IKRAM CLINCHED VICTORY
The PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit delivered an incredibly close race this weekend for Round 3 of the 2026 MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship. Race 2 of the BERJAYA SOMPO YAMAHA R15M RACE ELITES category was defined by constant lead changes, massive group battles, and a thrilling final-lap shootout that saw Muhd Ikram Dani of BERJAYA MEGA emerge victorious.
Right from the starting lights, Ikram made a bold launch to take the early lead, closely trailed by Ashraff Zaquan Bin Zainal Raif of GTMAX MOTORS and Ahmad Jebat Zulkarnain of BLH RACING TEAM. The slipstreaming nature of the Sepang circuit immediately took effect, forming a massive lead group of riders trading paint and positions.
The battle for the front was relentless. By Lap 2, Muhd Farhan Naqib Mohd Faiz of FASROI M SB had drafted his way into the lead, while early contender Muhd Ali Imran Mohd Dzul Hijri of BOON HUA MOTOR unfortunately crashed out of the race. Ikram fought back to the front on Lap 3, but the lead was short-lived as Naqib reclaimed it on Lap 4. During this mid-race shuffle, Adam Harris Hafiz of LKT MOTOR put in a blistering fastest lap of 2’51.841s to briefly surge into third place.
As the race entered its crucial closing stages, Zaquan took charge on Lap 5 and managed to hold his ground at the front through Lap 6. The tension peaked as the massive group crossed the line to begin the final lap.
Lap 7 was a pure display of aggressive, tactical racing. Zaquan led the pack early in the lap, with Jebat, Muhd Afiq Syazanie Muhd Zaini of K SENG MOTOR, and Raja Abdurraqib Raja Norfatihah of KAVIN MOTOR all making moves. Despite dropping to fifth midway through the final lap, Ikram kept his composure. Utilizing the slipstream perfectly out of the final corners, Ikram surged forward to cross the finish line first with a time of 20’25.243s. Zaquan was edged out by mere fractions, taking second at 20’25.281s, while Nuzzul Ady Muhammad Sudin of LIANG SOON MOTOR executed a brilliant final sector to snatch third at 20’25.311s.
Ikram expressed, “I want to take this moment to express my deepest gratitude to all the crew members who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to give me such a great bike today. Racing in this category is incredibly close, and without their long hours, this wouldn’t be possible.”
“I also want to extend a huge thank you to my family, whose unwavering support has always been my absolute pillar of strength, especially during the tougher weekends. To all my sponsors, thank you for constantly believing in my potential when it matters most.”
“As for the race earlier, it was mentally exhausting. My main strategy was to take control of the pace by leading the pack right from the starting line all the way to the checkered flag. However, with the massive group we had, it took a lot of intense focus and consistency to survive the attacks from the riders behind me.”
“The slipstreaming out there was aggressive, and dropping back on the final lap was stressful. But I kept my cool, trusted my lines, and pushed with everything I had left. Alhamdulillah, by the grace of God, the plan came together perfectly at the very end. I am incredibly grateful, relieved, and thrilled to walk away with this hard-fought victory.”
TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 2
1. MUHD IKRAM DANI – BERJAYA MEGA (20’25.243s)
2. ASHRAFF ZAQUAN BIN ZAINAL RAIF – GTMAX MOTORS (20’25.281s)
3. NUZZUL ADY MUHAMMAD SUDIN – LIANG SOON MOTOR (20’25.311s)
4. MD FARHAN NAQIB MOHD FAIZ – FASROI M SB (20’25.339s)
5. AHMAD JEBAT ZULKARNAIN – BLH RACING TEAM (20’25.427s)