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)
Round 3 of the MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship 2026 got underway today at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit. The focal point of Friday’s action in the MSBK250 B category was the impressive debut of Ahmad Fazli Sham Ahmad Walat. Riding for AFS46 RACING PROJECT BY BRAAAP, Fazli quickly familiarized himself with the track and his new machine, securing the fastest time overall in the Combined Practice sessions. Participating new racing category often requires a lengthy adjustment period, but Fazli found a comfortable operating window almost immediately. His standout moment came early in Free Practice 1. On just his third lap out of 12, he posted a time of 2’29.773s, reaching a top speed of 133.23kph. This lap proved unbeatable for the remainder of the day. In Free Practice 2, he continued his steady form, topping the session on his tenth and final lap with a 2’30.868s, proving his initial speed was no fluke. Behind him, a steady rhythm was established by Kabileh Rajini Krishnan of RACR CASTROL POWER1. Kabilesh secured second place overall with a 2’32.768s in FP1, hitting a top speed of 130.62kph. He followed this up with a consistent showing in the afternoon, logging a 2’33.074s during Free Practice 2 to maintain a strong hold on the runner-up spot for the day. Rounding out the top three was Ng Wei Shyang from MAGIC PAPAYA RACING TEAM, who logged a 2’36.070s during his ninth lap in the morning session. Fazli commented, “If you look at today, it’s actually my first time competing in the MSBK250 category. I was placed in Group B, and even though I saw my lap time was the fastest, I am still not satisfied because I genuinely feel I can go even faster.” “The bike feels different from what I am used to, and stepping into this new class, I realize I need more mileage and a faster adaptation period to truly extract its maximum potential. It is a steep learning curve, and I feel a mix of frustration and eagerness because I know there is more speed to be found.” “God willing, I will give it my absolute best moving forward. Right now, my main target isn’t just about winning this group. It is to fight against my own lap times while also trying to keep pace with the Group A riders. That is where I want to be.” TOP 5 FASTEST – COMBINED PRACTICE 1. AHMAD FAZLI SHAM AHMAD WALAT – AFS46 RACING PROJECT BY BRAAAP (2’29.773s) 2. KABILESH RAJINI KRISHNAN – RACR CASTROL POWER1 (2’32.768s) 3. NG WEI SHYANG – MAGIC PAPAYA RACING TEAM (2’36.070s)
The BERJAYA SOMPO YAMAHA R15M RACE ELITES category delivered one of the most closely contested sessions today at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit, as Round 3 of the 2026 MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship got underway. By the end of Friday’s Combined Practice, less than a tenth of a second separated the top two riders, setting the stage for a highly competitive weekend. Leading the timesheets was Ashraff Zaquan Bin Zainal Raif. Representing GTMAX MOTORS, Ashraff set his benchmark early in Free Practice 1. On his sixth lap out of seven, he posted a quick time of 2’49.508s, reaching a top speed of 117.72kph. This morning effort proved to be just enough to hold off the rest of the field for the remainder of the day. The afternoon session saw a strong push from Muhd Ikram Dani of BERJAYA MEGA. After finishing fourth in FP1, Ikram found significant improvements in Free Practice 2. He topped the second session on his third lap with a 2’49.580s and a top speed of 117.67kph. Despite his impressive pace, Ikram missed the overall top spot by a mere 0.072 seconds, settling for second place in the Combined Practice standings. Also showing strong progress in the afternoon was Ahmad Jebat Zulkarnain from BLH RACING TEAM. He logged a solid 2’50.894s in Free Practice 2, moving him up to third place overall. Raja Abdurraqib Raja Norfatihah of KAVIN MOTOR held onto fourth place based on his morning FP1 time of 2’51.340s, while Muhd Ali Imran Mohd Dzul Hijri representing BOON HUA MOTOR rounded out the top five with a 2’52.864s effort in the second session. Ashraff shared, “Alhamdulillah, I managed to secure the fastest lap time today, but it was honestly far from easy. When I saw how close the times were between me and Ikram, it really sank in just how intense the competition is this weekend. Looking at the field today, there are so many talented and incredibly fast riders out there pushing the limits.” “A gap of less than a tenth of a second is basically nothing. It means anyone can take the lead in the blink of an eye. For Qualifying and Race 1 tomorrow, I feel a healthy weight of pressure to maintain this momentum.” “I have to stay calm, trust my machine, and I am determined to give everything I’ve got on the track. I truly hope that tomorrow’s efforts pay off, that I can keep my nerves in check, and that victory goes my way.” TOP 5 FASTEST – COMBINED PRACTICE 1. ASHRAFF ZAQUAN BIN ZAINAL RAIF – GTMAX MOTORS (2’49.508s) 2. MUHD IKRAM DANI – BERJAYA MEGA (2’49.580s) 3. AHMAD JEBAT ZULKARNAIN – BLH RACING TEAM (2’50.894s) 4. RAJA ABDURRAQIB RAJA NORFATIHAH – KAVIN MOTOR (2’51.340s) 5. MUHD ALI IMRAN MOHD DZUL HIJRI – BOON HUA MOTOR (2’52.864s)
