After nine months of enforced inactivity, Zaqhwan finally gets to scratch that racing itch as the Boon Siew Honda Racing Team confirms his entry into the MSBK1000 for the upcoming Malaysia Superbike Championship. The 2-times Asian 600cc champion is more than relieved to be back in action. “I watched in frustration on the sidelines when my peers and rivals revelled in the competition at the first round of the 2020 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship. My frustrations mounted as the Covid-19 pandemic forced one postponement after another in the ARRC calendar. Things came to a head when strict border controls and quarantine procedures finally forced the ARRC organizers to abandon the 2020 season. By then, I was just about ready to concede that there will be no racing for me this year. Luckily, the team has agreed to field my entry into the Malaysia Superbike Championship. Even though there will only be two rounds, at least it is a chance for me to practice my race craft,” said Zaqhwan. However, Zaqhwan will not be racing on the much-touted Honda CBR1000RR-R which was supposed to be his ride in the 2020 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship. Instead, Zaqhwan will be entering the competition using the 2019 Honda CBR1000 RR on which he had mounted his 2019 campaign in the ARRC. “Of course I was hoping to get into the saddle of the new bike! But with the sudden lock down all over the world, it was logistically quite impossible to make any decent arrangements but however, I am just glad that our 2019 bike is still race ready!”said Zaqhwan.
The Horizon Racing Team has announced a 5-rider line-up for the team’s 2020 campaign in the Malaysia Superbike Championship. This season, the team’s stable of upcoming young riders will comprise of four Malaysian riders and one Indian rider. They are #98 Amir Izzat Bin Rozali, #81 Muhammad Zulhelmi Bin Faiz, #55 Abdullah Qayum Abd Razak , #14 Mohd Emy Bin Nordin Ahmad as well as #90 Mohamad Mikhail Ahmed Salih from India. However, the team has yet to announce its bid for the MSBK 1000 premiere class with defending champion Farid Badrul still held in abeyance while sponsorship issues are being ironed out.
With less than a week to go before the season opener of the 2020 Malaysia Superbike Championship finally revs off, the Hiap Aik Suzuki Racing Team has announced its 2-man line-up for the MSBK1000 class. Malaysian superbike riders CY Khoo and Tee Wee Jin are looking forward to finally getting back on track with new sponsors and partners coming in to boost their performance. “Even though it is a short season, there will be a number of exciting challenges in store for us. The organizers have announced a change in tyres, we will be using Dunlop this year. Additionally, our Suzuki has been completely rebuilt. We also have new sponsors on board, especially the lubricants technology of Mobil1 Racing. I have not had a chance to put this new bike through its paces yet. Everything’s going to happen this weekend during the race meet,” said Jin. Meanwhile, CY Khoo is relishing the swirling rumours that top guns Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman and Zaqhwan Zaidi will be part of the MSBK1000 line-up this year. “If the rumours are true, they will certainly bring a new level of competition to the race and I am really looking forward to crossing swords with them,” said Khoo.
1ST ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS ROAD RACE MEETING DATED: 7 September 2020 ORGANISER Penang Motor Sports Club (PMSC) – Inscribing/Organiser PROMOTER Safe Aim Mutual Sdn Bhd NAME OF EVENT Malaysian Superbike Championship 2020 Amendments of Supplementary Regulations 2020 DATES & VENUE Round 1 25th, 26th & 27th September Sepang Circuit Round 2 16th,17th & 18th October Sepang Circuit 8.3 Grading for Class A and B would be as follows: – 8.3.1 MSBK1000 SUPERBIKE ii) Class B – For MAM license holders National ‘A, B or C or F.I.M International Licence who recorded a lap time 2:16:000 and above. 9. DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS: 9.1 A Six (6) races Championship for motorcycles of various categories, specified hereunder: MSBK 1000 (Rd 1- 3 races, Rd 2 – 3 races) MSBK 600 (Rd 1 – 3 races, Rd 2 – 3 races) MSBK 250 (Rd 1 – 3 races, Rd 2 – 3 races) MSBK 150 (Rd 1- 3 races, Rd 2 – 3 races) ENTRIES 11.10 Entry fee is as follows: MSBK1000 RM2000 MSBK600 RM2000 MSBK250 RM1400 MSBK150 RM1250 13. AWARDS Round a) Trophies will be given up to 3rd placed for each race/class (3 races per round) except MSBK1000 (B) and MSBK250 (B), trophies will be given up to 3rd place after points accumulation for race 1 and race 2 of each round. b) Prize money will be given to up to 5th placed after points accumulation for race 1 race 2 and race 3 of each round. The top 5 highest accumulation will be considered as the winner to recieve the prize money, except MSBK1000 (B) and MSBK250 (B), prize money will be given to the top 3 place after points accumulation for race 1, race 2 and race 3 of each round. c) The podium ceremony will be held after the completion of each race (3 races per round). Except for MSBK1000 (B) and MSBK250 (B) podium will be done at the end of the day after accumulation of points from race 1,race 2 and race 3. It is compulsory for the winners to be available for the podium ceremony for each round with full gear except for helmet and gloves 14. CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS AND CLASSIFICATION 14.1 MSBK1000 ‘A’, MSBK600, MSBK250’A’ & MSBK150 Points will be awarded after the each race. The total points from all 6 races of Championship in the categories will be used for the final placing in the Championship. In the event of a tie in the number of points, the final positions will be decided on the basis of the number of best results in the races (number of first places, number of second places etc.) In the event that there is still tie then, the date in Championship at which the highest place was achieved will be taken into account with precedence going to the latest result. 14.2 MSBK1000 ‘B’ & MSBK250’B’ – Weekend Gladiator. Points will be awarded for each race, the winner will be decided by adding ‘race 1’ ‘race 2’ and ‘race 3’ points for the weekend gladiator. There will be no overall championship points. If there is a tie in total points, the winner will be decided by the highest points collected in ‘race 3’. For on behalf of Penang Motor Sports Club (Secretary of the Meet)
