A heavy downpour brought out the red flag a lap into the start of the MSBK 600 Race 2. The race was shortened to a 6-lap stint, which set the stage for a battle of the rain masters. The grid re-assembled with only six riders. Yamaha Racing Team ASEAN duo were clearly absent. According to the team management, neither Nazirul Izzat Bahauddin nor Aiman Tahiruddin have had any experience racing the Yamaha YZF-R6 in the wet. As such, the team did not want to take the risk of injury. At the re-start, it was Azroy Hakeem Anuar who first threw down the gauntlet. The Boon Siew Honda Racing Team rider held the lead into the two opening laps with pole sitter Ibrahim Norrodin from SIC Racing trying hard to get past. The two riders, who had crashed out of Race 1 on Saturday, were determined to finish on the podium. Both Azroy and Ibrahim set a punishing pace despite the uncertain track conditions. Ibrahim had a big scare at the end of Lap 2 at Turn 15, but managed to salvage the situation. The SIC Racing rider immediately went on the attack. The pace was clearly too much on the rain-slicked tarmac. Half a lap later, both Ibrahim and Azroy simultaneously high-sided out of Turn 3. This would be the second crash of the weekend for the two rivals. Behind the dueling duo, it was the riders who opted for a more conservative ride who benefitted from the situation. Mohd Helmi Azman from Boon Siew Honda Racing Team picked up an easy first win of the season with 15’39.594s. SIC Racing’s Mohd Syarifuddin Azman was second across the line, followed by Race 1 winner, Khairul Idham Pawi in third. “Unlike Azroy and Ibrahim, I wasn’t able to get into groove when the race re-started. Somehow, the feeling wasn’t right. I was just happy to get past Khairul and Syarifuddin and would have been content to finish third,” said Helmi. “I didn’t see Azroy and Ibrahim crashing out. By the time I got to Turn 3, all I saw were the two bikes lying at the side of the track. From then on, it was just a matter of maintaining my pace and focus until the end of the 6-lap race,” said Helmi. MSBK 600 RACE 2 RESULTS Mohd Helmi Azman (Honda, Boon Siew Honda Racing Team), 15’39.594s Mohd Syarifuddin Azman (Kawasaki, SIC Racing), 15’48.792s Khairul Idham Pawi (Yamaha, ONEXOX TKKR Racing Team), 15’59.924s Catch up latest news at malaysiasbk.com. Chat with us
Round 1 of the Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSBK) turned out to be the perfect platform for former Malaysian GP rider Khairul Idham Pawi to get back into racing form. Starting the MSBK 600 race from second row behind front liners Mohd Ibrahim Norrodin, Azroy Hakeem Anuar and Mohd Helmi Azman, Khairul got off to a late start while the two 2020 model Honda CBR600RR set the initial race pace. The MSBK 600 race had been touted as a five-corner fight between Ibrahim, Azroy, Helmi, Khairul and Mohd Sharifuddin Azman. The rivalry between the front row were apparent from the start with both Ibrahim and Azroy scrabbling for the same racing line. While fighting for the same inch of tarmac on Lap 2, Ibrahim and Azroy touched. Both riders were unceremoniously dumped onto the gravel. This left the way open for Khairul Idham to slip into the lead. Cool and collected, Khairul dictated the race rhythm from the front of the group. “I had a really bad start because I’ve been away from the starting grid for almost a year. But I quickly noticed that Ibrahim and Azroy were making a lot of mistakes, so I decided to bide my time. For the first lap, I was content to follow. Once I got into the lead, I found that Helmi was also making a lot of unforced errors,” Khairul described. One of Helmi’s unforced error included a last-lap last-corner gamble when he tried to out-brake everyone to take the win. Unfortunately for Helmi from the Boon Siew Honda Racing Team, the plan backfired when he ran wide. Helmi’s mistake allowed Khairul Idham Pawi to race unencumbered to the finish line and complete his comeback race in winning style with 21’59.034s “It was a really good race and I enjoyed it very much,” he concluded. Mohd Syarifuddin Azman from SIC Racing trailed Khairul Idham to the finish line in second place. Helmi Azman had to concede in third with 21’59.430s. MSBK 600 – RACE 1 RESULTS Khairul Idham Pawi (Yamaha, ONEXOX TKKR Racing Team), 21’59.034s Mohd Syarifuddin Azman (Kawasaki, SIC Racing), 21’59.383s Mohd Helmi Azman (Honda, Boon Siew Honda Racing Team), 21’59.430s Catch up latest news at malaysiasbk.com. Chat with us
SIC Racing’s Mohd Ibrahim Mohd Norrodin has set himself up as the man to beat in the MSBK 600 class. After clocking quickest in the free practice with 2’10.258, Ibrahim bettered his laptime during the MSBK 600 qualifier to clinch pole position with 2’09.900s. Ibrahim was the only MSBK 600 rider to lap within 2’09s. “We had a long qualifying session. So everyone had plenty of time to clock up mileage on the track. Most of our team’s qualifying strategy centred around ensuring that I could get a clear piece of track to myself. We knew that a lot of the other riders would be targeting to slipstream. I’m very pleased with how things turned out and I’m looking forward to some podium finishes this weekend,” said Ibrahim. Boon Siew Honda Racing Team duo Mohd Helmi Azman and Azroy Hakeem Anuar will join Ibrahim on front row with their brand new 2020 model Honda CBR600RR. Helmi clocked second fastest with 2’10.400s while Azroy was third fastest with 2’10.544s. Meanwhile, comeback kid Khairul Idham Pawi will start the races from the second row. Khairul clocked fourth fastest with 2’11.028s. Mohd Syarifuddin Azman rounded up the top five with 2’11.139s. Catch up latest news at malaysiasbk.com. Chat with us.
