Round 3 of the AEON CREDIT MAM MALAYSIA SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP will be held at Sepang International Circuit this weekend. Cao Viet Nam plans to make the most of his experience in the MSBK600 race category. The Vietnamese rider is not a stranger in the MSBK racing scene. He first made his appearance in the Honda CBR250 Challenge back in 2023 for one round before returning to embrace bigger challenges in the MSBK600 race category this season. While his exposure may have been slightly different before, he is set for not only a new benchmark this season but has also aced it well enough for a debutante in the race category. Viet Nam currently sits second in the overall standings with a total of 69 points after Round 2 and just 6 points away from the chart-topper, Khairul Idham Pawi of HONDA RACING MALAYSIA. Throughout the four races, Viet Nam missed out on only one podium-finish and although he has not hit the 25-pointer just yet, his achievements throughout this season have been more than exemplary for a newbie in the race category. Will Viet Nam be able to celebrate a win in the race category? The contention is definitely strong especially with the likes of not just Khairul but his fellow teammate Irfan Haykal as well as Farres Putra of HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA but with Viet Nam’s enhanced performance, he might just find a way to strike. Viet Nam said, “For me, the speed makes a whole lot of difference. I have not raced with a machine as fast as this. So, this experience gives me a very new perspective overall. It is quite exciting as I also have to adapt to different riding techniques. It is a lot of learning and practicing. For me, my closest contender would be Irfan Haykhal because he has a similar machine to mine and he is also competing in the AP250 race category of ARRC. So, the contention between us, I would say is pretty much the same.” “One of the things I do to keep track of my performance by cross-checking my outcome with my round-to-round target. I have a lot to learn and a lot to prepare for the future. To me, MSBK is a great platform that serves the growth and interest of motorsports enthusiast and from here, I have been able to not just practice but also achieve a result that keeps me motivated. My main goal is to improve my lap time, manage the machine better and pick up techniques that would work best.”
Race 2 of Round 2 of the 2025 AEON CREDIT MAM MALAYSIA SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP took place at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit, where Khairul Idham Pawi of HONDA RACING MALAYSIA clinched a commanding win in the MSBK600 category. The race began with Farres Putra Mohd Fadhil of HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA surging to the front, but he was soon overtaken by HONDA RACING MALAYSIA teammates Muhd Irfan Haykhal Amidi and Khairul. Close behind in fourth was Cao Viet Nam of HONDA RACING VIETNAM TEAM. Khairul steadily worked his way to the front and took control of the race. Khairul set the fastest lap of the race with a time of 2’12.487s. By lap 2, he and Irfan had created a gap of 1.715s ahead of the chasing group, and the gap continued to grow. Behind them, Farres and Viet Nam fought hard for third place. On lap 4, Irfan suffered a crash, costing him the chance to share the podium with his teammate. Khairul maintained his lead, while Viet Nam moved up to second, trailing Khairul by 3.893s. Lap 6 saw Farres retake second place from Viet Nam, but Viet Nam kept the pressure on. By lap 8, Irfan, charging back through the field, overtook Zhou FengLong of China for fourth. Viet Nam also passed Farres once again for second, but the two continued to swap places in a thrilling duel. Khairul crossed the line comfortably to win with a time of 22’11.685s. Viet Nam secured second at 22’22.060s, with Farres completing the podium at 22’22.995s. Irfan fought back to claim fourth at 23’17.800s. Khairul commented, “Today the temperature