Ahmad Fazli Sham mencatat rekod tersendiri apabila muncul pelumba terbanyak memenangi perlumbaan kelas perdana CP130 Kejuaraan Cub Prix AAM Malaysia PETRONAS setelah meraih kemenangan ketiga di Litar Stadium Negeri Batu Kawan, Pulau Pinang, hari ini.
Pelumba PETRONAS Yamaha Maju Motor berusia 34 tahun itu menamatkan 18 pusingan perlumbaan di litar sepanjang 1.265km itu dengan masa 16’18.041s, 2.088s dihadapan pencabar terdekat, Norizman Ismail (Harian Metro Y-TEQ SCK Honda Racing) yang menamatkan perlumbaan dengan masa 16’20.129s. Md Azhar Abdul Jalil (Motul Zeneos Yamaha YY Pang) di kedudukan ketiga dengan masa 16’20.196s.
Peringkat awal perlumbaan menyaksikan dua pelumba muda, Hafiz Nor Azman dan Kasma Daniel Kasmayuddin bersaing sengit di hadapan sebelum masalah mekanikal jentera Kasma memaksa juara pusingan pertama itu menarik diri dari perlumbaan seawal pusingan ketiga.
Masalah itu bagaimanapun tidak memberi kelebihan untuk Hafiz menjarakkan diri di hadapan sebaliknya rakan sepasukan Kasma, Ahmad Fazli berjaya merapatkan jurang sebelum memintas pelumba itu pada pusingan kelima dan mendahului kedudukan sehingga ke garisan penamat.
“Jentera kami begitu pantas. Jika bukan sebab masalah mekanikal, sudah tentu kami dapat ulang kemenangan satu – dua di pusingan pertama dahulu. Meskipun Hafiz bermula dengan agresif, saya yakin dia tidak dapat untuk menjarakkan diri dan hanya menunggu peluang untuk memintas, namun selepas Kasma terpaksa menarik diri dari perlumbaan, saya terpaksa bertindak. Tidak lama selepas itu saya berjaya memintas Hafiz dan mendahului perlumbaan,” jelas Fazli tentang kemenangan ketiganya di Batu Kawan.
Tahun 2016 menyaksikan musim ke-15 Kejuaraan Cub Prix AAM Malaysia PETRONAS berlangsung di Batu Kawan. Dalam tempoh tersebut, hanya empat pelumba berjaya menang lebih dari satu perlumbaan termasuk Fazli, Norizman, Zaqhwan Zaidi dan Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman. Fazli sebelum ini menang perlumbaan di batu Kawan pada tahun 2007 dan 2009.
Kemenangan ini meletakkan Fazli di tangga teratas keseluruhan dengan 45 mata diikuti Norizman dengan 31 mata dan Kasma ketiga, 25 mata.
Dalam kelas CP115, Md Harith Farhan Baharin (Idemitsu Kozi Yam Honda Racing) menggunakan kelebihan beraksi di dalam hujan untuk menewaskan Tengku Amirul Haffirudin (Motul Zeneos Yamaha YY Pang) dengan masa keseluruhan 14’22.415s.
Tengku Amirul yang bermula dari petak pertama menamatkan 15 pusingan perlumbaan dengan masa 14’22.629s manakala pelumba persendirian, Md Haeikal Akmal Zakaria di tangga ketiga dengan masa 14’32.285s.
Tengku Amirul berada di tangga teratas keseluruhan dengan 45 mata diikuti Harith Farhan dengan 41 mata.
Dalam kategori Wira, hujan lebat sewaktu perlumbaan tidak menghalang pelumba-pelumba muda untuk mempamerkan aksi cemerlang dengan gelaran juara menjadi milik Md Shafiq Ezzariq dengan masa 12’02.299s.
Pelumba Idemitsu Kozi Yam Honda itu menewaskan pelumba persendirian, Md Afizi Supaat yang menamatkan perlumbaan dengan masa 12’02.358 manakala rakan sepasukan Shafiq, Md Anuar Ibrahim Pawi (adik kepada pelumba sensasi Negara, Khairul Idham Pawi) meneruskan kecemerlangan keluarga apabila menamatkan perlumbaan di tempat ketiga dengan masa 12’05.164s.
Shafiq mengumpul 50 mata maksimum untuk menerajui kedudukan keseluruhan, 26 mata mengatasi S. Alif Nazirul S. Ismail dan seorang lagi rakan pasukan Shafiq, Saiful Azhary Muhamad, masing-masing terikat dengan 24 mata.
