practices, Zaqhwan led a mixed bag of competitors by posting the fastest time of 1’41.306s. Just off Zaqhwan’s pace, championship leader Anthony West clocked second fastest with 1’41.388s in his first official run on the 3.74km race track.

The most impressive rider of the day was team Musashi Boon Siew Honda Racing rookie Azroy Hakeem Anuar. Azroy, who has been recording increasingly impressive performances in each successive round of the ARRC, stands third fastest with 1’41.677s. Yamaha Thailand Racing Team rider Ratthapong Wilairot and Taiga Hada representing home team Idemitsu Honda Racing India by T.Pro Ten10, rounded up the top five. Defending champion Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman continues to struggle with balance issues and just managed to clock within the top 10.

FREE PRACTICE: TOP 5 OVERALL

Zaqhwan Zaidi MAS Honda 1’41.306s;
Anthony West AUS Yamaha 1’41.388s;
Azroy Hakeem Anuar MAS Honda 1’41.677s;
Ratthapong Wilairot THA Yamaha 1’41.828s;
Taiga Hada JPN Honda 1’41.838s;

ASIA PRODUCTION 250cc: DOUBLE 4-HR CHAMP ANUPAB OUT TO END RHEZA’S DOMINATION

Anupab Sarmoon’s recent success at the 41st Suzuka 4 Hour Endurance Road Race has given the Yamaha Thailand Racing Team rider the additional impetus he needed to try to bring an end to Rheza Danica Ahren’s domination in the Asia Production 250cc class.

Just a week ago, Anupab successfully defended his Suzuka 4 Hour title with the help of his team mate, Peerapong Boonlert. As the AP250 riders went out on track for the first day of practice in Round 4, Anupab has been able to equal speedy Rheza’s pace at the top of the timesheets. Although the Astra Honda Racing Team rider emerged as the fastest rider of the day with 1’48.030s, Anupab was able to lap within the same parameters, coming home second fastest with 1’48.252s.

With the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship now entering the second half of its 2018 season, Anupab, currently third overall in the AP250 standings, is under pressure to bring home more podium finishes and race wins. As Rheza took the win in round after round, Anupab’s last victory was taken in Round 1, and he has only managed two podium finishes so far.

As always, Anupab will be facing a field of top Indonesian aces in the AP250 class. The Astra Honda Racing Team’s latest wonderkid, Mario Suryo Aji, posted third fastest with 1’48.775. Rey Ratukore, ONEXOX TKKR Racing Team’s latest recruit, was fourth fastest with 1’48.853s. Andy Muhammad Fadly from Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki Racing, ended the free practices fifth fastest with 1’49.510s

FREE PRACTICE: TOP 5 OVERALL

Rheza Danica Ahrens INA Honda 1’48.030s
Anupab Sarmoon THA Yamaha 1’48.252s
Mario Suryo Aji INA Honda 1’48.775s
Rey Ratukore INA Yamaha 1’48.853s
Andy Md Fadly INA Kawasaki 1’49.510s

UNDERBONE 150cc: RECORD BREAKING DAY IN THE UNDERBONE CLASS

The Underbone 150cc riders kicked off a record-breaking day as Round 4 of the 2018 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship officially got underway at the Madras Motor Race Track in Chennai, India. With most of the

Underbone riders having had some experience at the challenging South Indian race track, the class is now competing on a whole different level.

At the end of Free Practice 2, the top seven riders in the class have managed to break the 2017 1’53.944s lap record held by Mohd Akid Aziz. As of Practice 2, SCK Rapido Hi Rev Honda Racing Team duo Mohd Helmi Azman and Fakhrusy Syakirin Rostam have emerged as the provisional leaders of the class, clocking 1’53.169s and 1’53.178s respectively.

Defending champion Mohd Akid Aziz was third fastest with 1’53.225s followed by Mohd Adib Rosley from the YY Pang camp. Filipino wonderkid, McKinley Kyle Paz, again riding wildcard for the UMA Racing Yamaha Maju Motor Asia Team was impressive on his first run out on the Madras Motor Race Track. He posted fifth in the class with 1’54.252s.

However, Akid came out with guns blazing in the 30-minute qualifying session. The UMA Racing Yamaha Maju Motor Asia Team rider beat his own fastest time by two whole seconds and clocked the fastest time in the class with 1’51.970s. Half a second off Akid’s pace, SCK Rapido Hi Rev Honda Racing Team duo Mohd Helmi Azman and Fakhrusy Syakirin Rostam logged the second and third fastest times with 1’52.524 and 1’53.325s respectively.

QUALIFYING: TOP 5 OVERALL