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)
The PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit hosted an eventful Race 1 for the MSBK250 B category during Round 3 of MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship 2026. Ahmad Fazli Sham Ahmad Walat of AFS46 RACING PROJECT BY BRAAAP delivered a composed and consistent performance, recovering from a final lap to secure the well-deserved victory. Starting from pole position after a tight qualifying session where he clocked a 2’30.224s, Fazli immediately took control of the race. He led the pack into Turn 1, closely followed by Kabilesh Rajini Krishnan of RACR CASTROL POWER1 and Ng Wei Shyang of MAGIC PAPAYA RACING TEAM. By the second lap, Fazli established a steady rhythm, pulling a two-second advantage over Kabilesh. As the race progressed to Lap 3, he doubled that gap to four seconds, utilizing his experience to manage the pace while Wei Shyang settled firmly into third. The grid spread out further on Lap 4, with Kabilesh struggling to match the leading pace. A key highlight of Fazli’s performance came on Lap 5, where he set an impressive lap time of 2’29.630s, cementing his position at the front. The running order of Fazli, Kabilesh, and Wei Shyang remained unchanged through laps six and seven. However, the final lap presented an unexpected challenge. A rider from the Group A category crashed at the first corner, leaving oil on the track. Fazli was caught out by the slippery surface and went down. Thanks to the massive gap he had meticulously built over the preceding seven laps, he was able to quickly pick up his bike and remount before his rivals could close the distance. Fazli crossed the finish line first with a total time of 20’36.281s. Kabilesh took second place at 20’45.001s, and Wei Shyang completed the podium at 20’50.445s. Fazli shared, “My start to the race was quite strong, and I managed to close right in on the Group A pack. I pushed hard to stick with them, and honestly, my pace wasn’t bad, although I did slowly drop back a bit as the race went on. While trying to keep up with the frontrunners, I also made sure to focus on maintaining a safe gap from the riders behind me in my own group. I felt completely in the zone, just hitting my marks lap after lap.” “Things took an unexpected turn on the final lap. One of the Group A riders crashed at the first corner and spilled oil on the track, which unfortunately caught me out and caused me to fall as well. My heart completely dropped in that moment. I thought all the hard work from the weekend was gone in a split second.” “Thankfully, adrenaline kicked in immediately. I was able to quickly pick the bike up and keep going. Because of the comfortable gap I had built earlier over the rider in second place, I managed to hold onto the lead and cross the finish line to claim the win. The relief when I saw the chequered flag was overwhelming. Alhamdulillah, despite the late scare, it is a really rewarding result for Race 1 today.” TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1 1. AHMAD FAZLI SHAM AHMAD WALAT – AFS46 RACING PROJECT BY BRAAAP (20’36.281s) 2. KABILESH RAJINI KRISHNAN – RACR CASTROL POWER1 (20’45.001s) 3. NG WEI SHYANG – MAGIC PAPAYA RACING TEAM (20’50.445s)
The PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit witnessed one of the closest finishes of the season during Race 1 of the BERJAYA SOMPO YAMAHA R15M RACE ELITES category. Part of Round 3 of the 2026 MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship, the race witnessed a masterclass in slipstream strategy, with Ashraff Zaquan Bin Zainal Raif of GTMAX MOTORS claiming his third consecutive victory by a thin margin of just 0.001s. Starting from pole position, Muhd Ikram Dani of BERJAYA MEGA made a bold launch to take the early lead. Zaquan and Raja Abdurraqib Raja Norfatihah KAVIN MOTOR quickly slotted in behind him. However, the nature of the machinery meant that breaking away was nearly impossible. By the end of the first lap, the trailing riders caught up, forming a massive lead group that would stay locked together for the entirety of the 7-lap sprint. The middle stages of the race were defined by constant position changes at almost every corner. Ikram, Zaquan, and Adam Hariz Hafiz of LKT MOTOR regularly swapped the lead. As the laps ticked down, more riders forced their way into the podium fight, including Mohd Arrfan Ashraf XL MOTOR, Nuzzul Ady Muhammad Sudin of LIANG SOON MOTOR, and Ahmad Jebat Zulkarnain of BLH RACING TEAM. Despite the intense battling, no single rider could pull a gap, setting the stage for a frantic final lap. On Lap 7, the aggression