was much hotter than yesterday, so I focused on managing my pace to stay in front. I didn’t repeat the mistakes I made in Round 1. I just stayed in control and only pushed harder if another rider challenged me. I’m really happy with what I achieved this weekend.” SIC AND TWMR WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO AEON CREDIT (M) BERHAD FOR THE SUPPORT RENDERED THIS WEEKEND DURING AEON CREDIT MAM MALAYSIA SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP. TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 2 1. Khairul Idham Pawi – HONDA RACING MALAYSIA (22’11.685s) 2. Cao Viet Nam – HONDA RACING VIETNAM TEAM (22’22.060s) 3. Farres Putra Mohd Fadhil – HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA (22’22.995s) 4. Muhd Irfan Haykhal Amidi – HONDA RACING MALAYSIA (23’17.800s) 5. Zhou FengLong – China (23’25.487s)
The 2025 AEON CREDIT MAM MALAYSIA SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP witnessed an exciting showdown in the MSBK600 category during Round 2 at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit. Khairul Idham Pawi of HONDA RACING MALAYSIA emerged victorious, securing the top podium spot after a thrilling 10-lap race. The race began with Farres Putra Mohd Fadhil of HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA leading the pack, but Muhd Irfan Haykhal Amidi of HONDA RACING MALAYSIA quickly took over the lead in the opening lap. Khairul and Irfan, both from the same team, engaged in an exciting battle for the lead, overtaking each other throughout the race, while Farres sat in third position, closely followed by Cao Viet Nam of HONDA RACING VIETNAM TEAM. By lap 2, Khairul managed to overtake Irfan, but Irfan continued to apply pressure from behind, keeping the race tense and thrilling. On lap 3, Khairul set the fastest lap of the race with 2’11.969s, watched him and Irfan pulled a 2.577s gap ahead of the rest of the group. On Lap 6 saw Irfan’s slider dropped and affected his performance, particularly in the left corners. Meanwhile, Chiang Chih Ying from Chinese Taipei crashed in a high-side incident, forcing him out of the race. On final lap, Khairul continued to lead consistently, and he had built a significant gap of 12 seconds over Irfan. Khairul crossed the finish line to claim a dominant victory at 22’06.553s. Irfan secured second place at 22’21.492s, followed by the Viet Nam at 22’29.254s. Khairul said, “In today’s race, I focused on managing my tires and maintaining my position at the front all the way to the final lap. Alhamdulillah, I’m glad I managed to secure the win today. I’m hoping tomorrow will be even better than today.” SIC AND TWMR WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO AEON CREDIT (M) BERHAD FOR THE SUPPORT RENDERED THIS WEEKEND DURING AEON CREDIT MAM MALAYSIA SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP. TOP 4 FASTEST – RACE 1 1. Khairul Idham Pawi – HONDA RACING MALAYSIA (22’06.553s) 2. Muhd Irfan Haykhal Amidi – HONDA RACING MALAYSIA (22’21.492s) 3. Cao Viet Nam – HONDA RACING VIETNAM TEAM (22’29.254s) 4. Farres Putra Mohd Fadhil – HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA (22’40.418s)
The MSBK600 category at the Round 2 of the 2025 AEON CREDIT MAM MALAYSIA SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP, held today at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit, saw Khairul Idham Pawi from HONDA RACING MALAYSIA top the combined practice sessions. Cao Viet Nam of HONDA RACING VIETNAM TEAM emerged fastest in Practice 1, setting a best lap time of 2’30.792s. Khairul followed in second with a time of 2’31.637s, while Khairul’s teammate, Muhd Irfan Haykhal Amidi secured third place with a time of 2’32.161s. In Practice 2, Khairul led the pack after improving his lap time at 2’11.983s, achieving a speed of 151.9 km/h on lap 4. His teammate, Irfan placed second with a time of 2’13.910s, just 1.927s behind Khairul, Farres Putra Mohd Fadhil of HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA finished in third with