Round 2 of the Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSBK) saw riders of the MSBK600 race category putting on a good fight in Race 1. Md Helmi Azman of Boon Siew Honda Racing Team took home the winning title after defeating the rest of the contenders. In the morning, during the qualifying session, Khairul marked fastest with his best lap time at 2’09:605s followed by his teammate Helmi Azman who scored second fastest at 2’09:929s. Third fastest was Ibrahim Noroddin of Gen Blu Racing Team ASEAN with his best lap time at 2’10:265s. During the race earlier this evening, Khairul immediately took the lead followed by Helmi Azman. Soichiro who was at P3 took a quick slide ahead of Helmi before going for Khairul. Before the lap ended, Helmi went on to challenge the duo ahead before taking a leap into P1. Ibrahim worked on his pace at P4. As Helmi led the troop, Khairul inched closer to Soichiro before striking. By the end of lap 2, Khairul pulled himself closer to Helmi with a gap of 0.634s. At P4, Ibrahim aimed to close the gaps with Soichiro and at the last turn of lap 3, he overtook Soichiro. Meanwhile, Khairul was determined to challenge Helmi. By mid-lap, the four riders have been consistent in their positions. At the end of lap 6, Khairul was 0.389s away from Helmi and seemed to be finding the right move to strike. But Helmi remained strong as he went on to pick up speed. With one final lap to go, it was a confirmed victory for Helmi who had drawn a gap of 1.280s. Helmi finished the lap and clocked in at 21’52:451s. Commenting on the race, Helmi said, “It was not an easy race with the other riders like Ibrahim who joined us this round, Soichiro and my teammate, Khairul. I don’t underestimate them and I have expected to have a good battle with all of them. On my part, I tried to maintain my rhythm and stayed focused from the start till the end. I am truly grateful for the win today. Thanks to my team and family members.” Second place went to teammate Khairul Idham Pawi who logged in at 21’53:887s. Md Ibrahim Noroddin of Yamaha Gen Blu Racing Team ASEAN took third at 21’57:512s. Catch up latest news at malaysiasbk.com. Chat with us
Round 2 of The Malaysia Superbike Championship Season 2023 took off on a good note at the Sepang International Circuit today. Khairul Idham Pawi of Boon Siew Honda Racing Team marked fastest in the practice sessions, combined. Earlier today, in practice session 1, Khairul marked fastest at 2’10:632s followed by teammate Helmi Azman at 2’11:383s. At third fastest was Soichiro Minamimoto of Yamaha Gen Blu Racing Team ASEAN with his best time at 2’11:635s. During the second practice session, Khairul once again emerged fastest with his best at 2’11:032s followed by Helmi Azman once again with his best lap time at 2’11:173s. Third fastest was Ibrahim Noroddin of Yamaha Gen Blu Racing Team ASEAN clocked in third fastest with his best lap time at 2’11:348s. With that, the result from the combined practice placed Khairul at the top with his fastest at 2’10:632s. Khairul who made it at second place in Race 1 of Round 1 was DNF in Race 2 due to mechanical issues with his machine. Nevertheless, he has returned for Round 2 with greater determination to ensure that he stays on par with his contenders. The entry list saw the participation of six riders today in the practice sessions with the addition of Ibrahim Norrodin in the Yamaha team. Ibrahim who took the overall champion title last season is back to inject some excitement in this season. Commenting on the session, Khairul said, “For this practice session, my lap time has been better than the FP session in Round 1. We used the same tires for both the practice sessions therefore there was lesser grip during FP2 so the timing was not so good. But in terms of the machine, we will change the front suspension as I was uncomfortable with the position of the front tires. So, there needs to be some changes for the qualifying session tomorrow. This round, the machine is in a good condition. Last round, I had some issues with the machine. There is definitely going to be a big challenge especially with the riders in the race category, namely Azman and the Yamaha riders but I will do my best this weekend.” At second fastest spot was Helmi Azman with his best lap time at 2’11:173s. Ibrahim Norrodin made it third fastest with his best lap time at 2’11:348s. Catch up latest news at malaysiasbk.com. Chat with us