dialed up. Zaquan led early in the lap, but Abdurraqib managed to break through to the front. Hariz immediately fought back to challenge for the lead. Coming out of the final corner, it was a pure drag race to the line. Abdurraqib and Zaquan went side-by-side down the main straight. In a stunning photo finish, Zaquan crossed the line at 20’26.402s to take the win, just 0.001s ahead of Abdurraqib at 20’26.403s. Arrfan positioned himself perfectly to take third place at 20’26.460s. Zaquan shared, “During the race, my strategy was simply to keep pushing the pace, but it was incredibly tense out there. When you are racing in a group that big, one tiny error can drop you completely out of the podium spots. On the final lap, my heart was racing. I managed to stay patient and capitalize on a few slight mistakes made by the riders ahead of me, which allowed me to find the perfect slipstream to make my move.” “It was such a tight battle, and I was actually almost overtaken by Abdurraqib right at the line. Seeing him right beside me on the final straight took my breath away. I honestly wasn’t sure who won until I saw the timing screens.” “Looking ahead to Race 2 tomorrow, the pressure is definitely on, but my main goal is to maintain this exact same momentum and focus. I want to say a huge, heartfelt thank you to everyone who has helped me get here. My crew worked tirelessly all weekend to give me a flawless bike, and having the continuous support of my family and the fans gives me so much energy. This win belongs to all of them.” TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1 1. ASHRAFF ZAQUAN BIN ZAINAL RAIF – GTMAX MOTORS (20’26.402s) 2. RAJA ABDURRAQIB RAJA NORFATIHAH – KAVIN MOTOR (20’26.403s) 3. MOHD ARRFAN ASHRAF – XL MOTOR (20’26.460s) 4. ADAM HARIZ HAFIZ – LKT MOTOR (20’26.478s) 5. MUHD IKRAM DANI – BERJAYA MEGA (20’26.634s)
Round 3 of the MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship 2026 officially opened today at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit. In the MSBK1000 A category, Friday’s Combined Practice sessions saw Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin of HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA secured the top spot on the timing sheets. During Free Practice 1 in the morning, Kasma posted a formidable lap of 2’07.191s on just his second tour of the circuit, reaching a top speed of 156.89kph. This early benchmark proved strong enough to stand as the fastest overall time of the day. However, the afternoon session delivered one of the most interesting moments of the weekend so far. In Free Practice 2, Kasma and his closest rival, Mohammad Adenanta Putra of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM, recorded the exact same lap time down to the thousandth of a second. Both riders clocked a 2’07.759s on their fifth lap of the session, highlighting just how evenly matched the frontrunners are. Adenanta’s earlier FP1 time of 2’07.611s comfortably secured his position as second fastest in the Combined Practice. Behind the leading duo, veteran rider Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman from AMI SUZUKI MOTORSPORT steadily improved his pace throughout the day. He found his best rhythm in the afternoon, logging a 2’10.300s during Free Practice 2 to secure third overall. His teammate, Adam Norrodin, took fourth place based on his early FP1 time of 2’11.023s, while Mohd Fahmi Abdul Wahaf representing FGRT PROJECT ONE rounded out the top five with a 2’14.641s effort in the second session. Kasma expressed, “Alhamdulillah, everything went smoothly today, and it is always a good feeling to end Friday on top of the timesheets. Free Practice 1 was quite positive and gave us a strong baseline right away. However, honestly, I am still not entirely satisfied with where we are.” “As a rider, you can feel when there is more speed left on the table, and right now, we haven’t quite unlocked the ideal lap time we know we are capable of reaching. The bike has a lot of potential, but we just need to find that perfect balance.” “Insyaallah, ahead of tomorrow’s Qualifying session, the team and I will carefully look at the data and fine-tune our setup to fix those missing pieces. We need to see how the bike responds to those small adjustments. The competition is incredibly close, as we saw in the afternoon, so we cannot afford to relax. I will be putting in maximum effort to push for a top starting position and fight for a spot on the podium tomorrow.” TOP 5 FASTEST – COMBINED PRACTICE 1. KASMA DANIEL KASMAYUDIN – HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA (2’07.191s) 2. MOHAMMAD ADENANTA PUTRA – ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM (2’07.611s) 3. AZLAN SHAH KAMARUZAMAN – AMI SUZUKI MOTORSPORT (2’10.300s) 4. ADAM NORRODIN – AMI SUZUKI MOTORSPORT (2’11.023s) 5. MOHD FAHMI ABDUL WAHAF – FGRT PROJECT ONE (2’14.641s)