a time of 2’14.979s. The combined results from both practice sessions confirmed Khairul as the fastest overall, with Irfan in second and Farres in third. Khairul commented, “In Practice 1 earlier, the weather was rainy, and my lap time placed me second. I only went out for a few laps to gauge how I’m riding in the wet conditions, as I’m currently struggling a bit in the rain. So, if it rains tomorrow, I’ll know what areas need improvement. In Practice 2, the weather had dried up, which gave me a slight advantage to set a good lap time and work on maintaining consistency for tomorrow’s race. This also serves as preparation for the ARRC race in Japan next week. For tomorrow’s Qualifying, we’ll be changing the rear setup because I struggled with rear suspension grip during Practice 2. We’ll aim to do our best tomorrow.” SIC AND TWMR WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO AEON CREDIT (M) BERHAD FOR THE SUPPORT RENDERED THIS WEEKEND DURING AEON CREDIT MAM MALAYSIA SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP. Top 5 Fastest – Free Practice (Combined) 1. Khairul Idham Pawi – HONDA RACING MALAYSIA (2’11.983s) 2. Muhd Irfan Haykhal Amidi – HONDA RACING MALAYSIA (2’13.910s) 3. Farres Putra Mohd Fadhil – HONG LEONG YAMAHA MALAYSIA (2’14.979s) 4. Cao Viet Nam – HONDA RACING VIETNAM TEAM (2’15.127s) 5. Zhou Feng Long – China (2’17.984s)
Round 2 of the AEON CREDIT MAM MALAYSIA SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP will be held at Sepang International Circuit this weekend. Khairul Idham Pawi of Honda Racing Malaysia is not about to give up and will continue his mission to dominate the MSBK600 race category. It was a brilliant show when Khairul broke away from the pressure of the troop, drew a gap comfortable enough to make minor mistakes along the way without any chances of being struck by his closest contender before taking the win in Race 1. When he replicated the same moves in Race 2, it worked fantastically for him however, a few turns away from taking a double-win, he was hit with an unfortunate incident that left him on the gravel and with zero-points. That gave his closest contender, Anupab Sarmoon of Yamaha Thailand Racing Team, who glided comfortably, a victory-pass and a spot on the top of the overall charts. With Anupab out of the championship in Round 2, Khairul has his roads cleared for victory once again with almost zero rivalry from the other contenders. The Malaysian rider who has ridden aboard a 600cc machine for a long time is not only well-versed with the dynamics of the machine but is also equipped with the right skills and competency needed to overcome any kind of challenges in the race category. Will Khairul be able to take lead of the chart from his current standings at the fourth spot with a total of 25 points? Commenting on the race, Khairul said, “It was truly an unlucky moment for me at Race 2 but that’s part of racing. Of course, I was pissed and I really thought I had it already – a 50-pointer but, luck was not on my side on that day. It’s alright. The most important thing is recognising my ability to practice the best form of racing, rise up once again and withdraw from the troop progressively over the laps which will also be my strategy in the coming rounds. I have a good machine which gives me the added advantage of speeding ahead of the others. Also, the fact that I am quite familiar with the circuit ground and that I’ve done this many times add on to the best part of riding in the championship.” “Three rounds to go and I will do my best to make the most of my time in the championship. Apart from winning the race, it is also part of the plan to gain more mileage that would keep me worked out for other championships. My goal for the coming round is to hope that luck will be on my side moving forward so that I can keep banking in 25 points in all races. I want to take the championship title and hopefully while having fun riding, I would also be able to inject the right kind of pressure to the contenders.”
