SANHTIRAN’S DREAM RUN CONTINUES
Malaysian rider Santhiran A/L Naga Raju of RACEHUB RACING TEAM continued his impressive momentum in the Round 2 of MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship 2026 by securing a hard-fought victory in Race 1 of the MSBK1000 B category at PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit.
As the race started, Santhiran made a strong getaway to lead the opening lap. However, the battle at the front quickly intensified as Kamarul Izad Ishak of KHSRT mounted a strong challenge, taking over the lead on Lap 2.
The opening laps saw constant position changes as Santhiran remained within striking distance of Kamarul, while Martin Noh of FGRT PROJECT ONE, He Junpeng of SILVER STEED RACING TEAM, and Jeff Chong of B. A TUNING fought closely behind.
Santhiran showed patience and race maturity as he stayed behind Kamarul, carefully studying his rival’s pace before making his move on Lap 4 to reclaim the lead. However, the battle was far from over as Kamarul responded strongly on Lap 5, briefly returning to the front.
With only 0.394s separating the two riders on Lap 6, the intensity continued to rise. Santhiran eventually made his decisive move on Lap 7, overtaking Kamarul once again and immediately began building his advantage at the front.
Despite the changing track conditions following earlier rain, Santhiran remained composed and managed the tricky surface confidently. As the circuit continued to dry, the Malaysian rider improved his pace lap by lap, controlling the race until the chequered flag to claim the victory at 23’29.050s.
Kamarul crossed the finish line in second place, just 3.674s behind the winner, while He Junpeng of SILVER STEED RACING TEAM completed the podium after a strong and consistent performance. Alvinderjitsingh from MALAYSIA and Jeff Chong of B. A TUNING rounded out the top five.
Santhiran shared, “It was a really good race overall. I was happy with my qualifying performance earlier in the morning because I managed to go out just before the rain arrived, which allowed me to secure a strong starting position and build confidence for the race. My plan was to get a good launch and stay with the front group in the opening laps, and thankfully I managed to do that.”
“I was able to race with the MSBK1000 A riders for about three laps, which was a great experience as I could learn from their pace and riding style. After that, I focused on my own rhythm and maintained a consistent pace. When Kamarul overtook me, I stayed behind him, studied his pace and waited for the right opportunity before making my move. Once I got ahead, I concentrated on maintaining my pace until the finish.”
“The track conditions continued improving as the surface became drier, and my lap times kept getting better, which gave me more confidence to push. Overall, it was a very positive race, and this victory means a lot to me. I want to thank my family, friends, sponsors and everyone who has supported me throughout this journey. Their encouragement gives me the motivation to keep improving and fighting for more strong results.”
TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1
1. SANTHIRAN A/L NAGA RAJU – RACEHUB RACING TEAM (23’29.050s)
2. KAMARUL IZAD ISHAK – KHSRT (23’32.724s)
3. HE JUNPENG – SILVER STEED RACING TEAM (23’49.270)
4. ALVINDERJITSINGH – MALAYSIA (23’57.470s)
5. JEFF CHONG – B. A TUNING (24’05.867s)