The MSBK1000 B category took to the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit today for Round 3 of the MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship 2026. Friday’s Combined Practice sessions were defined by the steady and commanding pace of Jeff Chong, who overcame early setup challenges to firmly establish himself as the rider to beat ahead of tomorrow’s qualifying. Representing B.A TUNING, Jeff set the standard early in the day. During Free Practice 1, he found his rhythm quickly, posting a time of 2’15.030s on just his third lap out of seven, reaching a top speed of 147.78kph. This impressive morning run remained untouched for the rest of the day, securing him the top position on the Combined Practice timesheets. Behind him, the battle for the remaining top spots saw significant movement in the afternoon. Santhiran A/L Naga Raju of RACEHUB RACING TEAM made a vital leap during Free Practice 2. After finishing fourth in the morning, Santhiran shaved over a second and a half off his time to clock a 2’16.023s, moving him up to second place overall. Kamarul Izad Ishak of KHSRT held onto third place in the combined standings thanks to his steady 2’16.419s effort from Free Practice 1. Rounding out the top five were Chau Chi Chuen of B.A TUNING, who consistently hovered near the front and secured fourth overall with a 2’16.786s in FP2, and Wesley Lim Shing Shiong of RACEHUB RACING TEAM, who grabbed fifth place with a 2’18.125s in the afternoon session. Jeff said, “During Free Practice 1 today, I managed to find a very clean line right on my early laps. The overall connection with the bike was great from the moment I rolled out of the pit lane. Honestly, the suspension setup felt a bit too soft underneath me, making it slightly tricky to handle in the corners. But despite that discomfort, I pushed through and still managed to set the fastest lap time. It was a relief, but I knew we couldn’t settle if we wanted to stay ahead. “Heading into Free Practice 2, the team and I worked hard to adjust the setup to eliminate that soft feeling. The changes they made were exactly what I needed which gave me so much better feedback from the tires and really boosted my confidence to push the limits safely.” “Tomorrow’s Qualifying we aim to deliver an even better result. Racing at this level is always unpredictable, and the guys behind me are finding their pace, but I am going to push hard and fight with everything I have for the victory.” TOP 5 FASTEST – COMBINED PRACTICE 1. JEFF CHONG – B.A TUNING (2’15.030s) 2. SANTHIRAN A/L NAGA RAJU – RACEHUB RACING TEAM (2’16.023s) 3. KAMARUL IZAD ISHAK – KHSRT (2’16.419s) 4. CHAU CHI CHUEN – B.A TUNING (2’16.786s) 5. WESLEY LIM SHING SHIONG – RACEHUB RACING TEAM (2’18.125s)
The MSBK600 category took to the track today for Round 3 of the 2026 MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit. Friday’s Combined Practice sessions highlighted a very clear objective for the fastest man on track: strict preparation for upcoming regional duties. The opening day saw a closely contested session between two riders representing team MALAYSIA. In Free Practice 1, Khairul Idham Pawi set the initial benchmark with a time of 2’12.127s, narrowly edging out Muhd Helmi Azman who clocked a 2’12.252s. However, Helmi found a comfortable rhythm in the afternoon. During Free Practice 2, he posted a 2’11.670s on his third lap out of nine, reaching a top speed of 151.55kph. This effort secured him the fastest time in the Combined Practice standings, just slightly ahead of Khairul, who improved to a 2’11.865s in the same session. Behind the leading duo, riders from HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA held firm in the middle of the top five. Farres Putra Mohd Fadhil secured third overall with his Free Practice 1 time of 2’14.523s. His teammate, Ahmad Afif Amran, took fourth with a 2’14.893s logged during the afternoon session. Rounding out the top five was Khairulamirin Yahaya representing FKR CHV RACING, who recorded a 2’21.117s in Free Practice 2. Helmi shared, “My primary purpose for competing in this round is to prepare thoroughly for the upcoming ARRC race next week at the Mandalika International Circuit in Indonesia,” Helmi explained, showing the weight of his upcoming tasks. “During today’s sessions, I experimented with a completely new riding approach. At the same time, my mechanics brought in