Race 2 of the opening round of the 2025 AEON CREDIT MAM MALAYSIA SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP was held at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit. Anupab Sarmoon of YAMAHA Thailand Racing Team celebrated victory in Race 2 of the MSBK600 race category. At the start, Khairul Idham Pawi of Honda Racing Malaysia led the race, with Anupab closely behind. Farres Putra Mohd Fadhill experienced technical issues, which caused him to fall behind. Khairul showed great confidence throughout the race, never looking back, and steadily increased his lead. By lap 6, he had built a 12-second gap over Anupab in second place, while Farres was charging up the field, overtaking riders to reach P4 by lap 7. On the final lap, Khairul made a mistake and crashed, allowing Anupab to take over the lead and cross the finish line first with a time of 22’36:603s. Cao Viet Nam secured second place with a time of 22’40:714s, and Farres completed the podium in third with a time of 22’55:891s. Anupab said, “I want to thank Hong Leong Yamaha Malaysia for providing me with the practice bike. Unfortunately, my bike didn’t arrive in time for the race. Today, I focused on gathering data for the upcoming ARRC race. But this win has motivated me to work harder for the ARRC race here in the next two weeks.” PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit and Two Wheels Motor Racing would like to express our heartfelt thank you to AEON Credit (M) Berhad for the support rendered this weekend during AEON CREDIT MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship. TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 2 1. Anupab Sarmoon – YAMAHA Thailand Racing Team (22’36:603s) 2. Cao Viet Nam – HONDA RACING VIETNAM TEAM (22’40:714s) 3. Farres Putra Mohd Fadhill – Hong Leong Yamaha Malaysia (22’55:891s) 4. Zhou FengLong – Silver Steed Racing Team (23’08:084s) 5. Chiang Chih Ying – Chinese Taipei (23’10:473s)
Opening round of the 2025 AEON CREDIT MAM MALAYSIA SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP took place today at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit. Khairul Idham Pawi of Honda Racing Malaysia claimed victory in Race 1 of the MSBK600 category. In this morning’s qualifying, Khairul posted the fastest lap at 2’10:229s. Farres Putra Mohd Fadhill of Hong Leong Yamaha Malaysia followed with 2’13:069s, while Anupab Sarmoon of YAMAHA Thailand Racing Team recorded 2’13:863s. Khairul quickly took the lead, followed by Farres at P2 and Anupab at P3. Cao Viet Nam from HONDA RACING VIETNAM TEAM tried to close the gap from P4, hitting 213.0km/h. Khairul recorded lap times of 2’10:909s (Lap 3) and 2’10:898s (Lap 4), creating a gap of 8:860s ahead of the group. Anupab and Farres fought for P2, while Viet Nam maintained P4. By the final lap, Khairul had extended the lead to 18:994s, crossing the finish line comfortably at 22’04:393s. Khairul commented, “I didn’t have the best start, but I managed to pass Anupab and Farres early and then just focused on maintaining my own lap pace. Alhamdulillah, I managed to keep a strong rhythm and I’m really happy with the win today.” Anupab finished second at 22’25:240s, and Farres came third at 22’45:360s. TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1 1. Khairul Idham Pawi – Honda Racing Malaysia (22’04:393s) 2. Anupab Sarmoon – YAMAHA Thailand Racing Team (22’25:240s) 3. Farres Putra Mohd Fadhill – Hong Leong Yamaha Malaysia (22’45:360s) 4. Cao Viet Nam – HONDA RACING VIETNAM TEAM (22’49:586s) 5. Zhou FengLong – Silver Steed Racing Team (23’13:300s)
The MSBK600 category at the opening round of the 2025 AEON CREDIT MAM MALAYSIA SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP, held today at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit, saw Khairul Idham Pawi from Honda Racing Malaysia top the combined practice sessions. Khairul emerged fastest in Practice 1, setting a best lap time of 2’11:814s. Farres Putra Mohd Fadhil of Hong Leong Yamaha Malaysia followed in second with a time of 2’15:404s, while Cao Viet Nam from Vietnam secured third place with a time of 2’16:285s. In Practice 2, Khairul once again led the pack, with his lap time of 2’12:071s, achieving a speed of 151.09 km/h on lap 10. Farres remained in second with a time of 2’14:042s, just 1.971s behind Khairul, while Cao Viet Nam finished in third with a time of 2’15:382s. The combined results from both practice sessions confirmed Khairul as the fastest overall, with Farres in second and Viet Nam in third. Khairul commented, “Today, I tried many things on my bike, but we didn’t get the setup that I want. Because compared to FP1, my lap time was slower. Tomorrow in the Qualifying session we will try another setup and hopefully we will achieve our targeted lap time.” Top 5 Fastest – Free Practice (Combined) 1. Khairul Idham Pawi – Honda Racing Malaysia (2’11:814s) 2. Farres Putra Mohd Fadhil – Hong Leong Yamaha Malaysia (2’14:042s) 3. Cao Viet Nam – Viet Nam (2’15:382s) 4. Zhou FengLong – Silver Steed Racing Team (2’18:268s) 5. Chiang Chih Ying – Chinese Taipei (2’20:091s)
