ZAQHWAN TAKES IT EASY IN FIRST DAY OF PRACTICE

Boon Siew Honda Racing Team’s Mohd Zaqhwan Zaidi is easing back into race-mode as he headlines the belated season opener of the 2020 Malaysia Superbike Championship at the Sepang International Circuit this weekend.

The experienced Superbike rider laid down the benchmark for the MSBK1000 class with the quickest lap of 2’09.153s However, this is a far cry from his personal best at the 5.542km Sepang circuit, 2’06.023s.

While Zaqhwan enjoyed his first day back on the track, the rest of the MSBK1000 field were primarily focused on suspension setup.

Here are some quotes from the riders after the first day of practice:

Mohd Zaqhwan Zaidi (Honda) (Boon Siew Honda Racing Team)

“Today, I’m just focused on getting back in sync with the bike. Even though I’ve not been racing, I have never stopped training. The stamina and power is still there. I just need to shake off the rust and settle down to enjoy my first race.”

“We were not pushing for time today because the weather was too unpredictable. It was dry in the morning and then we had a heavy drizzle and cooler temperatures in the afternoon. It would have been foolhardy to risk pushing for lap records under these circumstances.”

Mohd Farid Badrul Hisam (BMW) (Horizon Racing Team)

“Suspension setup was top on our list today. The switch to Dunlop means we need brand new suspension strategy to retain our competitive edge this season.

CY Khoo (Suzuki) (Team Hiap Aik Suzuki Racing)

“We like that we have more compound options to choose from as this means we now have more ways to set up for the race. This is a good development, considering our changing Malaysian weather.”

Joey Teoh (Suzuki)

“I’ve enjoyed my first day back on the track so far. The leg’s holding up, although a little stiff. I’m looking forward to the rest of the weekend.”