HELMI CONQUERED SEPANG AGAIN
Round 4 of the MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship 2026 continued to deliver spectacular action today at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit. In the highly anticipated Race 1 of the MSBK600 category, Muhd Helmi Azman representing Malaysia pulled off a brilliant late charge to claimed victory on his home soil.
The grid was set following the Qualifying session earlier in the day. Thanat Laoongplio of HONDA RACING THAILAND secured pole position with a strong time of 2’10.326s. Helmi lined up right next to him in second place with a 2’11.224s, while Kitsada Tanachot took third with a 2’11.511s. Muhd Syarifuddin Azman lined up fourth, and Ashraff Zaquan Bin Zainal Raif of HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA completed the top five.
As the race started under threatening skies, Thanat made a solid launch to immediately grab the lead. Helmi slotted into second, with Kitsada, Syarifuddin, and Zaquan following closely behind. By Lap 2, Thanat started to stretch his advantage, while Syarifuddin moved into second.
The pace heated up on Lap 3 when Thanat set a blistering lap of 2’11.220s to increase his lead. However, Helmi quickly responded on Lap 4. He pushed his machine to the absolute limit, setting the fastest lap of the race at 2’10.743s to rapidly close the gap down to just 0.344s behind Thanat.
From Lap 5 to Lap 7, the tension was palpable. Helmi stalked Thanat lap after lap, keeping the gap incredibly tight at less than two-tenths of a second, just waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. The leading trio of Thanat, Helmi, and Syarifuddin successfully broke away, leaving Kitsada over four seconds behind.
On Lap 8, Helmi made his move to overtake Thanat, but Thanat immediately fought back to reclaim the lead at Turn 4. Helmi refused to yield and squeezed past again at Turn 5. The aggressive exchange continued into the final corner, where Thanat brilliantly swept past to lead across the start-finish line.
The final lap was a breathtaking showcase of pure racing. Thanat held the lead, but Helmi relentlessly pressured him,closing the gap to a mere 0.093s. Approaching the final turn, Helmi saw a tiny opening on the inside and dove in to overtake. The two riders accelerated onto the main straight completely side-by-side in a thrilling drag race to the flag.In an incredibly close finish, Helmi crossed the line first at 22’01.077s to take the hard-fought victory, beating Thanat by an astonishing 0.003s. Syarifuddin safely secured third place at 22’02.829s.
Helmi said, “Today’s race threw an unexpected curveball at us with the sudden change in weather. We were fully expecting a scorching hot track today. In fact, right after Qualifying, I felt incredibly confident because my team and I had finally dialed in the absolute perfect bike setup for those high temperatures.”
“However, the skies suddenly darkened, and it looked like the rain was going to pour down at any second. It was a tense and nerve-wracking situation out there, but thankfully, we managed to push through and cross the finish line just in time before the heavens completely opened up.”
“The race itself was unbelievably fierce. I knew right from the start that I was going to be locked in an intense, head-to-head battle with Thanat. He is a formidable competitor, but I refused to back down. No matter how tough the fight got,I pushed with absolutely everything I had to secure this win because this is Sepang, this is my home ground, our territory. I wanted to defend it with all my heart.”
“I rode to my absolute limit to deliver the best possible result for my amazing team; they have been working tirelessly day and night all week to give me a winning machine. Beyond this weekend, surviving this hard-fought battle serves as the perfect, high-intensity preparation as I gear up for the upcoming final round of the ARRC. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much to everyone who continually supports and believes in me.”
TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1
1. MUHD HELMI AZMAN – MALAYSIA (22’01.077s)
2. THANAT LAOONGPLIO – HONDA RACING THAILAND (22’01.080s)
3. MUHD SYARIFUDDIN AZMAN – MALAYSIA (22’02.829s)
4. KITSADA TANACHOT – HONDA RACING THAILAND (22’11.263s)
5. ASHRAFF ZAQUAN BIN ZAINAL RAIF – HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA (22’35.912s)