He may be new to the championship, but Idlan Haqimi Raduan has quickly gained the upper hand in the 37-bike strong MSBK250 grid. The 15-year-old who had recently made his international debut in the Asia Road Racing Championship, stunned his rivals when he piloted his Boon Siew Honda Racing Team Honda CBR250RR to the top of the timesheets with 2’30.116s. Idlan’s quickest time was two seconds off the 2019 qualifying record, 2’28.999s set by Nazirul Izzat Bahauddin. Nazirul will not be racing in the MSBK Finale as he has previously committed to race in the final leg of the CEV in the same weekend. Championship leader Aiman Tahiruddin posted the second fastest time of the day with 2’30.376s followed by Team One For All’s Mohd Kanafi Kamaruddin in third with 2’30.974s. 37-year-old Kanafi stands the best chance to push his way up the standings. Currently fourth after six races, the Team One For All rider has picked up 68 points. 42 points adrift of Aiman, Kanafi could challenge for the title or at the very least finish second overall. CKJ Yamaha Racing Team’s second rider Abdullah Qayyum A Razak logged fourth fastest with 2’32.359s. A surprise entry came in fifth on the combined timesheet as Thai rider Vorapong Malahuan entered the championship astride India’s TVS machine. Despite racing on a bike that is still clearly under development, the seasoned campaigner was able to clock fifth quickest with 2’32.359s.
Mohd Aiman Tahiruddin rounded up a successful weekend at Round 3 of the 2019 Malaysia Superbike Championship with a double win in the MSBK250 class. The CKJ Yamaha Racing Team rider had been dominant the entire weekend, especially with his closest rival, Nazirul Izzat Bahauddin absent from the race to focus on the Asia Road Racing Championship happening the same weekend at Sepang. Having earned the right to park his bike on pole during the qualifier, Aiman again started from pole for Race 2. A bad start pushed him down to fourth in the opening lap while Syafieq Aiman Fauzi seized the chance to take the early lead. Aiman gained the lead on Lap 3 and with the bit between his teeth, proceeded to carve a 2.9s lead at the front. The CKJ Yamaha Racing Team rider won the 8-lap race in 20’17.309s. Behind Aiman, Syafieq Aiman tangled with Abdullah Qayyum Razak for the final two spots on the podium. The duel was resolved in Syafieq’s favour. He finished second with 20’20.301s while Abdullah Qayyum delivered another podium to the CKJ Yamaha Racing Team in third with 20’20.543s. Kanafi Kamaruddin from Team One for All and Amirul Affiq Solikhin from the Horizon Racing Team rounded up the top five. Aiman Tahiruddin has now overtaken Nazirul Izzat on the championship standings. He leads with 110 points as Nazirul drops to second overall with 100 points. Shahrul Ezwan Shahril is third with 72 points.
Mohd Syafieq Aiman from the ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team has laid down the marker for the MSBK250 class as Round 3 resumed at the Sepang International Circuit in conjunction with the penultimate round of the 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship. Syafieq clocked 2’30.449s at the head of a 29-bike grid. He was the only rider to pace below the 2’31s mark. Mohd Sharul Ezwan Mohd Shahril from AFB Tech Racing posted second fastest with 2’31.341s followed by CKJ Yamaha Racing Team’s Aiman Tahirrudin in third with 2’31.389s. Interestingly, Youichi Ui’s team One For All, an ARRC regular, has now entered the MSBK grid. The team is represented by Mohd Kanafi Kamaruddin who clocked fourth fastest with 2’32.500s. Former GP rider Ui, has been involved in the Asian series for a number of years and had been instrumental especially in the success achieved by the Yamaha Thailand Racing Team.
MSBK1000 Stock A championship leader, Sharulnizam Ramli or better known to his friends and racing community as ‘Joe Sharul’ is gearing up for the biggest race of his career to date. The Malaysian rider who had been an MSBK regular for the past year, will take on the wildcard challenge in the premiere class of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship, the ASB1000. Supported by FTA Liqui Moly Racing Team, Sharul and his BMW S1000 RR will join some of the best Asian riders on the ASB1000 grid. When contacted, Sharul admitted that he is nervously looking forward to the coming race. “I started racing in 2012 but it was off-and-on for several years. I only did full seasons in 2013, 2018 and 2019. This will be my first time participating in the ARRC, and it is certainly the highlight of my racing career to date,” he said.
