THANAT DOUBLED THE VICTORY

Round 1 of the 2026 MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit saw Thanat Laoongplio of HONDA RACING THAILAND produce a flawless performance in Race 2 of the MSBK600 category, securing a dominant lights-to-flag win to complete a perfect weekend.

Thanat immediately took control from the start, launching into the lead ahead of Malaysia’s Khairul Idham Pawi and Muhd Naqib Rifqi Zulhelmi, with China’s He Jun Peng settling into fourth. From the opening laps, the Thai rider looked composed and confident, setting the rhythm of the race while Khairul remained his closest pursuer.

By Lap 3, Thanat stamped his authority with the fastest lap of 2’12.865s, gradually extending his advantage while Khairul stayed within 1.066 seconds. However, as the race developed, the gap steadily increased. By Lap 7, Thanat had stretched his lead to 2.776 seconds, with Khairul struggling to maintain consistency under heavy braking into the technical sections.

The decisive phase came in the closing laps, where Thanat continued to edge away from the chasing pack. By Lap 8, the gap had grown to 3.318 seconds, effectively sealing the outcome. With clear air ahead, he controlled the pace and brought the bike home comfortably to win in 22’21.178s.

Behind him, Khairul Idham Pawi settled for second place in 22’25.779s after a demanding race managing tyre and braking performance, while Muhd Naqib Rifqi Zulhelmi secured third in 22’41.805s. He Jun Peng of China completed the top four, rounding out the leading group.

Thanat shared, “I’m very happy with this race. We tried to pull away from Khairul and managed to win. The wind was very strong, especially in Sectors 2 and 3, so it was difficult to push because the bike could slide. But I felt confident, and I’m ready for Round 2 of ARRC. I know I’m strong, but I still need to improve further.”

TOP 4 FASTEST – RACE 2
1. THANAT LAOONGPLIO – HONDA RACING THAILAND (22’21.178s)
2. KHAIRUL IDHAM PAWI – MALAYSIA (22’25.779s)
3. MUHD NAQIB RIFQI ZULHELMI – MALAYSIA (22’41.805s)
4. HE JUN PENG – CHINA (24’07.648s)