Race 2 in MSBK1000 A category at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit today concluded at Round 3 of the 2026 MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship. After facing mechanical heartbreak during Race 1, Adam Norrodin of AMI SUZUKI MOTORSPORT claimed his much-anticipated first victory of the season. At the start of the race, Mohammad Adenanta Putra of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM made a solid launch off the line to take the early lead. Adam quickly slotted into second position, while polesitter Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin of HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA settled into third. Behind the leading trio, veteran rider Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman of AMI SUZUKI MOTORSPORT held fourth, and Mohd Fahmi Abdul Wahaf of FGRT PROJECT ONE took fifth. The battle for the front was fierce right from the opening laps. On Lap 2, Adam made his first move to overtake Adenanta for the lead. He immediately backed this up on Lap 3 by setting a fast lap time of 2’09.468s. However, Adenanta was determined to stay in the fight, pushing his machine to 290.3kph on the straights to keep Adam in his sights. On Lap 4, the Indonesian rider responded with a blistering 2’08.400s lap, successfully reclaiming the lead from Adam. Meanwhile, Kasma closely monitored the battle from third, sitting just 0.633s behind. The pace continued to heat up on Lap 5. Although Adenanta was leading, Adam clocked the fastest lap of the race at 2’08.194s, closing the gap to a mere 0.308s. By Lap 7, Adenanta was pushing his bike to the absolute limit, reaching a top speed of 291.1kph in an attempt to break away. Yet, Adam remained glued to his rear wheel, trailing by just 0.120s. Further back in the field, Fahmi successfully overtook Law Kien Huey of KHSRT to reclaim the fifth position. The decisive moment arrived on Lap 8 when Adam executed a clean and calculated overtake on Adenanta to retake the lead. Once in front, Adam maintained a clinical and composed pace. Despite a massive final-lap effort from Adenanta, who pushed his bike to an incredible 295.1kph, Adam held firm. He crossed the finish line first with a time of 21’32.776s, with Adenanta finishing a close second at 21’33.374s. Kasma completed the tight podium, crossing the line at 21’33.483s. Adam shared, “To be completely honest, I have been dreaming of securing this victory for a very, very long time. While we have managed to reach the podium with a P3 finish in the past, finally achieving my very first win is an incredibly special and emotional milestone for me. We actually had a genuine chance to take the top spot yesterday during Race 1, but unfortunately, we encountered some unexpected mechanical issues with the bike that held us back. Despite that setback, our pace has been remarkably strong throughout the entire weekend.” “The team has done an absolutely phenomenal job behind the scenes to bounce back from yesterday. Their dedication has been unmatched, sometimes staying up and working late into the night until 1am just to ensure that the bike’s setup was absolutely perfect for today’s race. It just goes to show that relentless dedication and hard work truly do pay off in the end. I want to dedicate this victory to every single person in the team who has poured so much time, effort, and long hours into this project over such a long period. We finally achieved what we set out to do together. Hopefully, we can carry this momentum forward and repeat this fantastic result in the next round.” TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 2 1. ADAM NORRODIN – AMI SUZUKI MOTORSPORT (21’32.776s) 2. MOHAMMAD ADENANTA PUTRA – ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM (21’33.374s) 3. KASMA DANIEL KASMAYUDIN – HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA (21’33.483s) 4. AZLAN SHAH KAMARUZAMAN – AMI SUZUKI MOTORSPORT (21’41.755s) 5. MOHD FAHMI ABDUL WAHAF – FGRT PROJECT ONE (22’36.043s)
Round 3 of MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship 2026 at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit is concluded, Muhammad Idham Fathris Mazlan of MAGIC PAPAYA RACING TEAM showcased excellent late-race pace to secure the victory, but it was Santhiran A/L Naga Raju of RACEHUB RACING TEAM who claimed the Weekend Champion title. As the race began, Kamarul Izad Ishak of KHSRT surged to the front to take the early lead, with Santhiran closely following in second. Jeff Chong of B.A TUNING settled into third, while Fathris started his steady campaign from fifth position. On the second lap, Santhiran made his move, cleanly overtaking Izad to lead the pack. Meanwhile, Fathris began his climb up the field, slotting into third. Santhiran held the lead through the middle stages of the