Sepang International Circuit (SIC) and Two Wheels Motor Racing (TWMR) has jointly announced the start of the 2020 Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSBK). With the changes forced upon the national racing calendar by the on-going Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 season of the MSBK, initially scheduled to run over four rounds, has now been shortened to two. However, the number of days per round has been increased. Therefore, the participants of the MSBK can expect to compete in possibly up to six races over the two scheduled rounds. Hosted, as always, at the Sepang International Circuit, Round 1 will take place from September 25 to 27 followed by Round 2 from October 16 to 18. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SIC, Azhan Shafriman Hanif said, “The changes in the race calendar for MSBK is due to the Covid-19 pandemic that we are facing, but it is a national agenda and we need to continue our much-awaited National championship this year. SIC have partnered up with Two Wheels Motor Racing Sdn Bhd in 2019 with the objective to further enhance the MSBK race, they are the leading organiser for two-wheels racing series such as PETRONAS Malaysian Cub Prix and Asia Road Racing Championship,” He added, “Despite having two rounds for 2020, the format of the race has been improved to add more thrills to the competition. Our objective is to provide a platform for the local professional racers, to groom and develop both talents and teams. So, the effort must remain even in the uncertainty of the current situation to ensure the spirit of racing continues. We would like to thank the Ministry of Youth & Sports (KBS) and all partners for the cooperation and support given to make local motorsport championships feasible” Changes to the calendar aside, both the SIC and TWMR have agreed to proceed with new developments for the MSBK class. Among them are the introduction of the Underbone 150 class, as well as the introduction of Dunlop as the official tyre supplier for the series. “We are particularly excited about the introduction of the MSBK150 class. This new category will run on specifications similar to that of the Asia Road Racing Championship. Most importantly, this class is open to all teams and riders. The differentiation point lies in the fact that the CP150 class in the PETRONAS Malaysian Cub Prix Championship is an elite class reserved only for the top teams in the Championship. By creating the MSBK150 category, we are effectively opening up the opportunity for more upcoming teams and riders to participate in the super cubs race,” said Ron Hogg, Director of Two Wheels Motor Racing. The introduction of the MSBK150 will complete the full offerings of the MSBK in its role as a part of the national talent development system, with races starting from 150cc to 250cc to 600cc and finally to 1000cc. There will be something for every rider, at any stage of their career. Ron further added, “Dunlop, a pivotal partner in the success of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship, will become the official tyre supplier of the Malaysia Superbikes Championship. We believe that their expertise will help Malaysian teams and riders improve their standard of racing immeasurably.” “We are very serious about developing the sport of motorcycle racing in Malaysia in general. A few days ago, Boon Siew Honda demonstrated their commitment when they announced an initiative aimed at revitalizing the sport through the Honda Racing Support Programme.” For more information, kindly contact Two Wheels Motor Racing Sdn Bhd at Tel: +603-8733 8787.
Sepang International Circuit, September 2, 2020: Looking forward to the 2021 season of the Malaysia Superbike Championship, Boon Siew Honda Sdn Bhd has unveiled a new initiative aimed at uplifting the full-frame sector of Malaysian motorcycle racing. The new programme, the Boon Siew Honda 250cc Racing Support Programme, will offer race-prepared Honda CBR250RR motorcycles at a discounted price to interested teams and riders in the MSBK250 class. The basic spec of the bikes will be prepared by Boon Siew Honda with the full package valued at MYR50,000. However, teams and riders who opt to purchase these packages, need only pay MYR30,000. Teams and riders who have opted to buy into this package will take part in a sub-category within the MSBK250. “The objective of the Boon Siew Honda 250cc Racing Support Programme is to uplift the sport of motorcycle racing in general. In the PETRONAS Malaysian Cub Prix Championship, we run a very successful grassroots mono-brand race, the Honda Dash 125 Challenge. This is our talent identification vehicle. In the Asia Road Racing Championship, Boon Siew Honda runs our own factory team to develop the next batch of world-level Malaysian riders. Previously, there was a gap between Cub Prix and ARRC. This programme in the MSBK is aimed at bridging it,” said Yoshitaka Nakamura, Managing Director & CEO of Boon Siew Honda. “We hope to encourage new talents with this support programme, not just riders but also new teams interested to venture into the sport.” The support programme will run in cooperation with race promoters Two Wheels Motor Racing. Interested parties looking for more details can do so by contacted TWMR at 03-8733 8787.
