Since the start of the Malaysia Superbike Championship this season, MSBK600 Class has seen quite a performance by its world class riders. Muhd Ibrahim Muhd Noroddin of SIC Racing Team will be maximising his potential for the upcoming race this weekend at the Sepang International Circuit. Over the course of this season, Ibrahim has certainly paraded his robust moves on the circuit ground with five podiums out of six races. While MSBK has undeniably been a strength for him, Round 3 may just pose a slightly different atmosphere and challenge for the rider who will also be taking strides in Round 4 of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship scheduled to run concurrently. Ibrahim made a stunning finish in Round 2 of last season with a triple win. In Round 1, it was quite unfortunate for him when he had a fall that crippled his points in Race 1 and Race 2. Although he made a quick recovery with a spot on the podium in Race 3, that wasn’t enough for Ibrahim. He came back for the following round to make an impressive statement and he did it when he swept the podium with perfect scores. The season closed with him taking the second spot overall. While his success has been quite a story, this season however seems to have placed him in a different light as he was seen grappling to keep up to his winning momentum. Round 3 foresees a challenging feat for Ibrahim who will now have to juggle between two expectations to maintain his position in both MSBK and ARRC. The dynamics of the race may be a little different however the goal remains the same which is to maximise his points. Commenting on the race, “It would be an interesting challenge this time around and I am certainly looking forward to building up my riding portfolio with a different feel to it. It definitely brings with it a different set of emotions however I am not going to push myself too much as it is not about winning but more of ensuring that my points are sufficient.” It is a never-ending process of constant push on the physique and mental wellbeing for a rider. In preparation for the next round, Ibrahim said, “I do a lot of physical and mental training. This round would be quite a unique experience for me and the other riders as it would be a combined version of ARRC and MSBK. Which means that performing well in either/or is equally crucial. I will give my 100% for this coming round as it would carry weight for both the championships.” With two championships running concurrently, the level of commitment towards achieving a particular goal has now doubled for riders who will be participating in both championships. As for Ibrahim, he comments, “Of course the challenge is quite different in the coming round as we have to stay focused on one particular championship to achieve the best outcome. My main aim would be the ARRC as I have different goals for it. But having said that, if I do well in ARRC, it would also mean that I’ve done well for MSBK.” Catch up latest news at malaysiasbk.com. Chat with us
It was quite a show during the MSBK250 A Class when riders scaled up their performances in Round 2 in a bid to carve their successful stories. Emil Idzhar Ezuan of SIC RACING is determined to hone his skills further for Round 3 of the Malaysia Superbike Championship which will be held at the Sepang International Circuit this weekend. It was a tough fight for Emil in both rounds this season as he battled among fierce riders in the race category. Round 1 was definitely a better race for Emil who took the podium thrice with one at the second spot. In Round 2 though, Emil was clearly threatened by the presence of another strong contender in the field. While he managed to steer clear with a steady pace in the first two races, he made a slip up in Race 3 which led to a casualty. Commenting on the previous race, “In Round 2, I struggled quite a bit especially on the straight line. I think that would be a weakness. As we all know, the Honda machine is quite powerful and it was tough for me to find my rhythm among these riders. Nevertheless, it is something that I have to work on and I am finding ways to overcome that one big challenge.” Despite that, Emil currently graces the second spot overall with a total of 84 points. The rider who rode aboard the Kawasaki Ninja 250 was clearly disappointed with the outcome of Race 3 which would have contributed to additional points. However, according to Emil, “I have enjoyed my time riding in the MSBK championship. In the last two rounds, apart from learning and improving my riding abilities, I have also had a good time. This championship also provides me a platform to practice on my riding skills and enhance my performance in preparation for the upcoming Asia Talent Cup championship.” “For the coming round, I have been working on my physique. I spend my time at the gym, cycling and also training on the machine at Sepang go-kart on a daily basis except on Sundays. That would be my off-day. But even then, I do my own self-training like jogging. I know that I need more training to obtain a more consistent lap time for each race. This is the main thing that I would have to work on for further improvement.” Catch up latest news at malaysiasbk.com. Chat with us