race, but the pressure behind him was constant. By Lap 4, Izad was just 0.500s behind the leader, waiting for an opportunity to strike. On Lap 6, both Izad and Fathris found their window, overtaking Santhiran to demote him to third. The momentum was clearly with Fathris, who then successfully passed Izad on Lap 7 to take over the race lead. Once in front, Fathris maintained a composed ride, holding off Izad for the final three laps to cross the finish line first at 22’41.117s. Izad secured a strong second place at 22’42.898s, while Santhiran safely crossed in third at 22’51.299s. Further back, Alvinderjitsingh from Malaysia made a late move on Lap 9 to overtake Jeff, securing fourth place. Despite finishing third in Race 2, Santhiran’s victory in Race 1 earned him enough points to be crowned the Weekend Champion. Santhiran shared, “To be completely honest, this victory comes down to pure, relentless hard work. Especially for this particular round, the team has put in an incredible amount of effort behind the scenes. We focused heavily on strategy, making sure that we rode smartly using our minds, tactics, and careful planning, rather than just acting on adrenaline or raw emotion out on the track.” “The race itself was exceptionally challenging. Within just the first three laps, I started to lose grip in my rear tire. I suspect it had something to do with the bike’s setup today, but rather than panicking, I knew I had to adapt and simply manage the race to survive. At one point, Izad overtook me, and shortly after, Fathris managed to get past me as well. It is always hard for a rider to give up positions, but I stayed calm, did some quick mental calculations regarding the points and standings, and realized that even by letting them pass safely, I would still secure P1 overall.” “To walk away as the back-to-back Weekend Champion is an absolutely incredible feeling. I am immensely happy and deeply proud of myself and what this team has accomplished. It has been a demanding journey, and I want to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported me, especially my family, my wife, my friends, and all of my sponsors who make this possible. Finally, a huge thank you to MSBK for providing us with this amazing platform to race and showcase our talents.” TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 2 1. MUHAMMAD IDHAM FATHRIS MAZLAN – MAGIC PAPAYA RACING TEAM (22’41.117s) 2. KAMARUL IZAD ISHAK – KHSRT (22’42.898s) 3. SANTHIRAN A/L NAGA RAJU – RACEHUB RACING TEAM (22’51.299s) 4. ALVINDERJITSINGH – MALAYSIA (23’06.260s) 5. JEFF CHONG – B.A TUNING (23’07.942s)
The PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit delivered another spectacular showcase of racing this weekend for Round 3 of the MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship 2026. Race 2 of the MSBK600 category saw Muhd Helmi Azman from Malaysia claimed his second victory of the round. Off the starting line, Helmi made a bold and decisive move to take early control of the race. He was closely followed by Farres Putra Mohd Fadhil of HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA and Malaysia’s Khairul Idham Pawi. The dynamic quickly shifted on Lap 2 when Khairul found an opening to overtake Helmi for the lead. Unfazed, Helmi fought back on Lap 3, setting a blistering fastest lap of 2’12.440s to reclaim the front position, establishing a slight 0.240s buffer over Khairul, while Farres began to drop back. The middle of the race saw Helmi maintained a narrow lead until Lap 6, when Khairul managed to slip past him once again. However, Helmi’s response on Lap 7 was the defining moment of the race. He decisively overtook Khairul and immediately increased his pace, quickly building an 0.833s gap. Further down the field, Ahmad Afif Amran of HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA made a strategic move past Farres to secure third place. Over the final three laps, Helmi flawlessly extended his advantage. He crossed the finish line with a total time of 22’17.271s, boasting a comfortable 4.740s lead over Khairul, who secured second place, while Afif finished third at 22’31.772s. Helmi said, “To be completely honest, today’s race really pushed us to the limit. The weather was incredibly hot out there, making it very physically demanding. We also decided to try something a bit different heading into today. While we used the standard Sepang tires yesterday with great success, today we switched to a newer version of the tires. It wasn’t entirely smooth sailing, I really struggled to find the right rear tire grip, and the pace definitely didn’t come as easily as it did yesterday. However, we understand exactly why that happened, and it’s a valuable lesson for us to improve moving forward.” “Thorough preparation is everything in this sport, and I truly believe my bike