YUXI FASTEST IN SEPANG
The opening Practice 1 of the Ducati China Panigale Cup took place at Round 3 of the MAM Malaysia Superbike Championship at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit.
In Class A, it was Chen Zhen who asserted his dominance early on, setting the fastest lap time of 2’42:967s. Chen Zhen, a wild card entry, quickly established himself as a frontrunner, navigating the technical corners of Sepang with precision.
Following Chen Zhen in Class A was Zhang Xiaoxiang, who recorded a lap time of 2’52:211s, trailing by 9:244s. While Xiaoxiang maintained steady progress, the gap between him and Chen Zhen showed room for improvement in future sessions. Fu Yisheng and Yu Xiaochen were unable to record competitive lap times during the session.
Chen Zhen said, “I gave it my all today, trying to optimize every aspect of my riding. I’m feeling great and truly excited about tomorrow’s race. My goal is to cross that finish line first, and I’m determined to make it happen!”
The spotlight in Class B was firmly on He Yuxi, who posted the overall fastest lap time of the day with an outstanding 2’36:559s. He Yuxi’s performance put him 8:016s ahead of second-place rider Lee Kin Ho, who recorded a time of 2’44:575s. Xi Feida came in close behind with a lap time of 2’47:112s, finishing 10:553s behind He Yuxi. Zi Yangfan followed in fourth place with a time of 2’49:527s, trailing by 12:968s.
Yuxi said, I focused on every detail today to boost my performance, and it paid off. My confidence is through the roof, and I’m eager to take on the challenges ahead. Winning the race is definitely within my sights!”
In Class C, Huang Haoming led the session with a fastest lap time of 2’40:798s, securing a lead of 12:379s over second-place rider Fang Lu, who recorded a time of 2’52:177s. Zhang Jingyu rounded out the top three in Class C with a time of 3’07:050s, trailing 26:252s behind Huang Haoming. Mu Hongde did not record a competitive lap time.
Haoming shared, “Today, I concentrated on improving my skills and refining my approach. I’m feeling energized and confident, which makes me even more excited for the race. My target is clear: I want to take home the win!”
The competition resumes tomorrow with the qualifying rounds, where riders across all classes will battle for pole position ahead of the races.
Result – Top 5 Fastest
Practice Session
DUCATI CHINA PANIGALE CUP
Class A
1. Chen Zhen – 2’42:967s
2. Zhang Xiaoxiang – 2’52:211s
Class B
1. He Yuxi – 2’36:559s
2. Lee Kin Ho – 2’44:575s
3. Xi Feida – 2’47:112s
4. Zi Yangfan – 2’49:527s
Class C
1. Huang Haoming – 2’40:798s
2. Fang Lu – 2’52:177s
3. Zhang Jingyu – 3’07:050s