WHO WILL BE THE FIRST CHAMPION IN HISTORY?

The season finale of the MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSBK) will take place at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit this weekend. Who among the top five riders in the Yamaha R15M Race Elites will take home the victorious title?

It’s a highly unpredictable race category especially with a close point difference among the top five riders who have all taken a step on the podium in the last four races. Abdullah Qayyum of Welly Racing Team currently takes the lead position with a total of 56 points, 1-point difference with Ahmad Syukran of Hiap Aik Racing Team who has a total of 55 points to his name. Md Izam Ikmal on the other hand takes the third spot overall with a total of 51 points, 1-point difference with his closest contender Arash Tsunami of BLH Glassteel 46 Racing at the fourth spot with a total of 50-points. Md Shafiq Ezzariq of Boon Hua Racing Team takes the fifth spot overall with a total of 44 points after making his first win for the season in Race 2 of Round 3.

The challenge in the race category is the close call on all laps which requires riders to be on their toes at all times and with all of them having the opportunity to win, it is a matter of strategizing and striking it right. Who among them has what it takes this time around to make it to the top?

Qayyum said, “I believe that every rider has their own strategy in place and I too have my own strategies. In fact, I have 3 different plans in place to ensure that I am fully prepared for unforeseen circumstances. I do hope that everything goes as planned. I also hope that it will rain as I am fully in control and confident. The race category is quite tough because all the machines are the same with the same level of performances. But as a rider, what’s more important is preparation of body and mind. I have a work routine which I follow up with diligently. My closest contender is Izam because he has a lot of mileage at SIC. It is no excuse though for me. I will still do my best and try for the champion title.”

Syukran said, “In my opinion, the most important strategy in the race category is to avoid having gaps between the front and back troop and to always find the right opportunity for slip-streaming. I always learn the concepts and techniques of riding consistently as my preparation. Apart from that, I also do a lot of workouts to build my physical and mental strength. My closest contender at the moment would be Qayyum who is currently taking the lead with 1-point advantage.”

Izam Ikmal said, “For me, the most crucial part would be the last two laps to ensure that I can get into the top five positions. I can’t say much on the machine because the power is the same for everyone and everybody has a chance to win. The most important thing would be to train myself so that I am prepared mentally and fight for the podium. The top three riders are strong and I am pretty sure that they will fight for the championship title. I also need some luck for the weekend and I am keeping my fingers crossed.”

Arash said, “My plan is to maintain a stable mind so that I can enhance my discipline level. Discipline is important in motorsports and with that, comes the right attitude to succeed. I will continue to work on that before and after my race. I also have a lot to learn and I will continue doing that by watching previous videos of myself. I will investigate further where I went wrong and work towards improving. That will be my move for the coming round. My closest contender is Syukran but I will do my best to enhance my performance.”

Shafiq said, “It is really important to strategize and plan accordingly. Most important for me would be the last three laps especially in managing my position and finding the right moment to strike. On the last lap, it’s the three last turns that is the most crucial moment. All riders will do the same for sure and I am also very certain they will come fully prepared. On my part, I will study the previous sessions and learn from my mistakes. I will try to fix my limitations where possible. My closest contenders are many. In fact, all of them are equally competitive. So, let’s see how it goes on the weekend!”