is performing at a much higher level in terms of speed right now. Because of that, I am incredibly excited for the upcoming ARRC race in Mandalika. I’ll be putting in the work to prepare myself even better. A massive thank you to my entire team for their endless hard work, and to everyone who has continually supported and prayed for me. This win is for all of you.” TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 2 1. MUHD HELMI AZMAN – MALAYSIA (22’17.271s) 2. KHAIRUL IDHAM PAWI – MALAYSIA (22’23.112s) 3. AHMAD AFIF AMRAN – HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA (22’31.772s) 4. FARRES PUTRA MOHD FADHIL – HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA (22’38.853s) 5. KHAIRULAMIRIN YAHAYA – FKR CHV RACING (23’28.398s)
Muhd Irfan Haykhal Amidi of HRM MOTUL RACING TEAM produced a sensational ride to claim victory in Race 2 of the MSBK250 A category after edging out Danial Syahmi Ahmad Shahril from Malaysia by a mere 0.001s in a breathtaking photo finish during Round 3 of the MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship 2026 at PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit. Starting fourth on the grid, Haykhal wasted no time making his intentions clear. The Malaysian rider charged through the opening lap to overtake pole sitter Danial immediately joined the leading group alongside Nguyen Huu Tri of HONDA RACING VIETNAM TEAM and Indonesia’s Irfan Ardiansyah of NWN CZ1 SCK RACING TEAM, with the front four quickly breaking away from the chasing pack. The race took an unexpected turn on Lap 2 when Danial was handed a long-lap penalty for a jump start. Despite the setback, the pole sitter refused to surrender, continuing to push at the front before serving his penalty on Lap 4. The penalty dropped him more than 3.400s behind the leaders, leaving him with a mountain to climb in the closing stages. As Haykhal, Nguyen and Irfan battled fiercely for the lead, Danial began an extraordinary recovery. Setting a blistering 2’23.08s lap before producing an even quicker 2’24.471s on the final lap, faster than his own pole-winning qualifying time of 2’24.874s, he rapidly erased the deficit and rejoined the fight for victory. The final lap delivered one of the most dramatic finishes of the season. Danial launched an aggressive move on the inside to seize the lead before the front three exchanged positions repeatedly through the final corners. Exiting the last turn, Haykhal and Danial raced side by side towards the chequered flag, with the winner impossible to determine by eye. Although Danial initially appeared to have taken the victory as the pair crossed the finish line, the official result confirmed Haykhal as the winner by the narrowest of margins by just 0.001 seconds following a photo finish. Huu Tri completed the podium in third, while Irfan finished fourth after spending much of the race inside the leading battle. Malaysia’s Nazirul Izzat Muhd Bahauddin rounded out the top five after another consistent performance. Haykhal said, “Alhamdulillah, first of all I’d like to thank my family and everyone at HRM MOTUL RACING TEAM for preparing such a competitive machine for this race. The bike performed brilliantly throughout the weekend, and all the hard work from the team really paid off.” “From the very first lap, my strategy was to push as hard as possible and maintain the pace until the finish. On the final lap, Irfan Ardiansyah managed to overtake me at the last corner, so I knew I had to react immediately. I gave everything I had on the run to the finish line, and Alhamdulillah it was enough to secure the victory. This result is very important for my championship campaign, and I’ll continue pushing to fight for the overall MSBK250 title.” TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 2 1. MUHD IRFAN HAYKHAL AMIDI – HRM MOTUL RACING TEAM (19’36.070) 2. DANIAL SYAHMI AHMAD SHAHRIL (19’36.071) 3. NGUYEN HUU TRI – HONDA RACING VIETNAM TEAM (19’36.579) 4. IRFAN ARDIANSYAH – NWN CZ1 SCK RACING TEAM (19’43.944) 5. NAZIRUL IZZAT MUHD BAHAUDDIN (19’50.622)
The PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit hosted Race 2 for the MSBK250 B category this weekend, in Round 3 of MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship 2026. Ahmad Fazli Sham Ahmad Walat AFS46 RACING PROJECT BY BRAAAP secured his second victory of the weekend and taking home the coveted Weekend Champion title. As the lights went out, Fazli immediately asserted his dominance, taking the lead on the opening lap. Trailing just behind him was Kabilesh Rajini Krishnan of RACR CASTROL POWER1, with Ng Wei Shyang of MAGIC PAPAYA RACING TEAM holding firm in third. Fazli wasted no time finding his rhythm, pushing his machine to extend a clear advantage early on. By the second lap, the race leader had already built a comfortable three-second