The season opener of the Aeon Credit MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship will take the grounds of the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit this weekend. The MSBK600 race category will see the thrilling actions of highly competitive riders embracing the challenges of the circuit. Season 2024 saw Md Helmi Azman of Boon Siew Honda Racing Team wowing the crowd with a straight 25-pointer in all the races except in Round 3, Race 2 where he succumbed to fourth position. But with the Malaysian rider out of the entry list for this season after claiming a two-consecutive championship title, the race category will now see the rise of other riders including Khairul Idham Pawi of Honda Malaysia Racing and new entry and PETRONAS MAM Malaysian Cub Prix’s Wira KBS Champion, Farres Putra of Hong Leong Yamaha Malaysia. Commenting on this entry, Farres said, “This is my first time riding on the 600cc machine and I have no idea what to expect as of now. I have done some research based on previous races and all I can say for now is that I would do my best. I have done some practices aboard the bike thought to understand the required setup but beyond that, not having the race experience first-hand may pose some expected challenges. In the race category, there will be many professional riders which will definitely add on to the challenge. The upside though, I get to learn from them. There is no real target on my part for now. Yamaha factory has been understanding enough to know that this is my first time however, on my part, I will learn as fast as I can, adapt where possible and do my best.” Apart from that, the MSBK600 will also be a highlight with the participation of the Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing riders like Cao Viet Nam from the Asia Production 250cc race category and Anupab Sarmoon from the SuperSports 600cc race category. Chinese Taipei rider, Chiang Chih Ying who made fourth last season will also be back for another year of challenge.
Muhd Helmi Azman of BOON SIEW HONDA RACING TEAM, known as the “Prince of Sepang,” lived up to his title with a commanding victory in Race 2 of the MSBK600 category. The race also saw Thanat Laoongplio of HONDA RACING THAILAND secure the overall first runner-up position for the season. The race began with Thanat leading the pack, closely followed by Helmi and his teammate Muhd Syarifuddin Azman. By Lap 2, Helmi surged to the front, demonstrating his mastery of the circuit. Syarifuddin followed closely, pushing Thanat to P3. Drama unfolded as Rocco Sessler of ONE FOR ALL and Muhd Irfan Haykhal Amidi fell on Laps 4 and 8, respectively, leaving the BOON SIEW HONDA RACING TEAM duo to extend their lead. Helmi and Syarifuddin built a significant gap, finishing 19:767s ahead of Thanat. Helmi completed the race at 22’00:028s, narrowly edging out Syarifuddin, who clocked 22’00:080s. Thanat secured third with a time of 22’19:795s. Reflecting on his victory, Helmi said, “I aimed to break away from Thanat early on, and once I saw my teammate behind me, I felt confident. I’m thrilled with this season’s results. Thank you to everyone who supported me. See you next season!” Having already secured the championship title after Race 1, Helmi celebrated a perfect end to his season. Thanat took overall first runner-up, with Syarifuddin claiming third overall. TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 2 1. Muhd Helmi Azman – BOON SIEW HONDA RACING TEAM (22’00:028s) 2. Muhd Syarifuddin Azman – BOON SIEW HONDA RACING TEAM (22’00:080s) 3. Thanat Laoongplio – HONDA RACING THAILAND (22’19:795s) 4. Takashi Suzuki – Japan (22’56:042s) 5. Chiang Chih Ying – Chinese Taipei (23’06:441s) OVERALL STANDINGS 1. Muhd Helmi Azman – BOON SIEW HONDA RACING TEAM (188 points) 2. Thanat Laoongplio – HONDA RACING THAILAND (129 points) 3. Muhd Syarifuddin Azman – BOON SIEW HONDA RACING TEAM (118 points) 4. Chiang Chih Ying – Chinese Taipei (77 points) 5. Apiwath Wongthananon – YAMAHA TEKHNE RACING TEAM ASIA (40 points)