Round 6 of the 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship will feature yet another double-header as the Malaysia Superbike Championships (MSBK) joins the ARRC at the Sepang International Circuit. Nevertheless, Round 3 of the MSBK will see only the 250cc class in action as the 600cc and MSBK1000 classes had each completed six races in the previous two legs. Nazirul Izzat Bahauddin currently leads in the MSBK250 A category with 100 points. However, the ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team rider is scheduled to race in the ARRC’s Asia Production 250cc class and will be absent from the MSBK for Round 3. This will be the perfect opportunity for Sharul Ezwan Shahril and Aiman Tahiruddin to close the 38-point gap behind Nazirul and open up the AP250 title hunt ahead of the final round. Meanwhile, Mohd Arif Fadhilah Ismadi leads the MSBK250 B category with 91 points.
Horizon Racing Team’s Farid Badrul extends his domination of the MSBK1000 as the Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSBK) resumes with Round 2 at the Sepang International Circuit. Farid picked up his third win of the season in Race 1 with 21’37.806s, relegating former GP rider Zulfahmi Khairuddin (SIC Junior ZK Racing) to second place with 21’38.350s. ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team’s Amirul Hafiq Mohd Azmi finished third with 22’28.848s. The MSBK1000 Category B was won by Jamalul Tarmizi with 22’50.556s while the Stock A class was taken by Shahrulnizam Ramli with 22’17.797s. Meanwhile, Mohd Adam Norrodin lived up to the SIC Junior ZK Racing team’s expectations with an unchallenged ride to win the MSBK600 Race 1 with 21’56.748s. Adam’s team mate, Mohd Izam Ikmal Ismali made it a 1-2 result for the team while Boon Siew Honda Racing Team’s Azroy Hakeem Anuar finished in third with 21’57.377s. In further developments, Nazirul Izzat Bahauddin from the ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team secured the MSBK250 pole position with a fastest lap of 2’28.999s.
It had been more than 18 months since he last raced on a 1000cc bike yet Farid Badrul made an amazing comeback as Round 1 of the 2019 Pirelli Malaysia Superbike Championship came to a close at the Sepang International Circuit. Pitting his 2012 BMW against that of Zulfahmi Khairuddin’s later 2015 version, controlling his bike through sheer will and brute force without the aid of traction controls and electronics, Farid still walked away as the biggest winner of the weekend with two wins under his belt. The Horizon Racing Team rider sounded the warning knell in Race 1 on Saturday when he defeated series favourite Zulfahmi Khairuddin. Farid almost crashed out of Race 2, which gave Zulfahmi the opening he needed to take control of the second race. Race 3 was red flagged on Lap 5 following an incident between Khoo Chee Yen and Daniel Haiqal. Both riders are reported to be in good condition after the crash. The race was then re-started with four laps on the boards. However, CY Khoo was unable to join the re-start though he was fit to do so. The marshalls had mistakenly asked him to ride his bike back to the pits via the service road, denying him the opportunity to join the re-started race. Under the regulations, the riders must ride back via the track on their bike, and be classified as a finisher, in order to re-start. Zulfahmi dominated the majority of the re-started race and was caught unawares on the last lap when Farid Badrul surprised him with an overtaking move. “It was a do-or-die moment for me,” said Farid. “There was only a few corners left and if I had not made my move, I would have had to settle for second place. I’m very happy that my decision to be more aggressive paid off.” Farid chalked up his second win of the weekend by clocking 8’42.665s in the four lap re-started race. Fahmi claimed the second spot with 8’42.715s. ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team’s Amirul Hafiq Azmi picked up his third consecutive third-place finish. Meanwhile, in the MSBK600 class, SIC Junior ZK Racing Team’s rookie rider Izam Ikmal Izmali managed a spectacular 600cc debut when he went from third in Race 1 to second in Race 2 and then first in Race 3. However, Azroy Hakeem Anuar leads the MSBK600 class after Round 1 with two wins and a second place finish to his advantage. ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team’s Nazirul Izzat Bahaudin raced in a league of his own in the MSBK250. Nazirul put in an imperious performance when he won Race 1 with 20’29.198s and 20’23.706s. Round 2 of the 2019 Pirelli Malaysia Superbike Championship will resume, at the Sepang International Circuit, on July 26 to 28, 2019.
