KASMA RAISED THE BAR
Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin of HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA delivered a strong opening performance in the MSBK1000 A category after dominating the combined practice standings on the first day of Round 2 of the MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship 2026 at PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit.
Kasma set the pace in both Free Practice sessions, showcasing impressive speed and consistency despite continuing to adapt to significant updates made to his machine ahead of the weekend.
Kasma began Friday’s sessions by topping Free Practice 1 with a lap time of 2’08.611s before raising the benchmark further in the afternoon session. The Malaysian rider produced the fastest lap of the day in Free Practice 2 with a blistering 2’07.508s effort, while also recording the highest top speed in the category at 156.5kph.
His dominant performance placed him 0.951 seconds clear at the top of the combined standings, giving HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA a strong start.
However, the fight behind Kasma remained highly competitive, with Indonesia’s Mohammad Adenanta Putra of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM emerging as the closest challenger after a strong showing in Free Practice 2. The Indonesian rider improved throughout the day to secure second overall with a best lap of 2’08.459s.
AMI SUZUKI MOTORSPORT continued to demonstrate strong pace with two riders inside the top four. Adam Norrodin, who finished second fastest in Free Practice 1, secured third overall with a best time of 2’09.255s, while teammate Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman completed the top four after setting a lap of 2’09.838s in Free Practice 2.
Osama Mareai of OSAMA RACING TEAM rounded out the top five overall after recording a best lap of 2’12.427s during the opening practice session.
Kasma commented, “Alhamdulillah, today’s Free Practice results were positive, and I’m grateful that we were able to finish the day in a good position. However, we still haven’t found the perfect setup yet because there have been many changes to the motorcycle, especially with the engine and the upgraded winglet.”
“The new winglet is something that we need to understand properly because it’s not just about installing it and immediately getting the best performance. We need to find the right balance, understand how it affects the bike and adjust the setup to suit my riding style. Today was challenging because the feeling of the bike was different, and I needed time to adapt and regain full confidence.”
“However, this is only Free Practice, and we still have Qualifying tomorrow where we can continue working and improving. The team has done a great job, and I appreciate all their effort in helping me adapt to these changes. We will keep pushing, analyse today’s data and try our best to improve further tomorrow.”
TOP 5 FASTEST – FREE PRACTICE (COMBINED)
1. KASMA DANIEL KASMAYUDIN – HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA (2’07.508s)
2. MOHAMMAD ADENANTA PUTRA – ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM (2’08.459s)
3. ADAM NORRODIN – AMI SUZUKI MOTORSPORT (2’09.255s)
4. AZLAN SHAH KAMARUZAMAN – AMI SUZUKI MOTORSPORT (2’09.838s)
5. OSAMA MAREAI – OSAMA RACING TEAM (2’12.427s)