The season opener of the 2020 Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSBK) opened to mixed weather conditions, with dry racing weather in the morning and rain in the afternoon. As the 11-bike MSBK150 grid went out on track for the time, Cardinal Racing Team’s Ahmad Fazrul Sham was the first to make an impression. The seasoned campaigner topped with MSBK150 timesheets with 2’35.217s. Equally competitive was his Cardinal Racing Team team mate, Mohd Iqbal Amri Abdul Malek who posted 2’35.337s. JR Performance Wossner YYPang Racing Team’s Mohd Izzat Zaidi Mohd Salehan followed with the third fastest time of the day with 2’36.083s while UMA Racing Yamaha Maju Motor Asia Team duo Mohd Haziq Mohd Fairues and Mohd Akid Aziz rounded up the top 10. Here are some quotes from the riders after the first day of practice: Ahmad Fazrul Sham (Yamaha) (Cardinal Racing Team) “We’ve had a long break since the first round of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) held in March this year just before the Movement Control Order was enforced. Luckily, the MSBK150 runs on the same specs as the Underbone 150 class of the ARRC, so we were able to get competitive very quickly. Unfortunately, rain in the afternoon put paid to our plans to better our laptimes, so we’ll just have to wait for the qualifying session to make further improvements.” Mohd Akid Aziz (Yamaha) (UMA Racing Yamaha Maju Motor Asia Team) “The unpredictable weather looks set to continue through to the weekend. Today, our focus was more on getting our bikes set up for various weather conditions as opposed to chasing after quick times.” Mohd Adib Rosley (Yamaha) (JR Performance Wossner YYPang Racing Team) “We had some problems getting the right setup during FP1. Unfortunately, bad weather cancelled out our option to test our improvements during FP2. However, I’m still confident that I will be able to do better in the qualifying.” Mohd Nazir Nor Samsol (Yamaha) (GRT 555 Racing Team) “We gained some benchmarks today, but our team is still working hard to make further improvements.” Mohd Khairul Ikhwan Ajis (Yamaha) (Team AHM Motorsports Yamaha Racing) “It was a challenging day for us when our bike had some mechanical problems during FP1. The problems were quickly resolved but the rain put paid to our efforts to improve on my laptimes. However, I was quite satisfied with my laptimes during the rain and if this weather should continue over the weekend, I’m pretty confident of our ability to get good results in the wet.”
After weeks of suspense, the Horizon Racing Team has finally announced that MSBK1000 defending champion, Mohd Farid Badrul will be returning to defend his Malaysia Superbike Championship crown for the 2020 season. The 27-year-old Malaysian rider has expressed his eagerness to get back into action. “I’m very excited and I would like to thank the Horizon Racing Team for this opportunity. It had not been easy for them to arrange the funding required for us to race this season and this last minute confirmation has been a huge relief,” said Farid. The season opener at the Sepang International Circuit this weekend will represent a technical challenge for Farid and his Horizon Racing Team mechanics. At the time of writing, the team has yet to conclusively decide if they should continue racing with the 2012 model BMW on which they have had multiple successes, or make the switch to a 2015 model with more electronics control. “We’ve done some tests, but the team engineers are still weighing the pros and cons of both options,” Farid concluded.
Teams who have opted to use the RK brand of chains in the 2020 Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSBK) will now have an extra incentive to do well as Round 1 begins this weekend at the Sepang International Circuit. Sinar Puncak Sdn Bhd (RK) is offering additional prize monies to the teams in all classes who achieved their weekend’s top five results with the RK range of motorcycle chains. The summary of the prize monies are as follows: CATEGORY 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th MSBK1000 A MYR 600 MYR 400 MYR 300 MYR 200 MYR 140 MSBK1000 B MYR 240 MYR 200 MYR 160 – – MSBK600 MYR 600 MYR 400 MYR 300 MYR 200 MYR 140 MSBK250A MYR 500 MYR 360 MYR 260 MYR 160 MYR 100 MSBK250B MYR 120 MYR 80 MYR 40 – – MSBK150 MYR 500 MYR 360 MYR 260 MYR 160 MYR 100 In addition to the prize monies, RK will also be giving out premium chains to the podium winners as follows: MSBK 1000 (1st podium winner) – RK BL520 GXW (XW-ring) MSBK 1000 and MSBK 600 – RKGB520GXW (XW-ring) MSBK 250 and MSBK 150 – RKGB415HRU (U-ring) “We are happy to lend our support to the MSBK teams and are hoping that this extra incentive will help them go the extra mile as they work to develop the next cadre of Malaysian motorcycling champions,” said Mr. Andy Lee, RKSA Marketing Manager. Round 1 of the 2020 Malaysia Superbike Championship will take place this weekend at the Sepang International Circuit with no spectators allowed.