Keputusan:
CP130 (18 pusingan)
Akhir:
- Ahmad Fazli Sham (PRK) Yamaha 16’18.041s
- Norizman Ismail (SGR) Honda 16’20129s
- Md Azhar Abd Jalil (SGR) Yamaha 16’20.196s
- Md Hafiz Nor Azman (PRK) Honda 16’20.468s
- Md Adib Rosley (SGR) Yamaha 16’24.718s
Kedudukan Keseluruhan:
- Ahmad Fazli Sham (PRK) Yamaha 45 mata
- Norizman Ismail (SGR) Honda 31 mata
- Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin (JHR) 25 mata
- Md Zaqhwan Zaidi (SGR) Honda 22 mata
- Md Hafiz Nor Azman (PRK) Honda 22 mata
CP115 (15 pusingan)
Akhir
- Md Harith Farhan Baharin (TRG) Honda 14’22.415s
- Tengku Amirul Haffiruddin (TRG) Yamaha 14’22.629s
- Md Haiekal Akmal Zakaria (JHR) Yamaha 14’32.285s
- Ahmad Syukran Aizat (TRG) Yamaha 14’35.099s
- Md Iqbal Amri Abd Malek (PRK) Yamaha 14’36.478s
Kedudukan keseluruhan
- Tengku Amirul Haffirudin (TRG) Yamaha 45 mata
- Md Harith Farhan Baharin (TRG) Honda 41 mata
- Md Fareez Afeez (JHR) Yamaha 30 mata
- Md Haiekal Akmal Zakaria (JHR) Yamaha 25 mata
- Md Akid Aziz (KUL) Yamaha 18 mata
WIRA (12 pusingan)
Akhir
- Md Shafiq Ezzariq (SGR) Honda 12’02.299s
- Md Afizi Supaat (SGR) Yamaha 12’02.358s
- Md Anuar Ibrahim Pawi (PRK) Honda 12’05.164s
- Md Helmi Azman (SGR) Yamaha 12’05.223s
- Saiful Azhary Muhamad (JHR) Honda 12’05.233s
Kedudukan keseluruhan
- Md Shafiq Ezzariq (SGR) Honda 50 mata
- S. Alif Nazirul S. Ismail (PNG) Yamaha 24 mata
- Saiful Azhary Muhamad (JHR) Honda 24 mata
- Md Afizi Supaat (SGR) Yamaha 20 mata
- Md Qhuwarismi Md Nasir (PNG) 20 mata
FAST FAZLI SETS RECORD WITH THIRD WIN AT BATU KAWAN
PETRONAS Yamaha Maju Motor rider Ahmad Fazli Sham created a new championship record by becoming the rider with the highest number of race wins at the Batu Kawan street circuit. The 34-year-old seasoned campaigner put up a masterful performance at the 1.265km track to win the CP130 class with a convincing 2.088s margin ahead of the rest of the field.
The CP130 Final flagged off with rookies Hafiz Nor Azman and Kasma Daniel Kasmayuddin fighting for an early lead. For the first three laps, the race looked set to be a Hafiz-Kasma showdown until Lap 4 when Kasma’s bike suddenly seized up and spluttered to a stop. However, this did not give Hafiz the chance to break away. Fazli easily powered past Hafiz on Lap 5 and proceeded to carve out a significant amount of daylight between him and the chasing SCK riders. Unobstructed, Fazli raced to the finish line with a time of 16’18.041s.
Behind the PETRONAS Yamaha Maju Motor rider, SCK duo Hafiz Nor Azman and Norizman ismail struggled to maintain their pace. Motul Zeneos Yamaha YY Pang rider Md Azhar Abd Jalil successfully narrowed the gap and was able to sneak past Hafiz’s defenses in the final lap. However, it was much harder for Azhar to bully his way past the wily Norizman. The race ended with Norizman in second place with 16’20.129s and Azhar third with 16’20.196s.
“Our team’s bike was really fast at Batu Kawan. If not for Kasma’s mechanical problem, I am certain we would have taken another 1-2 finish here. Despite Hafiz’s aggressive start, I knew that he would not be able to run far ahead, but when Kasma retired on Lap 4, I couldn’t delay the overtaking move any longer. It had to be done on Lap 5 to guarantee victory for Round 2,” said Fazli of his third win at Batu Kawan.
