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
Since the start of the Malaysia Superbike Championship this season, MSBK600 Class has seen quite a performance by its world class riders. Muhd Ibrahim Muhd Noroddin of SIC Racing Team will be maximising his potential for the upcoming race this weekend at the Sepang International Circuit. Over the course of this season, Ibrahim has certainly paraded his robust moves on the circuit ground with five podiums out of six races. While MSBK has undeniably been a strength for him, Round 3 may just pose a slightly different atmosphere and challenge for the rider who will also be taking strides in Round 4 of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship scheduled to run concurrently. Ibrahim made a stunning finish in Round 2 of last season with a triple win. In Round 1, it was quite unfortunate for him when he had a fall that crippled his points in Race 1 and Race 2. Although he made a quick recovery with a spot on the podium in Race 3, that wasn’t enough for Ibrahim. He came back for the following round to make an impressive statement and he did it when he swept the podium with perfect scores. The season closed with him taking the second spot overall. While his success has been quite a story, this season however seems to have placed him in a different light as he was seen grappling to keep up to his winning momentum. Round 3 foresees a challenging feat for Ibrahim who will now have to juggle between two expectations to maintain his position in both MSBK and ARRC. The dynamics of the race may be a little different however the goal remains the same which is to maximise his points. Commenting on the race, “It would be an interesting challenge this time around and I am certainly looking forward to building up my riding portfolio with a different feel to it. It definitely brings with it a different set of emotions however I am not going to push myself too much as it is not about winning but more of ensuring that my points are sufficient.” It is a never-ending process of constant push on the physique and mental wellbeing for a rider. In preparation for the next round, Ibrahim said, “I do a lot of physical and mental training. This round would be quite a unique experience for me and the other riders as it would be a combined version of ARRC and MSBK. Which means that performing well in either/or is equally crucial. I will give my 100% for this coming round as it would carry weight for both the championships.” With two championships running concurrently, the level of commitment towards achieving a particular goal has now doubled for riders who will be participating in both championships. As for Ibrahim, he comments, “Of course the challenge is quite different in the coming round as we have to stay focused on one particular championship to achieve the best outcome. My main aim would be the ARRC as I have different goals for it. But having said that, if I do well in ARRC, it would also mean that I’ve done well for MSBK.” Catch up latest news at malaysiasbk.com. Chat with us
Andi Farid Izdihar of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM made his fearless move towards a grand finish at the top spot on the podium for the MSBK600 Class in Race 3. It was a good start for Andi who had the advantage of the pole position. As the race flagged off, Andi did not waste a second as he fled ahead taking the lead. For a short stint in between the first three laps, Andi resisted pressure from teammates, Helmi and Khairul who were trying to get close from behind. By lap five, Andi took an impressive speed as he bolted ahead with a big gap from his contender, Helmi and Khairul. However, Helmi was not a man to be left out. As they circled the circuit, Helmi began to inch forward in a bid to close the gaps and perhaps even override Andi’s superiority. Khairul on the other hand seemed to have drifted a little further away from the duo. Towards the last few laps, Helmi began drawing closer to Andi which meant that the latter had to give work on his dexterity to make it first at the chequered flag. Without a shadow of doubt, Andi gave his biggest push as he glided towards the finish line logging in at 21’49:930s. Commenting on the race, Andi said, “From the start to the end, it was pure focus. But I took notice of the gap with the other riders behind me, at times it was good and other times, they were closing up the gap. I just went on to remain focused on my game and finally won.” “I am thankful to my crew who have done a good job with the machine. I am very happy with my performance this week.” Muhd Helmi Azman of BOON SIEW HONDA RACING TEAM made his best efforts at 21’50:266s while his teammate Khairul Idham Pawi clocked in at 21’56:391s. Catch up latest news at malaysiasbk.com. Chat with us
The MSBK600 Class, Race 2 saw a bold finish by Muhd Helmi Azman of BOON SIEW HONDA RACING TEAM when he grazed the finish line first in Round 2 of Malaysia Superbike Championship held at Sepang International Circuit. Helmi was off to a good start when the race flagged off and with the unrivalled speed of the Honda machine, he was able to break ahead of Andi Farid who made a slight error in his move. Coming close behind the duo was Ibrahim who tried his best to play catch-up. For eight laps, Helmi and Andi fought for the lead position. The menacing pressure from Andi did not overwhelm Helmi as the latter continued to hold on to his momentum. At the final lap, Andi took over the lead position but Helmi was not about to be defeated. Helmi immediately worked on his next move and is determined to make the cut this time around. At the last lap, Helmi grabbed the opportunity to strike and took a swing ahead of Andi once again before bolting ahead to the finish line first. Helmi concluded the race, logging in at 21’54:458s. Commenting on the race, Helmi said, “It was an arduous race just like it was in Asia. Andi’s speed was amazing but I managed to overtake him when he made a mistake at the last lap.” Clocking in second was Andi Farid Izdihar of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM at 21’54:801s. Muhd Ibrahim Mohd Norrodin of SIC RACING who kept himself at the top three position clocked in third at 21’55:793s. Catch up latest news at malaysiasbk.com. Chat with us
Andi Farid Izdihar of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM added on to the challenge of the MSBK600 Class when he made a big finish at the top spot in Race 1, Round 2 of the Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSBK). Andi took the pole position after marking the fastest in the qualifying session this morning at 2’09:227s. That gave him an advantage for a positive start. His strength and dexterity were later unveiled when he paced around the circuit, holding on to P1 in the ten-lap race. Although Andi was consistently pressured from the back by his rivals, he was not easily threatened. He seemed to have found his footing as he took on superior speed ahead of the troop at the final lap. Meanwhile, Khairul who began the race at the fourth spot on the grid managed to speed up into P2 at the third lap. From then on, he has been finding ways to get ahead of Andi. Close behind him was Ibrahim who was also finding similar opportunities to strike. It was not until the last lap where P1 became unreachable when Andi bolted ahead leaving Khairul and Ibrahim in a fight for a better position. At the 7 th turn, Ibrahim found the opportunity to strike and switched places with Khairul. Just then, as Khairul dropped one spot down, his teammate Helmi who was at P4 quickly made his move into P3. The heated motorcycle combat witnessed Andi gliding ahead into victory at 21’52:947s. Commenting on the race, Andi said, “It was a good day today as I made the fastest in the qualifying session – better than even in the ARRC. The weather was hot but was better in the morning as there was good grip on the machine. But during the race, I struggled a little midrace with the grip. I tried my best to manage though.” “There was also consistent pressure from the other riders behind me which made it even more challenging, however I kept pushing towards the end. It was a good race and to have won.” Muhd Ibrahim Muhd Norrodin of SIC RACING finished at P2, logging in at 21’53:671s. Muhd Helmi Azman of BOON SIEW HONDA RACING TEAM made his fastest at 21’54:314s. Catch up latest news at malaysiasbk.com. Chat with us