Changes have been made to the entry fees and prize monies up for grabs in the 2020 Malaysia Superbike Championship. Please find below, a summary of the changes: Entry Fee For the 2020 season, the entry fee will be inclusive of 01 set Dunlop tyre. The comparison is as follows: RACE CATEGORY 2019 ENTRY FEE (not inclusive of tyre cost) 2020 ENTRY FEE (inclusive of 01 set tyre) MSBK1000 MYR 795 MYR 2,000 (inclusive of 01 set Dunlop slicks) MSBK600 MYR 795 MYR 2,000 (inclusive of 01 set Dunlop slicks) MSBK250 MYR 396 MYR 1,400 (inclusive of 01 set Dunlop tyres) MSBK150 — MYR 1,250 (inclusive of 01 set Dunlop slicks) Prize Monies The prize monies for the 2020 season has been increased. However, instead of awarding prize monies on a race-by-race basis, the prize monies will be awarded to the top five riders of the weekend. The table below summarizes the changes: RACE CATEGORY 2019 PRIZE MONEY (per race) 2020 PRIZE MONEY (per race weekend) MSBK1000 1st place – MYR 600 2nd place – MYR 500 3rd place – MYR 400 Highest points of the weekend – MYR 3,000 2nd highest points of the weekend – MYR 2,000 3rd highest points of the weekend – MYR 1,500 4th highest points of the weekend – MYR 1,000 5th highest points of the weekend – MYR 700 MSBK600 1st place – MYR 600 2nd place – MYR 500 3rd place – MYR 400 Highest points of the weekend – MYR 3,000 2nd highest points of the weekend – MYR 2,000 3rd highest points of the weekend – MYR 1,500 4th highest points of the weekend – MYR 1,000 5th highest points of the weekend – MYR 700 MSBK250 1st place – MYR 300 2nd place – MYR 200 3rd place – MYR 100 Highest points of the weekend – MYR 2,500 2nd highest points of the weekend – MYR 1,800 3rd highest points of the weekend – MYR 1,300 4th highest points of the weekend – MYR 800 5th highest points of the weekend – MYR 500 MSBK150 Highest points of the weekend – MYR 2,500 2nd highest points of the weekend – MYR 1,800 3rd highest points of the weekend – MYR 1,300 4th highest points of the weekend – MYR 800 5th highest points of the weekend – MYR 500 As an example, assuming a rider won all three races in a weekend in 2019, he/she would have taken home a total prize money of MYR 1,800. In comparison, in the 2020 season, should the same rider win all three races in a weekend, he/she would be going home with MYR3,000. This represents a 67% increase in prize monies but will require more strategic racing from the riders and teams.
After nine months of enforced inactivity, Zaqhwan finally gets to scratch that racing itch as the Boon Siew Honda Racing Team confirms his entry into the MSBK1000 for the upcoming Malaysia Superbike Championship. The 2-times Asian 600cc champion is more than relieved to be back in action. “I watched in frustration on the sidelines when my peers and rivals revelled in the competition at the first round of the 2020 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship. My frustrations mounted as the Covid-19 pandemic forced one postponement after another in the ARRC calendar. Things came to a head when strict border controls and quarantine procedures finally forced the ARRC organizers to abandon the 2020 season. By then, I was just about ready to concede that there will be no racing for me this year. Luckily, the team has agreed to field my entry into the Malaysia Superbike Championship. Even though there will only be two rounds, at least it is a chance for me to practice my race craft,” said Zaqhwan. However, Zaqhwan will not be racing on the much-touted Honda CBR1000RR-R which was supposed to be his ride in the 2020 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship. Instead, Zaqhwan will be entering the competition using the 2019 Honda CBR1000 RR on which he had mounted his 2019 campaign in the ARRC. “Of course I was hoping to get into the saddle of the new bike! But with the sudden lock down all over the world, it was logistically quite impossible to make any decent arrangements but however, I am just glad that our 2019 bike is still race ready!”said Zaqhwan.