gap over Kabilesh. The momentum continued to shift in Fazli’s favor as Lap 3 unfolded. He widened his lead to five seconds, setting a commanding pace at the front. Meanwhile, the battle for second place remained tense, with Wei Shyang keeping the pressure on Kabilesh, trailing by a mere 0.437s. The dynamic of the race changed significantly on Lap 4. Kabilesh was forced to serve a long lap penalty due to a jump start off the grid. As he diverted from the main racing line to serve his penalty, Wei Shyang capitalized on the opportunity, sliding smoothly into second place. Up ahead, Fazli continued to ride a lonely but highly focused race. By Lap 5, the race leader had extended his gap to a massive 7.380s ahead of Wei Shyang, who in turn had built a solid two-second buffer over the recovering Kabilesh. Heading into the final lap, Wei Shyang managed to shave the gap down slightly to 5.918s, but Fazli’s flawless early groundwork had already sealed the victory. Fazli crossed the finish line to take the chequered flag at 20’19.311s, capping off an excellent weekend. Wei Shyang secured a well-deserved second place at 20’26.196s, while Kabilesh settled for third, finishing at 20’46.254s. Fazli shared, “In Race 2 earlier, my start was quite good and everything went smoothly. My main intention at the beginning of the race was to try and catch up with the front pack, namely Group A. During the first and second laps, I felt I could still compete closely. However, going into the third and fourth laps, their pace was simply too fast and the gap started to widen.” “Honestly, I was a bit disappointed that I couldn’t keep up with them, but I knew I had to think strategically. When I looked back and saw that the gap with the other Group B riders was already quite large and comfortable, I felt a bit relieved. I just focused on maintaining my speed and riding rhythm without making any mistakes. This victory means a lot to me and the entire team crew, so I just wanted to finish the race strongly to secure my spot at the top of the podium.” TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 2 1. AHMAD FAZLI SHAM AHMAD WALAT – AFS46 RACING PROJECT BY BRAAAP (20’19.311s) 2. NG WEI SHYANG – MAGIC PAPAYA RACING TEAM (20’26.196s) 3. KABILESH RAJINI KRISHNAN – RACR CASTROL POWER1 (20’46.254s)
The PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit delivered an incredibly close race this weekend for Round 3 of the 2026 MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship. Race 2 of the BERJAYA SOMPO YAMAHA R15M RACE ELITES category was defined by constant lead changes, massive group battles, and a thrilling final-lap shootout that saw Muhd Ikram Dani of BERJAYA MEGA emerge victorious. Right from the starting lights, Ikram made a bold launch to take the early lead, closely trailed by Ashraff Zaquan Bin Zainal Raif of GTMAX MOTORS and Ahmad Jebat Zulkarnain of BLH RACING TEAM. The slipstreaming nature of the Sepang circuit immediately took effect, forming a massive lead group of riders trading paint and positions. The battle for the front was relentless. By Lap 2, Muhd Farhan Naqib Mohd Faiz of FASROI M SB had drafted his way into the lead, while early contender Muhd Ali Imran Mohd Dzul Hijri of BOON HUA MOTOR unfortunately crashed out of the race. Ikram fought back to the front on Lap 3, but the lead was short-lived as Naqib reclaimed it on Lap 4. During this mid-race shuffle, Adam Harris Hafiz of LKT MOTOR put in a blistering fastest lap of 2’51.841s to briefly surge into third place. As the race entered its crucial closing stages, Zaquan took charge on Lap 5 and managed to hold his ground at the front through Lap 6. The tension peaked as the massive group crossed the line to begin the final lap. Lap 7 was a pure display of aggressive, tactical racing. Zaquan led the pack early in the lap, with Jebat, Muhd Afiq Syazanie Muhd Zaini of K SENG MOTOR, and Raja Abdurraqib Raja Norfatihah of KAVIN MOTOR all making moves. Despite dropping to fifth midway through the final lap, Ikram kept his composure. Utilizing the slipstream perfectly out of the final corners, Ikram surged forward to cross the finish line first with a time of 20’25.243s. Zaquan was edged out by mere fractions, taking second at 20’25.281s, while Nuzzul Ady Muhammad Sudin of LIANG SOON MOTOR executed a brilliant final sector to snatch third at 20’25.311s. Ikram expressed, “I want to take this moment to express my deepest gratitude to all the crew members who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to give me such a great bike today. Racing in this category is incredibly close, and without their long hours, this wouldn’t be possible.” “I also want to extend a huge thank you to my family, whose unwavering support has always been my absolute pillar of strength, especially during the tougher weekends. To