GERRY HUNTING FOR CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE
Race 1 of Round 4 of the MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship unfolded today at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit, delivering yet another thrilling showdown. Gerry Salim of HONDA NWN SCK RACING TEAM from Indonesia emerged victorious, keeping the championship battle for MSBK250 A alive.
The race kicked off with Ahmad Afif Amran of YAMAHA TEKHNE RACING TEAM ASIA taking an early lead, building a commanding gap over the chasing pack. However, Afif’s aspirations for a win were dashed on lap 2 when a crash forced him out of contention.
Irfan Ardiansyah of HONDA NWN SCK RACING TEAM, running in P2, pushed hard to bridge the gap but ultimately settled into the battle for podium contention.
As the race approached its dramatic conclusion, Kitsada Tanachot of HONDA RACING THAILAND seized the lead on the final lap. However, Gerry Salim timed his attack perfectly, making a decisive move in the last turn to overtake Kitsada and cross the line first with a time of 19’50:475s, securing a stunning victory.
This win propels Gerry to second place in the overall standings with 118 points, just 1 point behind his teammate and championship leader, Irfan Ardiansyah. With the title chase tightening, the stage is set for an electrifying Race 2.
Gerry said, “Normally, I can push to the front early, but I had to manage the engine temperature today, which was running too high. Because of this, I controlled my pace during the race. In the final two laps, I made my move, passing Irfan and then overtaking Kitsada to take the win. I’m excited and ready to give it my all in Race 2 tomorrow!”
Kitsada settled for second place with a time of 19’50:579s, while Irfan completed the podium in third at 19’50:882s.
TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1
1. Gerry Salim – HONDA NWN SCK RACING TEAM (19’50:475s)
2. Kitsada Tanachot – HONDA RACING THAILAND (19’50:579s)
3. Irfan Ardiansyah – HONDA NWN SCK RACING TEAM (19’50:882s)
4. Muhd Jazil Juraimi – Singapore (19’51:118s)
5. Noprutpong Bunprawes – HONDA RACING THAILAND (19’51:273s)