A most valuable experience which is a dream of every rider who steps into the scenes of two-wheel motorsports, is a slot to participate in the World Championship. Once you get to taste the delectability, you will want to keep feeding yourself with every other opportunity, or else the hunger for one haunts you. It’s the same script for Soichiro Minamimoto of the Yamaha GEN BLU Racing Team, who replaced Kohta Nozane at the Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Master Camp team in the Argentina Grand Prix, recently. It was the first experience for the 23-year-old in the Moto2 class at the Grand Prix of Argentina. As I mentioned, for Minamimoto the hunger continues… Minamimoto is a former Yamaha VR46 Master Camp student who took part in the first and second editions of the training week for young talent, in Tavullia. Before accepting the Moto2 wildcard, the Japanese rider was racing in the 2023 Asia Road Racing Championship in the SS600 class. “Joining Moto2 was a dream of mine when I was a kid. This chance to go to Argentina is only possible with Yamaha‘s support. Thanks to em. Even though it wasn’t the result the team expected, it is the most valuable experience for me to date. The most confusing part for me was that the Moto2 bikes were so much different. It took me some time to get used t the machine, circuit, and also the way of handling myself on track. “But more than that, I was overwhelmed by the high level of Moto2 riders, their feelings, and their mental strength. I was amazed by their ability on and off track. So much to learn from them. So, if ever hope for another chance I strongly believe that I will desperately need to work on my performance in ARRC for me to capture the right eyes. “Hence my participation in MSBK is a practice ground for me to prepare myself to perform better in ARRC and at the same time I would like to make use of this opportunity to grab a slot in elite categories. However, the opening round was a tough race, so I will do my best to be able to fight for the top positions this time. The journey of Minamimoto began as early as 6 years old when his father got him a pocket bike and at the age of 14 he made a debut in the ALL – Japan race. From t national level to Asia, Minamimoto at the age of 16 spread his wings into ARRC, 7 years down the lane, and now he making waves in MSBK. “The racing scene here is almost the same as ARRC as most of the Malaysian riders are there in the ARRC. Hence, my first season isn’t so bad. The competitiveness level here in MSBK is same level as Asia so I believe this will be the right platform for me to improve myself. “My main contenders, I would say from Boonsiew Honda Racing Team just as how in ARRC. Especially KIP and Helmi, they are super fast and their machines too. So, a tough challenge awaits me in this weekend’s race. “At the moment I don’t want to put much pressure on myself by focusing on the championship title or what am I going achieve this season but I prefer focusing on each round at a time. I want to collect as many points as possible and finish every race with a podium.” Catch up latest news at malaysiasbk.com. Chat with us
Race 2, Round 1 of Malaysia Superbike Championship was held this evening at the Sepang International Circuit. Md Helmi Azman of Boon Siew Honda Racing Team made an impressive win today in the MSBK600 race category. It was a fiery battle between teammates, Helmi and Khairul. For the first 9 laps, Khairul took the lead but Helmi caught up. The duo was seen fleeing ahead of the troop behind, with Soichiro at P3. The gap gave the duo ahead space to manage their own battle. While Soichiro competed briefly with his teammate, he managed to overcome the challenge, concluding at third spot. Helmi who finally worked his magic took over P1 before taking victory. The race flagged off with Helmi taking the lead. Soichiro was at P2 while teammate Sharul took P3. As the race went on, Helmi kept his pace up as he avoided the pressure from Soichiro. The 10-lap race took off without Khairul who was seen riding back into the paddock before the race began. At P4, Syazras battled with Fenglong as the latter tried to close the gap. Meanwhile, teammates Soichiro and Sharul engaged in a fiery battle. Helmi was far ahead with a 2.825s gap by the end of lap 2. By the third lap, Fengloon and Anuar Ibrahim overtook Syazras. Anuar then tried to make his move on Fengloon before the latter slipped and fell. The battle for P4 went on between Anuar and Syazras. By mid-race, Helmi went on to draw a 7.478s while managing his pace, careful not to make any mistakes. Soichiro by then took P2 but Sharul was relentless in his pursuit. Sochiro began taking up speed. At the final lap, Helmi was 12.202s away from Soichiro and went on towards taking a double-win. He clocked in at 21’57:942s. Commenting on the race, Helmi said, “I did not expect Khairul’s machine to have problems. We planned to be ahead of the troop together during the race but unfortunately, he could not realise the plan with me. I took off with a great speed and tried to draw enough gap with the rider behind me and I succeeded all the way. It was a fantastic race and I am grateful for today.” At second spot was Soichiro Minamimoto of Yamaha Gen Blu Racing Team Asean at 22’10:865s. Teammate, Md Sharul Ezwan took the third spot at 22’23:410s. Catch up latest news at malaysiasbk.com. Chat with us
