WHO WILL BE THE NEXT WEEKEND CHAMPION?

The season finale of the MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSBK) will take place at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit this weekend. In MSBK1000 B race category, Chan Qing Rong seemed to have familiarised with the circuit ground very quickly over the course of one season and two rounds before rising up to fame as the Weekend Warrior in the previous round next to his contender, Raja Nazeem Iskandar with the same score of 45 points. What would be the next move for the duo?

The MSBK1000 B race category comes with its own sets of challenges however, the season saw a different take when Qing Rong found balance between riding techniques and the right machine setup before manoeuvring his wheels to a double-podium including one win in Race 2. Similarly, Raja Nazeem too took back two-podium finish with one win in Race 1. Both the riders definitely seemed to have found some valuable insights and strengths in overcoming the hurdles but yet to unfold is the coming round which is sure to induce a mix of pressure and pleasure.

Qing Rong said, “A big part of my improvement was due to my participation in the Institute of Leadership training from Round 2 onwards. With that, I had a structured and systematic plan that kept me accountable on the track. My team too, played a huge role. They kept me grounded and I stayed true to being a responsible rider. I trained with mindfulness and passion which resulted in a more joyful outcome. I learnt to enjoy riding and give my all. 100% effort, 100% time. Of course, the biggest challenge would simply be keeping up with the big boys up front. My immediate goal is to maintain what I have done and aim to be 1 second above the threshold for group A participation. Having been in the racing scene for a while now, I see my closest contender Raja Nazeem as my good friend. He is an amazing rider and he’s the one that I know will be the best hurdle and challenge for me. Most importantly, he’s an inspiration to push for self-improvements. Racing is a long arduous process and I believe I will get there. I plan to hit 2.13s by the end of next season. Tall goal but also absolutely doable. If it’s to be, it’s up to me.”

Raja Nazeem said, “For me, the obvious difference in machinery, shifting from Yamaha R1 to Suzuki GSXR1000. It was a last-minute surprise. But having ridden the Yamaha for the last 3 years which was literally the only thing I knew, it was a start from zero as I had to change my riding styles completely to complement the machine. All in all, I believe that the Suzuki machine suits my style and it’s completely straightforward. Apart from that, having two experienced technical members like Faez Yahya and Ching Hooi whom I’ve known for years have given me different riding perspectives. The coming round will definitely not be the same anymore for me as I’ve been bumped up to Group A. Personally, I feel that it’s an achievement as I will be in the same category as the pros. It will only drive me further to improve myself and be faster. In terms of expectations, it is definitely to enhance my performance and challenge the riders at the back of the group. Of course, I would also want to be competitive enough to fight among the mid-pack. I guess the challenge from that is to hold a faster pace throughout the race and build on my stamina. Personally, I think the biggest contender is myself. My objective is to constantly improve and reach my target of trying to close the gap between the professional and myself. I’m always driven and never doubted my riding capabilities, so with the right machinery setup and having the right people in my corner, I believe that there is much room to grow and improve in achieving my goals in racing.”