Fresh off a breakthrough performance at Round 2 earlier this month, HRM MOTUL RACING TEAM’s Md Irfan Haykhal Amidi enters Round 3 of the MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship 2026 at PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit this weekend with newfound momentum and a drive for victory in the MSBK250 A class. Round 2 delivered a crucial turning point in Haykhal’s 2026 campaign. Having secured double runner-up finishes during the season opener behind overall points leader Irfan Ardiansyah of NWN CZ1 SCK RACING TEAM, the young Malaysian finally broke through in the Race 1. Mastering the conditions with exceptional composure, Haykhal claimed his maiden victory of the season. He backed up the performance with P2 finish in Race 2, cementing his position as a primary contender for the championship title at his home circuit. Haykhal shared both his pride and the competitive hunger that drives him heading into the second half of the season, “The rain in Race 1 actually played right into our hands because it gave me complete confidence in the bike’s setup. During the race, I stayed patient behind the front-runners early on, felt out the track’s grip levels, and when the timing was right, I pushed hard to take P1. “ “Standing on the top step of the podium in front of the home fans meant everything to me and the entire HRM MOTUL RACING TEAM. In Race 2, I made a small mistake on the final lap while fighting for the lead and ran wide onto the grass, which cost us the win. I was naturally disappointed not to take a double victory, but staying on the podium kept our championship momentum alive.” The rivalry between Haykhal and Irfan has rapidly developed into the signature headline of the 2026 MSBK250 A season. With the experienced Indonesian rider out in front, Haykhal views their battles not as a hurdle, but as a vital catalyst for his ongoing evolution as a professional racer. “Competing against someone as sharp and consistent as Irfan forces me to elevate every single aspect of my race craft. The three-week break since Round 2 gave our team valuable time to analyze the data, recharge, and refine our approach.” “My confidence is higher than ever right now. Heading into Round 3 this weekend, our goal is to minimize mistakes, push for the top step of the podium in both races, and close down the championship point gap.” Can Haykhal capitalize on his momentum and take control in the races this weekend? Or will Irfan strike back? Round 3 will deliver the answer.
Stepping into the arena of the MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship is no small feat for any newcomer. For Ng Wei Shyang of Magic Papaya Racing Team, the 2026 season marks an exciting chapter as he makes his debut in the MSBK250 B category. Transitioning from standard training to the demands of full championship racing brought a mix of anticipation and nerves. “At the beginning of the season, I was quite anxious about how it would go,” Wei Shyang admitted. “Although most of my training mileage is done on a 250cc machine, riding it on a full-scale championship track is entirely different. It requires carrying significantly more speed.” Despite the steep learning curve, his performance on paper has been remarkably consistent. Across both Round 1 and Round 2 at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit, Wei Shyang secured third-place finishes in every race, establishing a reliable baseline. While the compact three-rider grid in his class means he is regularly working to close the gap to the frontrunners, Wei Shyang maintains a grounded perspective on his achievements. “The truth is, with three riders in our category, my core focus isn’t just the podium spot, but actively closing the gap to the group in front and working toward fighting them wheel-to-wheel.” For the rookie, the biggest eye-opener has been witnessing the sheer corner-entry velocity of the leading riders. Refining his technique through demanding sections like Turns 5, 7, 11, and 12 remains a primary objective, as mastering these high-speed transitions requires a completely different approach compared to handling heavier 600cc lines. Heading into Round 3 this weekend, Magic Papaya Racing Team aims to introduce setup adjustments to make the bike even more competitive. Physically, Wei Shyang has maintained a rigorous regimen focused on strength and endurance during the break, while mentally staying calm and learning to embrace every emotion that comes with race day. Furthermore, navigating PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit’s notoriously unpredictable weather demands absolute adaptability. “We have our Dunlop rain tyres ready,” Wei Shyang said. “We had a chance to test them out last round, and even though conditions weren’t fully wet, those tyres gave us a tremendous amount of confidence.” With a clear plan for Sepang circuit’s tricky corners and a bike tailored to his style, Wei Shyang enters Round 3 ready to turn two rounds of learning into real progress.