The Horizon Racing Team has announced a 5-rider line-up for the team’s 2020 campaign in the Malaysia Superbike Championship. This season, the team’s stable of upcoming young riders will comprise of four Malaysian riders and one Indian rider. They are #98 Amir Izzat Bin Rozali, #81 Muhammad Zulhelmi Bin Faiz, #55 Abdullah Qayum Abd Razak , #14 Mohd Emy Bin Nordin Ahmad as well as #90 Mohamad Mikhail Ahmed Salih from India. However, the team has yet to announce its bid for the MSBK 1000 premiere class with defending champion Farid Badrul still held in abeyance while sponsorship issues are being ironed out.
With less than a week to go before the season opener of the 2020 Malaysia Superbike Championship finally revs off, the Hiap Aik Suzuki Racing Team has announced its 2-man line-up for the MSBK1000 class. Malaysian superbike riders CY Khoo and Tee Wee Jin are looking forward to finally getting back on track with new sponsors and partners coming in to boost their performance. “Even though it is a short season, there will be a number of exciting challenges in store for us. The organizers have announced a change in tyres, we will be using Dunlop this year. Additionally, our Suzuki has been completely rebuilt. We also have new sponsors on board, especially the lubricants technology of Mobil1 Racing. I have not had a chance to put this new bike through its paces yet. Everything’s going to happen this weekend during the race meet,” said Jin. Meanwhile, CY Khoo is relishing the swirling rumours that top guns Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman and Zaqhwan Zaidi will be part of the MSBK1000 line-up this year. “If the rumours are true, they will certainly bring a new level of competition to the race and I am really looking forward to crossing swords with them,” said Khoo.
1ST ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS ROAD RACE MEETING DATED: 7 September 2020 ORGANISER Penang Motor Sports Club (PMSC) – Inscribing/Organiser PROMOTER Safe Aim Mutual Sdn Bhd NAME OF EVENT Malaysian Superbike Championship 2020 Amendments of Supplementary Regulations 2020 DATES & VENUE Round 1 25th, 26th & 27th September Sepang Circuit Round 2 16th,17th & 18th October Sepang Circuit 8.3 Grading for Class A and B would be as follows: – 8.3.1 MSBK1000 SUPERBIKE ii) Class B – For MAM license holders National ‘A, B or C or F.I.M International Licence who recorded a lap time 2:16:000 and above. 9. DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS: 9.1 A Six (6) races Championship for motorcycles of various categories, specified hereunder: MSBK 1000 (Rd 1- 3 races, Rd 2 – 3 races) MSBK 600 (Rd 1 – 3 races, Rd 2 – 3 races) MSBK 250 (Rd 1 – 3 races, Rd 2 – 3 races) MSBK 150 (Rd 1- 3 races, Rd 2 – 3 races) ENTRIES 11.10 Entry fee is as follows: MSBK1000 RM2000 MSBK600 RM2000 MSBK250 RM1400 MSBK150 RM1250 13. AWARDS Round a) Trophies will be given up to 3rd placed for each race/class (3 races per round) except MSBK1000 (B) and MSBK250 (B), trophies will be given up to 3rd place after points accumulation for race 1 and race 2 of each round. b) Prize money will be given to up to 5th placed after points accumulation for race 1 race 2 and race 3 of each round. The top 5 highest accumulation will be considered as the winner to recieve the prize money, except MSBK1000 (B) and MSBK250 (B), prize money will be given to the top 3 place after points accumulation for race 1, race 2 and race 3 of each round. c) The podium ceremony will be held after the completion of each race (3 races per round). Except for MSBK1000 (B) and MSBK250 (B) podium will be done at the end of the day after accumulation of points from race 1,race 2 and race 3. It is compulsory for the winners to be available for the podium ceremony for each round with full gear except for helmet and gloves 14. CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS AND CLASSIFICATION 14.1 MSBK1000 ‘A’, MSBK600, MSBK250’A’ & MSBK150 Points will be awarded after the each race. The total points from all 6 races of Championship in the categories will be used for the final placing in the Championship. In the event of a tie in the number of points, the final positions will be decided on the basis of the number of best results in the races (number of first places, number of second places etc.) In the event that there is still tie then, the date in Championship at which the highest place was achieved will be taken into account with precedence going to the latest result. 14.2 MSBK1000 ‘B’ & MSBK250’B’ – Weekend Gladiator. Points will be awarded for each race, the winner will be decided by adding ‘race 1’ ‘race 2’ and ‘race 3’ points for the weekend gladiator. There will be no overall championship points. If there is a tie in total points, the winner will be decided by the highest points collected in ‘race 3’. For on behalf of Penang Motor Sports Club (Secretary of the Meet)