Race 1, Round 1 of the Malaysia Superbike Championship went on swiftly today at the Sepang International Circuit. Taking the first win for the season was Helmi Azman of Boon Siew Honda Racing Team in the MSBK600 race category. During the qualifying session that was held earlier today, Khairul of Boon Siew Honda Racing Team clocked in the fastest lap time in three laps at 2’09:708s making him the pole-man for the weekend followed by his fellow teammate Helmi Azman within six laps at 2’10:136s and Soichiro Minamimoto of Yamaha Gen Blu Racing Team Asean at 2’11:218s. The race took off with Khairul taking the lead followed by teammate Helmi. While the duo was in a comfortable pace ahead of the other riders, Sharul at P3 and Soichiro at P4 engaged in a heated battle. By the end lap 2, Soichiro broke away from Sharul’s intense pressure. Meanwhile, among the Boon Siew duo, Helmi was trying to catch up with Khairul. By the end lap 3, Helmi had inched closer to Khairul. Mid-race, Helmi was seen pressuring Khairul. At P3, Soichiro kept on with his pace with Sharul looking for ways to strike. The trio definitely seemed to have locked down their positions well. Although Helmi went on to threaten Khairul, the latter did not budge and stayed steady throughout the race. At the final lap, the duo stayed in the rhythm, finding ways to supersede his teammate. Mid-lap, he found his loop-hole from the inside and struck Khairul before picking up speed towards victory at 21’58:345s Commenting on the race, Helmi said, “It was a back -to-back race for us. Our paces was a little slow compared to Asia. We are still finding the right setting. We had to make do with the current setting because it was meant for a much hotter temperature and since today was not so hot, it was difficult to get the right pace. Nevertheless, we did our best.” Khairul Idham Pawi who took second spot on the podium at 21’58:567s. Soichiro Minamimoto of Yamaha Gen Blu Racing Team Asean took third place at 22’14:852s. Catch up latest news at malaysiasbk.com. Chat with us
Round 1 of The Malaysia Superbike Championship Season 2023 began today at the Sepang International Circuit. Khairul Idham Pawi of Boon Siew Honda Racing Team made the fastest lap time in the practice sessions combined for the MSBK600 race category. During the practice session this morning, Khairul of Boon Siew Honda Racing team clocked in fastest at 2’10:742s followed by his teammate, Helmi Azman who had his best lap time at 2’11:462s. At third fastest was Soichiro Minamimoto of Yamaha Gen Blu Racing Team Asean with his best at 2’13:058s. During practice session 2, Helmi emerged fastest at 2’11:654s followed by his teammate Khairul at 2’11:689s and Soichiro at 2’13:387s. The riders were relentless in their pursuit of making the best of today. With that, Khairul concluded the practice session with the fastest lap time combined at 2’10:742s. The Honda rider who obtained the second position in the overall standings has showcased an improved performance this season and is prepared to embrace the challenge and uncertainties of the race category. Commenting on the session, Khairul said, “It is quite an interesting entry list this season and I believe that it would be a highly competitive feat. I tried my best with the FP sessions earlier but I took a while to get used to the handlebars of the machine. As we all know, we just got back from ARRC which was held last week. The handle bars of the ARRC machine are different from the ones we use in MSBK, so it required time to fine-tune my riding techniques with it. Overall, it was a good one and I did better in FP1 because the tire grip was better compared to FP2. For tomorrow, I will do my best to be on the front row during qualifying and try to secure a spot on the podium.” At second fastest lap time was Helmi with his best at 2’11:462s followed by Soichiro with his best at 2’13:058s. Catch up latest news at malaysiasbk.com. Chat with us