Horizon Racing Team’s Farid Badrul pulled off a stunning victory over favourite Zulfahmi Khairuddin when he won the MSBK1000 Race 1 at the season opener of the 2019 Pirelli Malaysia Superbike Championship. Although Zulfahmi, with his years of experience in the MotoGP and the World Supersports Championships, clearly had an advantage over Farid, the Horizon Racing Team rider proved to be more than his rival’s equal when he pipped Zulfahmi to the finish line by 1.993 seconds. “I knew that Zulfahmi would have an edge. So my strategy was to try to get away right from the start of the race. I wanted to create as big a gap as I could, prolonging the moment when I will have to battle against Fahmi,” said Farid who opened his 2019 campaign in the best possible way with a 21’54.059s win. Meanwhile, Zulfahmi made his task all the harder with a bad start from the front of the grid. “I had a bad start and got myself stuck behind a few riders. It took me a while to overtake them. Additionally, I had decided to go out on Race 1 on used tyres, so grip became a bit of an issue. When I caught up with Farid, there was simply not enough rubber left for me to make a decisive move,” said Fahmi of his second place position with 21’56.052s. Amirul Hafiz Azmi from the ONEXOX TKKR SAG Racing Team crossed the finish line in third place with 22’36.539s. Shahrulnizam Ramli won the MSBK1000 SuperStock A class while the MSBK1000 Superstock B victory went to Daniel Haiqal. Earlier in the day, Azroy Hakeem Anuar, Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin, Mohd Izam Ikmal Izmali, Mohd Helmi Azman and Mohd Akid Aziz treated viewers to a spectacular MSBK600 Race 1. The five riders engaged in a 10-lap battle for P1 which eventually came down in favour of Boon Siew Honda Racing Team’s Azroy Hakeem Anuar. Kasma Daniel from team Hong Leong Yamaha Malaysia came home in second place while SIC Junior ZK Racing’s Mohd Izam Ikmal Izmali completed the top-three. More racing is in store at the Sepang International Circuit on Sunday, June 16, 2019. Spectator entry is free.
Malaysian GP rider Zulfahmi Khairuddin has dusted off his racing suit and is back on a bike as Round 1 of the 2019 Pirelli Malaysia Superbike Championship flagged off at the Sepang International Circuit this weekend. The formidable Malaysian rider will be racing a BMW in the MSBK 1000 Superbike class of the Sepang-based national series. Unsurprisingly, Zulfahmi topped the class in the first practice session with a best time of 2’13.211s. “I’ve missed racing too much to stop completely,” said Zulfahmi who is entered under his own team, the SIC Junior ZK Racing. “My entry in the first round of the Pirelli Malaysia Superbike Championship is just my way of getting back into racing form. We’ll see where this step leads me in the future.” Farid Badrul from the Horizon Racing Team and Amirul Hafiz M. Azmi were second and third fastest respectively with 2’14.714s and 2’18.973s. Shahrulnizam Ramli aced the first practice of the season in the MSBK1000 Superstock class with 2’16.564s followed by Daniel Haiqal and Afique Danial Izzad. The MSBK 600 class saw a number of upcoming young riders. Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin grabbed the top spot with 2’14.168s. Azroy Hakeem Anuar ended the first day of practice in second place with 2’14.555s. ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team’s Nazirul Izzat Bahauddin led a 26-bike MSBK 250 grid with 2’31.385s.
Credit photo : Asia Talent Cup Malaysian rookies Muhammad Idil Fitri Bahadi and Syarifuddin Azman are looking forward to take their 2019 Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup campaign back on to home ground. The Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup travels to Malaysia this weekend for the third leg of its 6-round calendar, and will feature in a double-header with Round 1 of the Malaysia Superbike Championship at the Sepang International Circuit. After two rounds of competition, Idil and Syarifuddin are ranked 11th and 13th respectively with their best results coming from Round 2 at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand. Both riders are banking on the homeground advantage this weekend to boost their position on the championship ladder. “The Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup has been a huge learning experience for me to date. It’s taken me a while to get used to the bike as well as the race environment. But I feel encouraged when I see steady progress from Round 1 in Losail to Round 2 in Buriram,” said Syarifuddin who was also the 2018 Petronas Malaysian Cub Prix Wira champion. “Round 3 in Sepang is our best opportunity to showcase our talents. My personal target is to mix it up with the front group in the hopes of at least a podium finish.” The Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup will join up with the MSBK 1000 Superbike, Superstock, MSBK 600 and MSBK 250 classes to form a packed 3-day race programme at Round 1 of the 2019 Pirelli Malaysia Superbike Championship on June 14 to 16. Spectator entry to the K1 Grandstand is free.