In the run up to the 2021 season of the Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSBK), the spotlight in the MSBK 600 class was taken up by a series of exciting news. First came the announcement that former GP rider Khairul Idham Pawi is coming out of retirement via the MSBK. Then a surprise entry from upcoming GP rider Mohd Syarifuddin Azman. Finally, the Honda camp revealed that the 2020 model Honda CBR600RR will be making its official race debut this weekend. Away from the spotlight, Ibrahim Norrodin proved on the first day of free practice that he is still the man to beat at the Sepang International Circuit. The SIC Racing rider topped both free practice sessions and ended the day with 2’10.258s. After a year off the bike, Ibrahim is only about half a second off his own 600cc lap record. “It’s been a year since we’ve had a chance to ride. After the MCO, we did have some training, but only at the go-kart track. This is the first time we have had the chance to ride the full track in Sepang. The track condition was rather bumpy today. My team and I had to push very hard to get ourselves back in gear,” said Ibrahim. The vaunted Honda CBR600RR piloted by Azroy Hakeem Anuar and Mohd Helmi Azman placed second and third respectively, one second adrift of Ibrahim. Mohd Syarifuddin Azman clocked fourth fastest with 2’11.397s. Khairul Idham Pawi, returning to racing after a year-long hiatus, was fifth quickest with a competitive 2’11.674s. MSBK 600 COMBINED FREE PRACTICE RESULTS Ibrahim Norrodin (Yamaha, SIC Racing), 2’10.258s Azroy Hakeem Anuar (Honda, Boon Siew Honda Racing Team), 2’11.266s Mohd Helmi Azman (Honda, Boon Siew Honda Racing Team), 2’11.397s Catch up latest news at malaysiasbk.com. Chat with us.
After a year-long hiatus, the Malaysian superbike riders finally have the chance to get back on the track. The announcement that the 2021 season of the Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSBK) will be held at the Sepang Circuit this weekend has brought out some of the biggest names in the Malaysian motorcycle racing fraternity. The MSBK1000 will most likely be the battleground between Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman and Mohd Zaqhwan Zaidi. Both riders are acknowledged as among the best superbike riders in this region. Things are even more interesting in the MSBK600 class where Khairul Idham Pawi is making his racing comeback with the ONEXOX TKKR Racing Team. Mohd Syarifuddin Azman, who is slated to make his full season GP debut next year, will also arrive on the grid with the ZK Racing Team. From the Honda camp, Azroy Hakeem Anuar and Mohd Helmi Azman will finally get to put their brand new Honda CBR600RR through its paces. The bike that was launched in 2020 has yet to strut its stuff on the track. And for the first time in two years, spectators are finally welcome back to the grandstand. Entry to the grandstand is free, but limited only to adults above 18 years old, and must be fully vaccinated. Fans can expect to witness race battles in three classes – the MSBK1000, MSBK600 and MSBK250. In total, three races will be held over the weekend. “The last two years has been quite challenging for the motorcycle racing industry. We are grateful to be back and looking forward to the day when our foreign friends can also join in the race. Meanwhile, the entries for Round 1 is looking to be very promising with all our top riders competing,” said Ron Hogg, Director of Two Wheels Motor Racing, the race promoters of the MSBK. Round 1 of the 2021 Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSBK) is taking place at the Sepang International Circuit from October 15 to 17, 2021. Catch up latest news at malaysiasbk.com. Chat with us.
A hint of rivalry is brewing up between Boon Siew Honda Racing Team’s Azroy Hakeem Anuar and SIC Racing Team’s Mohd Ibrahim Mohd Norrodin in the MSBK600 class. Both riders have set their sights on qualifying below the 2’10s mark. Azroy was the fastest in class with 2’10.889s followed by Ibrahim second with 2’11.336s. Here are some quotes from the riders after the first day of practice: Azroy Hakeem Anuar (Honda) (Boon Siew Honda Racing Team) “It’s been too long since I’ve been on a 600cc machine. I needed some time to get in sync with the bike and change my riding style to suit. Nevertheless, I’m satisfied with my laptimes today. My best laptime in the ARRC was 2’09. I need to get below that.” Mohd Ibrahim Mohd Norrodin (Yamaha) (SIC Racing Team) “My target time was to lap below the 2’10s mark. Everything was going to plan until the rain started coming down in FP2. Looks like that will be my target for the qualifying session.”