updated parts for us to test on track and gather critical performance data. “We deeply needed these changes because, honestly, our performance during the previous round at this circuit was poor and quite frustrating. Fortunately, I can feel that the setup is much better this weekend, which gives me a real sense of relief. I am currently running a new ECU unit; although its operation is fairly similar to our previous setup, I still need to carefully study the data and analysis step-by-step with the team to maximize our improvements. “The main target for this week is clear: we will go all-in to test the absolute maximum power and limits of the bike. I want to express my genuine, heartfelt appreciation to the entire team for their non-stop hard work. Getting everything ready to be fully competitive at the ARRC level is a tough, exhausting challenge, and I sincerely hope the effort we are putting in now translates into strong, positive results in Indonesia.” TOP 5 FASTEST – COMBINED PRACTICE 1. MUHD HELMI AZMAN – MALAYSIA (2’11.670s) 2. KHAIRUL IDHAM PAWI – MALAYSIA (2’11.865s) 3. FARRES PUTRA MOHD FADHIL – HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA (2’14.523s) 4. AHMAD AFIF AMRAN – HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA (2’14.893s) 5. KHAIRULAMIRIN YAHAYA – FKR CHV RACING (2’21.117s)
Md Irfan Haykhal Amidi of HRM MOTUL RACING TEAM continued his impressive form in the MSBK250 A category after finishing at the top of the combined practice standings on the opening day of Round 3 of the MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship 2026 at PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit. The Malaysian rider once again established himself as the rider to beat heading into Saturday’s Qualifying after delivering a strong and consistent performance across both Practice sessions. His blistering lap time of 2’25.349s set during Practice 1 remained unbeaten throughout the day, allowing him to maintain the top spot in the combined standings despite increased pressure from his rivals. Haykhal demonstrated excellent pace from the opening session by setting the benchmark early in Practice 1. Although he was unable to better his morning lap during Practice 2, his impressive pace proved enough to fend off the chasing pack, highlighting both his consistency and the team’s strong preparation ahead of Saturday’s Qualifying. While Haykhal maintained the advantage in the combined standings, the battle behind him intensified as several title contenders produced encouraging improvements throughout the day, setting the stage for a closely fought Qualifying session. Danial Syahmi Ahmad Shahril from Malaysia emerged as Haykhal’s closest challenger after topping Practice 2 with a best lap of 2’25.868s. The rider improved on his morning pace to secure second overall in the combined standings, finishing just 0.519s behind Haykhal’s benchmark. Indonesia’s championship leader, Irfan Ardiansyah of NWN CZ1 SCK RACING TEAM, produced one of the biggest improvements of the day after lowering his lap time by more than a second in Practice 2. His effort elevated him from fourth in the opening session to third overall, finishing just 0.011s behind Danial in the afternoon session and reinforcing his status as one of the strongest contenders this weekend. Vietnam’s Nguyen Huu Tri of HONDA RACING VIETNAM TEAM retained his place among the leading contenders after carrying over his strong pace from the morning session, while Malaysia’s rider Nazirul Izzat Muhd Bahauddin also impressed by making significant gains in Practice 2 to secure a place inside the overall top five heading into Qualifying. Irfan Haykhal commented, “Alhamdulillah, today’s sessions went quite well. Compared to Round 2, the team and I made a lot of changes to the bike’s setup and brought several new components for this weekend. Throughout the practice sessions, we focused on testing each setup to understand which combination works best. Practice 1 was encouraging because I was able to set a competitive lap while riding on my own, so overall I’m quite satisfied with today’s performance.” “There’s still room for improvement, and together with the team we’ll continue working on the bike ahead of Qualifying. I’ll give my best tomorrow and hopefully we can fight for pole position before focusing on Race 1.” TOP 5 FASTEST – COMBINED PRACTICE 1. MUHD IRFAN HAYKHAL AMIDI – HRM MOTUL RACING TEAM (2’25.349s) 2. DANIAL SYAHMI AHMAD SHAHRIL – MALAYSIA (2’25.868s) 3. IRFAN ARDIANSYAH – NWN CZ1 SCK RACING TEAM (2’25.879s) 4. NGUYEN HUU TRI – HONDA RACING VIETNAM (2’26.343s) 5. NAZIRUL IZZAT MUHD BAHAUDDIN – MALAYSIA (2’26.352s)