The MSBK250 B Class has definitely injected some interesting twists to the race category this season. Muhd Amir Izzat Rozali of HORIZON RACING TEAM is further amped for Round 3 of the Malaysia Superbike Championship which will be held in Sepang this weekend. As a privateer, Amir has displayed quite the skill in the race category for a number of years now. In 2020, he bagged the second spot on the podium with a total of 65 points in the one-race season. Although he was absent from the scene in 2021, he came back this season with a strong performance in Round 2 and grabbed the “Weekend Warrior” title. For aspiring riders like Amir, MSBK has become a ground that helps them further accentuate their innate abilities and gives deeper meaning to their passion. According to him, “MSBK is the only race that offers the 250cc race category in our country. It is highly organised on a proper circuit like the Sepang International Circuit which gives the team and I an opportunity to ride alongside professional riders thus enhancing ourselves further in the motorcycle racing scene.” Amir was not able to take part in Round 1 and despite that, he rode steadily to the chequered flag in all three races in Round 2. He said, “I could not participate in Round 1 due to unavoidable matters but I was thrilled to have been back for Round 2. Of course, there were many prior preparations done but my biggest guide was my past experiences in the MSBK250 back in 2019.” “Not forgetting the team and crew members who have worked on the machine to produce one that is competitive to compete in MSBK. It is one of the crucial aspects in racing to have a machine setup that complements one’s riding style and in my case, the machine was perfect that way. The suspension setting was good for my body weight too. Overall, the compliments go to the team who has done a great job with the machine.” With Round 3 being the final race for the season, Amir is looking at keeping up to his performances. He said, “I will try my level best to further improve my lap time and be more consistent. I want to retain my position. Apart from the physical and fitness preparations, I frequently participate in open track day at SIC as part of my training for MSBK.” Catch up latest news at malaysiasbk.com. Chat with us
The Yamaha Y16ZR Race MasterClass, since its establishment in the beginning of the season, has witnessed a highly competitive ride among its riders. Arash Tsunami Kamarudin seeks to accelerate further in Round 3 of the Malaysia Superbike Championship which will be held at the Sepang International Circuit this weekend. Arash has created a name since his debut in the PETRONAS Malaysian Cub Prix Championship this year. With his notable talent and steady achievements, he was then hand-picked to participate in MSBK which in turn would help him realise greater potential. His goals in each race, according to him, “I race to win. That’s my goal. I try to collect as many points as possible and that’s the ultimate goal at the end of the race.” Having to ride in a race class with a bigger engine capacity with no prior experience may have seemed like a tough task for a rookie but for Arash, Round 1 was all about understanding the machine and learning the tricks and trades of manoeuvring an even more powerful product. As a result, Arash excelled in Race 1 of Round 2 with a win and took the fifth place for Race 2. That resulted in a big leap up in the overall standings for Arash who currently sits at the fifth spot. Commenting on his race in Round 1, “It was definitely an unfavourable feat as luck was not on my side in Race 1. In Race 2, the result was made worse with a casualty when another rider made a mistake. However, I learnt from the two races that I need to be more careful and focused. The experience made me realise that I have to constantly be on my toes.” “In Race 2 of Round 2, I only managed to score the fifth spot because I carelessly made a mistake at the last turn towards the chequered flag. I was very displeased. However, mistakes are my biggest secret to success as I learn a great deal from it. I also need to be more consistent and that’s what I am working towards in each race.” Commenting on the team, Arash said, “I am very thankful to the organisers for giving me the space and opportunity to perform in the race category. It is a much-needed experience that fuels my enthusiasm further in becoming a professional rider. I am also grateful to Mr Ramesh and all the trainers in One-Make Race Yamaha Camp as well as the team of mechanics who have been directly and indirectly involved in building us up. Without them, I am nobody!” “I have been working on my physical and mental strength as well as the well-being of my emotions to continue being smart in my moves. My goal for Round 3 is to win.” Catch up latest news at malaysiasbk.com. Chat with us