all my sponsors, thank you for constantly believing in my potential when it matters most.” “As for the race earlier, it was mentally exhausting. My main strategy was to take control of the pace by leading the pack right from the starting line all the way to the checkered flag. However, with the massive group we had, it took a lot of intense focus and consistency to survive the attacks from the riders behind me.” “The slipstreaming out there was aggressive, and dropping back on the final lap was stressful. But I kept my cool, trusted my lines, and pushed with everything I had left. Alhamdulillah, by the grace of God, the plan came together perfectly at the very end. I am incredibly grateful, relieved, and thrilled to walk away with this hard-fought victory.” TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 2 1. MUHD IKRAM DANI – BERJAYA MEGA (20’25.243s) 2. ASHRAFF ZAQUAN BIN ZAINAL RAIF – GTMAX MOTORS (20’25.281s) 3. NUZZUL ADY MUHAMMAD SUDIN – LIANG SOON MOTOR (20’25.311s) 4. MD FARHAN NAQIB MOHD FAIZ – FASROI M SB (20’25.339s) 5. AHMAD JEBAT ZULKARNAIN – BLH RACING TEAM (20’25.427s)
Race 1 of the MSBK1000 A category delivered an unpredictable and challenging contest during Round 3 of the MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship 2026 at PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit. Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin of HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA capitalized on the early misfortunes of his main rivals to secure the victory. Despite starting from pole position, Kasma dropped to third off the line. Mohammad Adenanta Putra of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM made a brilliant start to snatch the lead, closely followed by Adam Norrodin of AMI SUZUKI MOTORSPORT. The leading trio quickly pulled a two-second gap over the rest of the field by the second lap. However, the complexion of the race changed rapidly. Adam suddenly suffered a technical issue on Lap 2, forcing him to slow down and return to the pit, though he bravely rejoined later to salvage crucial points. This left Adenanta at the front, pushing the limits and setting the fastest lap of the race at 2’07.923s on Lap 3. Unfortunately, the relentless pace caught out the race leader, and Adenanta crashed at Turn 11, abruptly ending his charge. These back-to-back incidents promoted Kasma into a comfortable lead, with Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman of AMI SUZUKI MOTORSPORT moving up to second, albeit with a significant 10-second deficit by Lap 5. Mohd Fahmi Abdul Wahaf of FGRT PROJECT ONE settled into a lonely but solid third place. Further down the field, a steady battle for fourth unfolded, concluding on Lap 8 when Law Kien Huey successfully overtook Abhijith Satya Prasad. At the front, Kasma managed his pace carefully over the final laps, crossing the finish line at 21’44.659s. Azlan took second place at 21’53.436s, while Fahmi completed the podium with a time of 22’43.503s. Kasma shared, “Syukur Alhamdulillah, I am just so grateful to finally bring this home. I have to give a massive thank you to my team for preparing such a fantastic machine for this weekend. My start was actually a bit sluggish, and I found myself trailing behind Adenanta and Adam. When Adam had his technical problem, I just tried to shadow Adenanta. Then, seeing him crash out on Lap 3 was a shock, and suddenly I was leading the race.” “From there, it was all about focus, but it was far from easy. With about four laps remaining, I started feeling something unusual with my tires. Panic set in a little bit because I was genuinely afraid I wouldn’t be able to finish the race if I tried to maintain my constant lap times. I had to make the tough call to reduce my pace, manage the gap, and just focus on bringing the bike home in one piece. The relief of seeing the chequered flag was indescribable. It was a stressful finish, but an incredibly rewarding win.” TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1 1. KASMA DANIEL KASMAYUDIN – HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA (21’44.659s) 2. AZLAN SHAH KAMARUZAMAN – AMI SUZUKI MOTORSPORT (21’53.436s) 3. MOHD FAHMI ABDUL WAHAF – FGRT PROJECT ONE (22’43.503s) 4. LAW KIEN HUEY – KHSRT (22’45.756s) 5. ABHIJITH SATYA PRASAD – RACEHUB RACING TEAM (22’46.445s)
