Please watch the videos for the highlights of the first round of the Asian Road Racing Championship season opener.

Markus Reiterberger in a pensive mood as rain disrupts the start.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjYbxV0LQ8Q
SS 600 race highlights at Sepang circuit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJPBfz8pYak
AP250 Race 1 highlights

Markus Reiterberger may have been on a record-breaking streak throughout the 2020 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship season-opening weekend, but it was Yuki Ito who emerged triumphant as torrential rain swept through the Sepang International Circuit.

Sepang, 8 March 2020: ONEXOX
BMW TKKR SAG Team’s Markus Reiterberger continued on his record-breaking charge
when he set another lap record, 2’04.762s in the ASB1000 qualifier. More than a
second quicker than the rest of the field, Markus confirmed himself for pole in
both Race 1 and Race 2.

However,
the German rider’s race strategy was disrupted at the last minute when a
torrential downpour broke over the Sepang International Circuit, just as the
ASB1000 Race 1 was scheduled to start. The thunderstorm caused a delay of
almost 45 minutes, but stopped long enough for the full race to take place.

Markus
peeled off from pole position but soon lost the lead to Yuki Ito from YAMAHA
Racing Team ASEAN. Supremely confident and silky smooth in the wet, Yuki carved
up a 3 second lead within the span of a single lap.

Behind
the Japanese rider, Markus lost P2 to Broc Parkes and then ran wide on Lap 3,
dropping down to P5 as ApiwatWongthananon and AnupabSarmoon went racing past.

By
the midpoint of the race, Ito was absolutely in his element, lapping almost a
second quicker than the rest of the grid. As the chequered flag came down on
Lap 12, Ito clinched the first ASB1000 win of his career with 28’16.971s.

The
YAMAHA Racing Team ASEAN was on course for a 1-2 finish until Lap 11 when Broc
Parkes high sided at Turn 12. The crash caused significant damage to the
Australian rider’s handlebars and prevented him from returning to the track.

Broc’s
crash left the field wide open for ApiwatWongthananon and comeback kid
AnupabSarmoon to deliver two podium spots to the YAMAHA Thailand Racing Team.
ApiwatWongthananon finished second with 28’24.580s, 7.6 seconds behind
marquee-mate Ito. Anupab enjoyed a successful ARRC comeback in third with
28’39.751s.

Markus
Reiterberger missed out on the podium in fourth place (28’44.981s). With much
of the team’s set up done in the dry, the BMW rider faced problems with his
rear grip in the wet.  Lorenzo Zanetti
took Access Plus Racing-Okada-Team’s Ducati to fifth with 28’49.555s.

Further
down the field, Kawasaki’s ThitipongWarokorn would be glad to see the day come
to an end. Thitipong crashed out during the qualifying session, caught
off-guard by underground water seeping onto the tarmac at Turn 4. The KAWASAKI
Thailand Racing Team raced the clock to get his bike back in race-shape but the
rain brought more challenges. Thitipong finished in ninth ahead of his team
mate Ryosuke Iwato.

ASB1000: Top 5 Qualifying Results

1. Markus
   Reiterberger (GER) (BMW)                        2’04.762s

2. 
   

Broc Parkes (AUS) (Yamaha)                                   2’06.050s

ApiwatWongthananon (THA) (Yamaha)               2’06.075s

Yuki Ito (JPN) (Yamaha)                                           2’06.254s

Lorenzo Zanetti (ITA) (Ducati)                                2’06.292s

ASB1000: Top 5 Race 1 Results

Yuki Ito (JPN) (Yamaha)                                           28’16.971s

ApiwatWongthananon (THA) (Yamaha)               28’24.580s

AnupabSarmoon (THA) (Yamaha)                          28’39.751s

Markus Reiterberger (GER) (BMW)                        28’44.981s

Lorenzo Zanetti (ITA) (Ducati)                                28’49.555s