Every TWO-WHEELS racer begins each season of their tournament with the objectives of earning points, standing on the podium, and winning the race. Still, for these two brother-riders, Khairul Idham Pawi and Anuar Idham Pawi there will be one other accolade they will be chasing in 2023… Familial bragging rights. Just Kidding! Despite the joke, these brothers have the unenviable task of not only battling the rest of the field for honors this season but will also face the challenge of balancing sibling rivalries and brotherly love when they meet each other on the track. Khairul fondly known as, SuperKIP, is no stranger to the motorsport scenes. He made waves till the world championships in Moto3 and Moto2 categories back in 2016 and is still active in a number of highly intense races. While the younger brother, Anuar Idham Pawi, making a comeback after 5 years! Anuar made his debut at the year of 2014, in Malaysia’s prestigious national tournament, the Malaysian PETRONAS Cub Prix when he was just 14. The young lad managed to clinch numerous podiums in three different categories until 2018 before he decided to take a break due to personal reasons. The 23-year-old said it was natural for him to fall in love with the sport as his brother was known for racking up wins on the race track. “My older brother inspired me; he was racing since I was small. He’s always been there to help and guide me. From a small age, I’ve always been around bikes. I would be in the garage and track a lot with him, I grew up at the race track around him. So, it was natural for me to start racing.” “Due to personal reasons I had to take a break but this time I came back for good. The main reason would be my brother. He pushed me forward to make a comeback and I would admit it’s a dream to ride alongside my brother, even though, we gonna be rivals on the track. When he asked me, I couldn’t say no!” “This will be my debut in MSBK and also in the 600cc category. This is something huge, but I believe this going to be a great learning curve after a long break. If I am lucky enough to touch the finishing line with a win on my hand, I hope Khairul is there to share the podium too. That will be a dream come true,” he said. Brothers sharing the podium stage, That’s a memory to cherish forever! The first brothers to do this at the top level were Juan Carlos Salatino and Eduardo Salatino at the Argentine 500cc Grand Prix in 1962, with the siblings finishing second and third behind winner Benedicto Caldarella. The only other time this feat has been achieved was at the City of Imola Grand Prix in 1997, when Nobuatsu Aoki and Takuma Aoki again finished second and third, this time behind Mick Doohan as the Australian cruised to the fourth of his five world titles. Perhaps the most recognisable in the present day are the Marquez brothers. So, what about the Pawi brothers? Would they be able to achieve this dream in this season that will be commencing this 18th ? “If you ask me if it’s brotherly love or sibling rivalry, I would go for brotherly love! Khairul has never fail to look out for me and I always look up to him as a role model. I’m so exicted to race in the same category with my brother. I have a good feeling about this.” “I have no high expectations for this season. I want to finish every race fully and collect points as much as I can. If there’s a podium finish, Alhamdulilah.. If no, I would have learned something from that round. There’s no failure in race, either you win or you learn. That’s what my father always reminds both of us,” he said. With motorsport known for being an emotionally heated sport, their father Pawi Omar tries to provide a support structure for his boys as they aim to reach the highs of the sport. “They have chosen a sport that has extreme highs.” “You can win a race or a championship and then there is the total opposite, you can fight hard and crash or lose the championship by one point. You have to be there for them, it’s an emotionally draining sport. It’s important that I provide that support structure,” he said. Catch up latest news at malaysiasbk.com. Chat with us