Race 1 of the MSBK1000 B category delivered a compelling story of patience and strategy during Round 3 of MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship 2026 at PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit. Santhiran A/L Naga Raju of RACEHUB RACING TEAM navigated a shifting leaderboard to claim his fifth consecutive victory, holding off a late challenge from Kamarul Izad Ishak of KHSRT. At the start, polesitter Chau Chi Chuen of B.A TUNING took the early lead, followed closely by his teammate Jeff Chong and Santhiran in third. The race saw its first major turning point on Lap 3 when Jeff suffered a crash. Remarkably, he managed to pick his bike up and rejoin the race in fourth position. The incident shuffled the front of the pack, allowing Santhiran to inherit the lead, with Muhammad Idham Fathris Mazlan of MAGIC PAPAYA RACING TEAM and Kamarul moving into second and third. The middle stages of the race settled into a steady rhythm. Santhiran controlled the pace from Lap 4 through Lap 6, with Idham and Kamarul waiting for their moment to strike. On Lap 7, Idham finally made his move, overtaking Santhiran to claim the front position. The defining moments of the race occurred on Lap 9. After patiently stalking the leader, Santhiran saw his opening and retook the lead. Idham, seemingly struggling with a mechanical issue, rapidly dropped down the order. This opened the door for Kamarul to sweep into second place, while a recovering Jeff Chong fought his way back into third. On the tenth and final lap, Santhiran held his nerve to cross the finish line first with a time of 22’53.347s, narrowly beating Kamarul by just 0.209s. Jeff completed an impressive comeback ride to take the final spot on the podium. Further back, Singapore’s Theva Kumaran made a late charge to finish fourth, with Wesley Lim Shing Shiong rounding out the top five. Santhiran expressed, “To be honest, qualifying was quite stressful and didn’t go as well as we had hoped because we were still trying to figure out a new suspension setup. I felt a lot of doubt creeping in. However, I got a fantastic launch off the line in the race and put myself right in the mix.” “When I was overtaken by Idham later on, I had to force myself not to panic. I decided to stay patient, calm my nerves, and just follow closely behind him. I knew that if I stayed within striking distance, an opportunity might present itself. Eventually, Idham seemed to run into a mechanical issue, which allowed me to take the lead back. Seeing the chequered flag was a massive relief.” “I really want to give a heartfelt thank you to my family, friends, and sponsors. They are my rock. They help keep my mind clear, which allows me to race with true peace of mind, enjoy these battles, and put up a strong fight out there. Looking ahead to tomorrow, I am definitely starting to feel the heavy pressure of keeping this win streak alive, but I am keeping my focus strictly on the overall championship picture. We have a healthy points gap right now, so my main goal for Race 2 is simply to ride smart, manage the risks, and secure another podium for the team.” TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1 1. SANTHIRAN A/L NAGA RAJU – RACEHUB RACING TEAM (22’53.347s) 2. KAMARUL IZAD ISHAK – KHSRT (22’53.556s) 3. JEFF CHONG – B.A TUNING (23’10.185s) 4. THEVA KUMARAN – SINGAPORE (23’23.793s) 5. WESLEY LIM SHING SHIONG – RACEHUB RACING TEAM (23’28.277s)
The PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit delivered an exciting Race 1 in the MSBK600 category during Round 3 of MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship 2026. Muhd Helmi Azman from Malaysia emerged victorious after an intense battle with Malaysia’s Khairul Idham Pawi, claiming his first win of the season. At the race start, Khairul was quick off the line to take the lead, but he was soon overtaken by Ahmad Afif Amran of HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA. Helmi settled into third, with Farres Putra Mohd Fadhil of HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA and Khairulamirin Yahaya of FKR CHV RACING close behind. The action heated up on Lap 2 when Khairul briefly retook the lead, only for Helmi to find an opening and sweep past both Afif and Khairul to take control of the race. By Lap 3, Helmi was pushing hard, setting a fast lap of 2’12.048s and reaching a top speed of 247.7kph. Khairul stayed right on his rear wheel, and the leading duo began to pull a one-second gap from Afif in third. Khairul responded on Lap 4, pushing his machine to 242.3kph to set the fastest lap of the race at 2’11.287s, closing the distance to a mere 0.198s behind Helmi. The middle of the race saw a tense exchange for the top spot. On Lap 5, Khairul successfully passed Helmi, but Helmi quickly answered to regain the lead. This intense back-and-forth allowed the pair to break away completely, leaving Afif over three seconds behind. During this fierce chase on Lap 6, Helmi reached a remarkable top speed of 255.9kph to keep the pressure on Khairul, who had momentarily taken the front position again. The turning point came on Lap 8 when Helmi made a decisive move to overtake Khairul. On the penultimate lap, Helmi put his head down, digging deep to stretch his advantage to 0.762s. He maintained his composure through the final