THANAT: JOYFUL VICTORY IN RAIN-SOAKED RACE 2

In the rain-affected Race 2 of the MSBK600 category during Round 3 of the MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit, Thanat Laoongplio of HONDA RACING THAILAND emerged victorious on the wet track.
The race faced a delay due to heavy rain, prompting riders to return to the pits to adjust their setups for the wet track conditions. The race was reduced from 10 laps to 7 laps.
As the race commenced, Thanat quickly established himself in the lead, followed by Japanese rider, Okaya Yuta, and Muhd Syarifuddin Azman of BOON SIEW HONDA RACING TEAM. Defending champion Helmi struggled at the back of the pack, hampering his chances of clinching the Weekend Champion title.
On lap 2, Thanat demonstrated his mastery of the wet conditions, pulling ahead by 1.865 seconds at an impressive speed of 241.6 km/h. He continued to dominate the race, posting a best lap time of 2’32:663s on lap 3. As the rain began to subside, Okaya started to close the gap, beating Thanat’s lap time with 2’32:447s.
By lap 4, Okaya further improved his performance, clocking a best lap time of 2’30:904s. However, a slight mistake on lap 5 allowed Thanat to extend his lead once again, as the top two riders opened a significant 14-second gap over Syarifuddin in third place.
As the track dried out, Thanat maintained his lead, and despite Helmi’s impressive lap time of 2’30:160s, he could not catch the front runners. Ultimately, Thanat crossed the finish line first at 17’51:558s, followed by Okaya at 17’52:632s, and Syarifuddin took third place at 18’05:095s.
Thanat shared, “I thrive in rainy conditions; they bring me confidence and excitement. As the rain poured, I felt more invigorated. Throughout the race, I kept my focus solely on the track ahead, racing steadily. I am incredibly happy with today’s result!”
TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 2
MSBK600
1. Thanat Laoongplio – HONDA RACING THAILAND (17’51:558s)
2. Okaya Yuta – Japan (17’52:632s)
3. Muhd Syarifuddin Azman – BOON SIEW HONDA RACING TEAM (18’05:095s)
4. Muhd Helmi Azman – BOON SIEW HONDA RACING TEAM (18’07:679s)
5. Chiang Chih Ying – Taipei (19’30:434s)