Four years into the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship and Tomoyoshi Koyama finally ended his winning drought with a faultless performance in Race 1 of the SuperSports 600cc at the Chang International Circuit. The win came as the first set of races got underway for Round 2 of the 2016 season this weekend.
The 33-year-old Japanese rider started the race from third on the grid, filing up beside pole sitter Zaqhwan Zaidi and Ratthapong Wilairot on the front row. A rocket start catapulted Koyama into the lead.
Throughout the extended 18-lap race, Koyama held steady through a number of challenges – first from Decha Kraisart, Zaqhwan Zaidi and Anucha Nakcharoensri. Behind Koyama, the treacherous track conditions and pressure of the race whittled down the 21-man grid.
The competition intensified in the final lap when 600cc rookie Anucha finally made a move on Koyama. Despite his exhaustion, Koyama dug deep and found the extra reserves to hold his course. Anucha’s challenge ended in disappointment when his aggressive moves caused him to crash on the last corner.
The T.Pro Yuzy Honda NTS with WOW rider celebrated his first Asian victory with a total race time of 30’08.402s. Meanwhile, Anucha’s crash gifted second and third place podium finishes to MUSASHi Boon Siew Honda team mates Zaqhwan Zaidi and Yuki Takahashi.
“This must be one of the toughest races I have ever endured. The heat, the competition, the extra long race, everything was a challenge. Throughout most of the race, all I could think of was that I had to win the race. It was the only thought in my mind. The final two extra laps were pure torture. I had already reached the end of my physical endurance and vomited into my helmet. Still I persevered and I am really happy with this win,” said Koyama.
Championship leader Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman struggled at the 4.554km Chang circuit, picking up only eight points to stay marginally in the lead with 58 points. Race winner Koyama is now second overall with 56 points and Zaqhwan third with 52 points.
Meanwhile, the Asia Production 250cc Race 1 was a battle between two countries as the Japanese and Thai riders set aside their brand identities to fight for honours at the Chang International Circuit.
After topping the timesheets throughout the first day of free practice, Yamaha Thailand Racing Team’s Apiwat Wongthananon lost the pole position to team mate Peerapong Loiboonpeng. At the same time, Trickstar Racing’s Ayumu Tanaka managed to snare a spot on the front row and effectively set the stage for the 10-lap showdown that was to come.
As the lights went off for the start of the race, Apiwat leapt into the front but was unable to break free of the chasing group. A nine-bike front group leant plenty of racing excitement as compatriots Tanaka, Takehiro Yamamoto and Yusuke Nakamura banded together to challenge the might of the Yamaha Thailand trio. The Kawasaki bikes had the better top speed, but the Yamahas were superior at the corners. The lead swapping continued right up to the last lap with neither group willing to back down. Yamamoto managed to sneak into the lead at the final lap but crashed out with Anupab Sarmoon right at the critical moment.
The crash resulted in the expected all-Thai podium. Apiwat and Peerapong secured a 1-2 finish for team Yamaha Thailand Racing with 19’33.867s and 19’34.484s respectively. AP Honda Racing Thailand’s Somkiat Chantra broke up the Yamaha domination and climbed onto the third step of the podium with 19’34.732s.
Apiwat’s hattrick secured his position at the top of the rider standings with the maximum 75 points. Peerapong Loiboonpeng, who also netted three consecutive second-place finishes, holds 60 points in second overall.
Finally, the Indonesian riders in the Underbone 130cc category may have been outnumbered but certainly not outclassed when Wahyu Aji Trilaksana and Florianus Roy Brilyan eliminated a grid full of Malaysian riders to secure two podium finishes in Race 1 of the Underbone 130cc category.
While the Malaysian riders were more visible in the early part of the 8-lap race, Wahyu and Florianus sprung a surprise challenge at the final lap. Both riders took advantage of the break in their rivals’ racing momentum and sprinted to the finish line with Wahyu in first place and Florianus in third. Only Malaysian rider Mohd Haziq Mohd Fairues was able to keep up, and the 15-year-old finished second to take his first Asian podium.
Meanwhile, championship leader Izzat Zaidi finished fourth place and stayed at the top of the standings with 58 points. Second-ranked Amirul Ariff Musa and third overall rider Norizman Ismail also ended their races within the points.
Race 1 Results:
SuperSports 600cc
- Tomoyoshi Koyama (JPN) Honda 30’08.402s 2. Md Zaqhwan Zaidi (MAS) Honda 30’08.867s 3. Yuki Takahashi (JPN) Honda 30’10.485s 4. Ahmad Yudhistira (INA) Kawasaki 30’10.659s 5. Anthony Keith West (AUS) Yamaha 30’18.445s
Standings:
- Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman (MAS) Kawasaki 58pt 2. Tomoyoshi Koyama (JPN) Honda 56pt 3. Md Zaqhwan Zaidi (MAS) Honda 52pt 4. Yuki Takahashi (JPN) Honda 43pt 5. Dimas Ekky Pratama (INA) Astra Honda Racing 28pt
Asia Production 250cc
- Apiwat Wongthananon (THA) Yamaha 19’33.867s 2. Peerapong Loiboonpeng (THA) Yamaha 19’34.484s 3. Somkiat Chantra (THA) Honda 19’34.732s 4. Galang Hendra Pratama (INA) Yamaha 19’34.983s 5. Ayumu Tanaka (JPN) Kawasaki 19’35.036s
Standings:
- Apiwat Wongthananon (THA) Yamaha 75pt 2. Peerapong Loiboonpeng (THA) Yamaha 60pt 3. Anupab Sarmoon (THA) Yamaha 39pt 4. Galang Hendra Pratama (INA) Yamaha Racing Indonesia 34pt 5. Yusuke Nakamura (JPN) Yamaha 29pt
Underbone 130cc
- Wahyu Aji Trilaksana (INA) Yamaha 17’31.883s 2. Md Haziq Md Fairues (MAS) Yamaha 17’32.019s 3. Florianus Roy Brilyan (INA) Yamaha 17’32.148s 4. Md Izzat Zaidi (MAS) Yamaha 17’332.276s 5. Md Amirul Ariff Musa (MAS) Honda 17’32.435s
Standings:
- Md Izzat Zaidi Salehan (MAS) Yamaha 58pt 2. Md Amirul Ariff Musa (MAS) Honda 47pt 3. Norizman Ismail (MAS) Honda 40pt 4. Md Haziq Md Fairues (MAS) Yamaha 36pt 5. Wahyu Aji Trilaksana (INA) 36pt