Sepang International Circuit (SIC) and Two Wheels Motor Racing (TWMR) has jointly announced the start of the 2020 Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSBK). With the changes forced upon the national racing calendar by the on-going Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 season of the MSBK, initially scheduled to run over four rounds, has now been shortened to two. However, the number of days per round has been increased. Therefore, the participants of the MSBK can expect to compete in possibly up to six races over the two scheduled rounds. Hosted, as always, at the Sepang International Circuit, Round 1 will take place from September 25 to 27 followed by Round 2 from October 16 to 18. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SIC, Azhan Shafriman Hanif said, “The changes in the race calendar for MSBK is due to the Covid-19 pandemic that we are facing, but it is a national agenda and we need to continue our much-awaited National championship this year. SIC have partnered up with Two Wheels Motor Racing Sdn Bhd in 2019 with the objective to further enhance the MSBK race, they are the leading organiser for two-wheels racing series such as PETRONAS Malaysian Cub Prix and Asia Road Racing Championship,” He added, “Despite having two rounds for 2020, the format of the race has been improved to add more thrills to the competition. Our objective is to provide a platform for the local professional racers, to groom and develop both talents and teams. So, the effort must remain even in the uncertainty of the current situation to ensure the spirit of racing continues. We would like to thank the Ministry of Youth & Sports (KBS) and all partners for the cooperation and support given to make local motorsport championships feasible” Changes to the calendar aside, both the SIC and TWMR have agreed to proceed with new developments for the MSBK class. Among them are the introduction of the Underbone 150 class, as well as the introduction of Dunlop as the official tyre supplier for the series. “We are particularly excited about the introduction of the MSBK150 class. This new category will run on specifications similar to that of the Asia Road Racing Championship. Most importantly, this class is open to all teams and riders. The differentiation point lies in the fact that the CP150 class in the PETRONAS Malaysian Cub Prix Championship is an elite class reserved only for the top teams in the Championship. By creating the MSBK150 category, we are effectively opening up the opportunity for more upcoming teams and riders to participate in the super cubs race,” said Ron Hogg, Director of Two Wheels Motor Racing. The introduction of the MSBK150 will complete the full offerings of the MSBK in its role as a part of the national talent development system, with races starting from 150cc to 250cc to 600cc and finally to 1000cc. There will be something for every rider, at any stage of their career. Ron further added, “Dunlop, a pivotal partner in the success of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship, will become the official tyre supplier of the Malaysia Superbikes Championship. We believe that their expertise will help Malaysian teams and riders improve their standard of racing immeasurably.” “We are very serious about developing the sport of motorcycle racing in Malaysia in general. A few days ago, Boon Siew Honda demonstrated their commitment when they announced an initiative aimed at revitalizing the sport through the Honda Racing Support Programme.” For more information, kindly contact Two Wheels Motor Racing Sdn Bhd at Tel: +603-8733 8787.
Sepang International Circuit, September 2, 2020: Looking forward to the 2021 season of the Malaysia Superbike Championship, Boon Siew Honda Sdn Bhd has unveiled a new initiative aimed at uplifting the full-frame sector of Malaysian motorcycle racing. The new programme, the Boon Siew Honda 250cc Racing Support Programme, will offer race-prepared Honda CBR250RR motorcycles at a discounted price to interested teams and riders in the MSBK250 class. The basic spec of the bikes will be prepared by Boon Siew Honda with the full package valued at MYR50,000. However, teams and riders who opt to purchase these packages, need only pay MYR30,000. Teams and riders who have opted to buy into this package will take part in a sub-category within the MSBK250. “The objective of the Boon Siew Honda 250cc Racing Support Programme is to uplift the sport of motorcycle racing in general. In the PETRONAS Malaysian Cub Prix Championship, we run a very successful grassroots mono-brand race, the Honda Dash 125 Challenge. This is our talent identification vehicle. In the Asia Road Racing Championship, Boon Siew Honda runs our own factory team to develop the next batch of world-level Malaysian riders. Previously, there was a gap between Cub Prix and ARRC. This programme in the MSBK is aimed at bridging it,” said Yoshitaka Nakamura, Managing Director & CEO of Boon Siew Honda. “We hope to encourage new talents with this support programme, not just riders but also new teams interested to venture into the sport.” The support programme will run in cooperation with race promoters Two Wheels Motor Racing. Interested parties looking for more details can do so by contacted TWMR at 03-8733 8787.