It was a spectacular performance by the riders of the MSBK600 Class at Round 3, Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSBK) which was held at the Sepang International Circuit today. Md Ibrahim Md Noroddin of SIC RACING TEAM marked victory with his blistering pace before the season came to a close. It was a fierce fight among the MSBK600 riders however, Ibrahim made an impressive move towards realising his goals for the day and the season. Throughout the race, he was seen pacing with the right momentum, guarding his position well. Although he was under the pressure of Khairul who was tailing him, Ibrahim was not easily defeated. As he closed one lap after the other, he went on to create a wide gap with his closest contender. Khairul on the other hand was seen trying his best to close the gaps however, it was not an easy feat. As the gap became wider, he lost his opportunity to strike. Ibrahim went on to complete the race first. He clocked in at 21’54:954s. With it, he not only bagged first place but also the Overall Champion title. Out of eight races, Ibrahim concluded the season with seven podiums including one win today, adding up his total points to 146. Commenting on the race, “It has been a tough two-day race, yesterday with the unpredictable weather and today with the highly competitive riders on-board however I am truly happy to have made the winning cut today. With this win, I can happily conclude my MSBK journey for the year. Thanks to my team for the support and the hard work put in to make my race a successful one.” Khairul Idham Pawi of BOON SIEW HONDA RACING TEAM made his fastest at 22’04:331s. In third place, Chang Chih Ying completed the race at 23’23:380s. Catch up latest news at malaysiasbk.com. Chat with us
Race 1 of the MSBK600 Class hit the circuit with a slightly different approach but Andi Farid Izdihar of ASTRA HONDA Racing Team showcased his ability to fortify his position when he made it fastest to the chequered flag in the Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSBK) held at the Sepang International Circuit today. Andi has been on a roll since his debut in Round 2. Today’s race boasted his grand performance when he cleverly guarded his position at P1 from the start of the race to its completion. Andi never faltered as he took speed with more laps. The Indonesian rider has definitely set a different tone for the race category this time around as he charged far ahead of the troop. He marked his victory at 21’52:823s, bagging maximum points to his name. Commenting on the race, Andi said, “I was confident during the race, especially in the beginning. I was able to create a huge gap between myself and the troop behind me. I tried to keep up to the pace to manage the race better but towards the last three laps, my rear tire began to give way and the grip was slipping away. I am happy that despite the circumstances, I was still able to hold on to P1. Of course, the situation will have to be analysed but I am certainly looking forward to tomorrow’s race.” Taking the second spot on the podium was Md Ibrahim Noroddin of SIC Racing Team at 21’56:260s. At the third spot, it was Khairul Idham Pawi of Boon Siew HONDA Racing Team, clocking in at 22’06:902s. Catch up latest news at malaysiasbk.com. Chat with us
The Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSBK) witnessed some of the best riders in town taking strides to set the benchmark in the MSBK600 Class. Andi Farid Izdihar of ASTRA HONDA Racing Team marked the fastest in the Qualifying Session of Round 3 at the Sepang International Circuit. The championship kick-started its morning with the MSBK600 practice session three. With two practice sessions completed yesterday, the third one concluded with Andi Farid Izdihar of ASTRA HONDA Racing Team clocking in the fastest in the combined result sheet. He set his best time at 2’10:191s. Coming in with the second fastest lap time was Md Ibrahim Md Noroddin of SIC Racing Team at 2’11:716s followed by Khairul Idham Pawi of Boon Siew HONDA Racing Team at 2’11:952s. In the Qualifying Session, Andi was seen carefully gauging his moves to ensure that his ride ended well. Although the rain was quite a challenge for him, Andi seemed to have mastered the techniques of riding on a wet circuit. He clocked his best at 2’23:770s. Commenting on the race, Andi said, “I am truly happy with the pole position but our main concern would be to understand the rain condition in this circuit. This would be the first time we are riding in a rainy situation so I want to analyse everything that happens and review the possibilities that could happen.” “In the beginning, it was quite good but towards the end, I found myself struggling with the grip. But I am happy to have managed it well in the last lap. Tomorrow, rain or shine, I will be more prepared for the races. Of course, the target is always to win the race and we have worked really hard for it.” Clocking in at the second best was Md Ibrahim Md Noroddin of SIC Racing Team at 2’27:481s. At the third fastest spot, it was Khairul Idham Pawi of Boon Siew HONDA Racing Team at 2’31:800s. Catch up latest news at malaysiasbk.com. Chat with us