Have you always been curious about the motorcycle racing world? Do you have Rossi-type dreams of flying down the front straight of the Sepang International Circuit? Or do you just want to know how it feels to put a race-prepared 250cc through its paces in a safe and controlled environment? In other words, would you like to try racing without investing heavily into buying a race bike? The answer – Horizon Motorsports. Established in 2017, Horizon Motorsports aims to serve speed enthusiasts who may not necessarily want to become professional riders. Racing is expensive business. For amateurs, the decision to go racing can involve a significant investment and cost outlay. This realization led Horizon Motorsports owner, Mohamad Yusaini, to the idea of creating a unique business catering to this specific market segment. “Horizon Motorsports is based at the Elite Circuit where we conduct advanced riding courses using race-prepared Kawasaki Ninja 250R bikes for motorsports enthusiasts,” said Mohamad, or as he is popularly known in motorsports, Che Mat. “Safety is always our priority and participants are kitted out with proper riding gear and trained by experienced riders such as former GP rider Hafiq Azmi.” For hard core fans who would like to experience a day in the life of a rider by taking part in any one of the local motorcycle series such as the Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSBK), Horizon Motorsports takes things to the next level by providing race bikes for rental. “We have several types of packages, depending on the clients’ needs. For those who are interested, we suggest they email us so that we can better understand their requirements.” Horizon Motorsports backs up their services with a proven track record in the Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSBK). In 2019, the Horizon Racing Team emerged as the MSBK1000 Champion with Farid Badrul in the saddle. Horizon Motorsport can be contacted via email, Facebook or Instagram.
Cratered between the high-profile Malaysian Cub Prix and the international FIM Asia Road Racing Championship, the Malaysia Superbike Championship has an important function to play in the entire talent development ecosystem. While we await any upcoming announcements regarding the 2020 season, here are eight frequently asked questions about the MSBK. What is the MSBK? MSBK stands for the Malaysian Superbike Championship. It is a collaboration between the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) and race promoters Two Wheels Motor Racing (TWMR). How is it a part of the Malaysian talent development ecosystem? Most Malaysian riders start their racing careers in the PETRONAS Malaysian Cub Prix Championship astride Underbone bikes. The MSBK plays an important role in the talent development process as the first exposure for Malaysian riders to full-frame racing. At the same time, it serves as a valuable training ground for young riders to gain mileage in full-frame racing. Is this a national or regional race series? The MSBK is a national-level championship, however, foreigners are welcome to participate. How many rounds are there in a season? A typical season runs for five rounds at the 5.5km Sepang International Circuit. How many race categories are there in the MSBK and what functions do they play? The MSBK roster features three main categories. The MSBK250 is often the first step into full-frame racing for upcoming names. From there, riders who are ready for the next level can venture into the MSBK600 followed by the premiere class which is the MSBK1000. Why production bikes? Why not Moto3 or Moto2 class? Cost. Production bike racing, while still expensive, are relatively more affordable and accessible to Asian riders. Racing on prototype bikes will put the championship out of reach for the majority of Asian riders. How competitive is this series? The MSBK aims to create an eclectic mix of well known riders such as former GP riders Zulfahmi Khairuddin and Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman, alongside upcoming new names. This process of pitting rookies against the seasoned campaigners has been a proven route to expedite rider development. What about the needs of the professional amateurs? The professional amateur class will run concurrently with the main races. However, the professional amateur class will have its own podium ceremony.
Since the PETRONAS Malaysian Cub Prix Championship kicked off the national sporting scene in mid-July, teams, riders and fans of the Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSBK) have been asking for the new MSBK 2020 calendar to be released. At present, series owners Sepang International Circuit and race promoters Two Wheels Motor Racing are working to put together a new calendar which is expected to be announced soon. The calendar is being revamped to suit the current conditions. Stay posted with the latest developments through the MSBK official social media platforms: Malaysia Superbike Championship Facebook Instagram: @malaysiasbk
The Malaysia Superbike Championship welcomes the green light for non-contact sports to resume starting July 15, 2020. This announcement was made on July 10 by Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob. Many have been working hard behind the scenes to ensure that the Malaysian sporting events can resume as soon as possible under the new normal. We would like to thank the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) and the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM) for their cooperation and kind assistance throughout the process of creating the race SoP. But most of all, we thank all our Malaysian frontliners. Without your sacrifice, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Watch this space for more announcements this week.