2016 marks the 15th year in which the PETRONAS AAM Malaysian Cub Prix Championship is held at the Batu Kawan street circuit. Over the course of the decade and a half, only four riders have won more than once at this tricky circuit. These include Fazli, Norizman, Zaqhwan Zaidi and Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman. Fazli’s previous Batu Kawan wins were in 2007 and 2009.
The results from Round 2 placed Fazli at the top steps of the CP130 ranking with 45 points, followed by Norizman Ismail in second overall position with 31 points. A disappointed Kasma dropped down to third overall with 25 points.
In the CP115 category, Md Harith Farhan Baharin absorbed 15 laps of unrelenting pressure from Tengku Amirul Haffirudin to emerge winner with a total race time of 14’22.415s. Despite starting from pole position, Tengku Amirul Haffiruddin was denied a second consecutive win in the opening legs of the 2016 season. The Motul Zeneos Yamaha YY Pang rider was forced to settle for second position with 14’22.629s. Meanwhile, privateer rider Md Haeikal Akmal Zakaria stunned the grid when he defeated riders from professional teams and crossed the chequered flag in third place with 14’32.285s.
Tengku Amirul, now with 45 points to his name, retained his championship lead while Harith Farhan closes in at second overall with 41 points.
Finally, a heavy downpour during the Wira Final failed to detract from an exciting performance from the junior riders. Idemitsu Kozi Yam Honda’s Md Shafiq Ezzariq who had been clocking quick times throughout the weekend, won a hard-fought 12-lap race with a time of 12’02.299s. Another privateer rider, Md Afizi Supaat, also delighted the crowd when he finished second with a time of 12’02.358s. Md Anuar Ibrahim Pawi (younger brother of Khairul Idham Pawi), lived up to the family tradition of racing excellence when he earned a spot on the podium with a third place finish.
Shafiq is the unequivocal leader of the Wira class. Two consecutive victories has given Shafiq a 26-point lead on the Wira standings. Privateer S. Alif Nazirul S. Ismail and Saiful Azhary Muhamad are tied in second overall position with 24 points apiece.
Round 3 of the 2016 PETRONAS AAM Malaysian Cub Prix Championship will take place in Kangar, Perlis on May 1, 2016.
Race Results:
CP130 (18 laps)
- Ahmad Fazli Sham (PRK) Yamaha 16’18.041s
- Norizman Ismail (SGR) Honda 16’20129s
- Md Azhar Abd Jalil (SGR) Yamaha 16’20.196s
- Md Hafiz Nor Azman (PRK) Honda 16’20.468s
- Md Adib Rosley (SGR) Yamaha 16’24.718s
Standings:
- Ahmad Fazli Sham (PRK) Yamaha 45pt
- Norizman Ismail (SGR) Honda 31pt
- Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin (JHR) 25pt
- Md Zaqhwan Zaidi (SGR) Honda 22pt
- Md Hafiz Nor Azman (PRK) Honda 22pt
CP115 (15 laps)
Final
- Md Harith Farhan Baharin (TRG) Honda 14’22.415s
- Tengku Amirul Haffiruddin (TRG) Yamaha 14’22.629s
- Md Haiekal Akmal Zakaria (JHR) Yamaha 14’32.285s
- Ahmad Syukran Aizat (TRG) Yamaha 14’35.099s
- Md Iqbal Amri Abd Malek (PRK) Yamaha 14’36.478s
Standings
- Tengku Amirul Haffirudin (TRG) Yamaha 45pt
- Md Harith Farhan Baharin (TRG) Honda 41pt
- Md Fareez Afeez (JHR) Yamaha 30pt
- Md Haiekal Akmal Zakaria (JHR) Yamaha 25pt
- Md Akid Aziz (KUL) Yamaha 18pt
WIRA (12 laps)
Final
- Md Shafiq Ezzariq (SGR) Honda 12’02.299s
- Md Afizi Supaat (SGR) Yamaha 12’02.358s
- Md Anuar Ibrahim Pawi (PRK) Honda 12’05.164s
- Md Helmi Azman (SGR) Yamaha 12’05.223s
- Saiful Azhary Muhamad (JHR) Honda 12’05.233s
Standings
- Md Shafiq Ezzariq (SGR) Honda 50pt
- S. Alif Nazirul S. Ismail (PNG) Yamaha 24pt
- Saiful Azhary Muhamad (JHR) Honda 24pt
- Md Afizi Supaat (SGR) Yamaha 20pt
- Md Qhuwarismi Md Nasir (PNG) 20pt