lap to cross the finish line first at 22’06.286s. Khairul secured second place at 22’08.248s, while Afif took a comfortable third at 22’21.045s. Helmi shared, “To be honest, crossing the finish line first brings a huge wave of relief, but my main goal today wasn’t actually about securing the win. It was much more about finding a proper, genuine connection with this new machine and testing a few crucial new parts we installed on the bike.” “Going into this race, my mind was entirely focused on hitting my target lap times rather than worrying about my track position. It was nerve-wracking out there battling so closely, but I had to stay disciplined.” “Even though I ended up taking the victory today, deep down, I am still not fully satisfied with the lap times I recorded. I am constantly comparing my pace here to the incredibly high level of competition we face in the ARRC, which tells me we still have a lot of work to do. It keeps me grounded.” “For Race 2 tomorrow, my absolute target is to push even harder and improve my time further. I want to feel that perfect rhythm. Regardless of today’s result, I am incredibly thankful to my entire crew. They have been working tirelessly, pouring their sweat and passion into this bike. This weekend’s preparation is absolutely critical for our upcoming race in Mandalika next week, so I want to extend a massive, heartfelt thank you to the team and to everyone who continuously supports me.” TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1 1. MUHD HELMI AZMAN – MALAYSIA (22’06.286s) 2. KHAIRUL IDHAM PAWI – MALAYSIA (22’08.248s) 3. AHMAD AFIF AMRAN – HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA (22’21.045s) 4. FARRES PUTRA MOHD FADHIL – HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA (22’26.295s) 5. KHAIRULAMIRIN YAHAYA – FKR CHV RACING (23’31.327s)
Danial Syahmi Ahmad Shahril from Malaysia delivered a composed and determined performance to claim his maiden victory of the season in Race 1 of the MSBK250 A category during Round 3 of MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship 2026 at PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit. After securing pole position in Qualifying with a fastest lap of 2’24.874s, the Malaysian rider made a strong start to the race and immediately established himself among the front runners. However, the battle for victory remained wide open as Muhd Irfan Haykhal Amidi of HRM MOTUL RACING TEAM, Indonesia’s Irfan Ardiansyah of NWN CZ1 SCK RACING TEAM, Vietnam’s Nguyen Huu Tri of HONDA RACING VIETNAM TEAM and Nazirul Izzat Muhd Bahauddin from Malaysia all remained within striking distance throughout the race. Haykhal briefly took control of the race after making his move at Turn 14, while Irfan Ardiansyah also challenged at the front after moving into second on the third lap. The leading group continued to exchange positions during the opening laps, highlighting the intense level of competition among the championship contenders. As the race entered its closing stages, Huu Tri mounted a strong charge to move into second place on Lap 6, keeping the pressure firmly on the race leader. Despite the constant challenges from his rivals, Danial maintained his composure and delivered a consistent pace to regain control when it mattered most before taking the chequered flag for his first victory of the 2026 season in 19’37.026s. Huu Tri secured his second place in just 0.022s behind the winner with the time 19’37.048s, another impressive ride for HONDA RACING VIETNAM TEAM, while Irfan completed the podium in third with his total time 19’37.132s. Haykhal finished fourth after leading part of the race, with Nazirul completing the top five following another competitive outing. Danial Syahmi commented “First of all, Alhamdulillah, I’m very grateful to finish Race 1 in first place. I’d like to thank my entire team for all of their hard work in preparing and setting up the bike, as well as my family and everyone who has continuously supported me.” “Our plan from the start was to create a gap as early as possible, but the riders behind were able to stay with me, so I decided to remain within the leading group and keep fighting throughout every lap.” “Towards the latter stages of the race, I chose to stay a little more relaxed behind the leaders because my hand wasn’t feeling at its best and I was experiencing some discomfort. Despite that, I’m thankful everything worked out, and I’m delighted to secure my first victory of the season.” TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1 1. DANIAL SYAHMI AHMAD SHAHRIL – MALAYSIA (19’37.026s) 2. NGUYEN HUU TRI – HONDA RACING VIETNAM (19’37.048s) 3. IRFAN ARDIANSYAH – NWN CZ1 SCK RACING TEAM (19’37.132s) 4. MUHD IRFAN HAYKHAL AMIDI – HRM MOTUL RACING TEAM (19’37.526s) 5. NAZIRUL IZZAT MUHD BAHAUDDIN – MALAYSIA (19’48.419s)