Yuki Takahashi celebrating his SS600 win in ThailandRampas kedudukan pendahulu dari Koyama

Pelumba Jepun, Yuki Takahashi muncul juara Perlumbaan 1 SuperSports 600cc sekaligus merampas kedudukan pendahulu keseluruhan pada saingan pusingan keempat Kejuaraan Motosikal Asia FIM (ARRC) yang berlangsung di Litar Antarabangsa Chang, Buriram, Thailand, hari ini.

Pelumba Musashi Boon Siew Honda Racing itu berjaya meraih kemenangan ketiganya musim ini setelah menamatkan 16 pusingan perlumbaan di litar sepanjang 4.5 kilometer ini dengan masa 26’43.824s, 6.571s mendahului pelumba tuan rumah, Ratthapong Wilairot (AP Honda Racing Thailand) yang muncul naib juara dengan masa 26’50.395s.

Sementara itu, Tomoyoshi Koyama (T. Pro Yuzy Honda NtS) muncul pemenang tempat ketiga dengan masa 26’53.201s.

Pelumba negara, Mohd Zaqhwan Zaidi, juga rakan sepasukan Takahashi yang kembali ke saingan ARRC bagi menggantikan tempat Mohd Zamri Baba berjaya menamatkan saingan di tempat ketujuh dengan masa 27’01.910s.

“Jentera saya berada pada tahap terbaik sejak dari awal lagi dan ia berterusan sehingga ke perlumbaan hari ini. Pada peringkat awal saya berhadapan saingan sengit Koyama dan Ratthapong namun selepas itu saya berjaya menjarakkan kedudukan sehingga ke garisan penamat. Saya gembira kerana berjaya meraih kemenangan di Thailand dan tidak lupa untuk berterima kasih kepada pasukan kerana menyediakan jentera yang terbaik,” jelas Takahashi.

Bekas pelumba Moto2 itu menambah, “Kami masih ada satu perlumbaan pada hari esok dan saya rasa ia lebih mencabar pada hari ini. Ratthapong dan Koyama juga pasti tidak melakukan kesilapan seperti hari ini dan pasti akan bekerja keras untuk menang. Jadi saya perlu lebih berhati-hati dan merancang strategi lebih baik untuk memenangi Perlumbaan 2.”

Dengan 25 mata yang diraih, Takahashi kini memimpin kedudukan keseluruhan dengan 102 mata, lima mata mengatasi Koyama di tempat kedua dengan 97 mata manakala Yuki Ito (PETRONAS Hong Leong Yamaha) yang menamatkan perlumbaan di tempat kelima berada di tangga ketiga dengan 78 mata.

Dalam saingan Asia Production 250cc, tempat pertama dan kedua menjadi milik pelumba tuan rumah, Nakarin Atiratphuvapat dan Apiwat Wongthananon manakala tempat ketiga milik pelumba Jepun, Takehiro Yamamoto.

Duo AP Honda Racing Thailand itu menamatkan 10 pusingan perlumbaan dengan masa 19’50.293s dan 19’50.396s manakala Yamamoto (Trickstar Racing) dengan masa 19’57.416s.

“Ini merupakan kemenangan pertama saya dalam kelas AP250 dan saya gembira kerana dapat melakukannya di halaman sendiri di hadapan penaja dan penyokong-penyokong tempatan. Perlumbaan kali ini sangat sukar memandangkan saya terpaksa bersaing sengit bersapa Apiwat sehingga ke garisan penamat. Malah kami juga bergeser sesama sendiri sehingga tayar belakang saya juga terkeluar dari litar namun saya berjaya mengaawal dan memecut ke garisan penamat,” jelas Nakarin.

Apiwat terus kekal di tangga teratas dengan mengumpul 126 mata diikuti Takehiro kedua, 120 mata dan Nakarin ketiga, 94 mata.

Sementara itu, dalam persaingan sengit kelas Underbone 130cc, pelumba Indonesia yang juga merupakan pendahulu keseluruhan, Gupita Kresna Wardhana (Manual Tech KYT Rextor) muncul juara sekaligus melebarkan kedudukan pendahulu keseluruhan setelah menamatkan lapan pusingan perlumbaan dengan masa 17’36.077s.

Dua pelumba muda Malaysia, Mohd Fareez Afeez (Felda PB Racing) dan Mohd Azam Omar (PETRONAS Hong Leong Yamaha) beraksi cemerlang untuk meraih podium pertama mereka di pentas antarabangsa setelah berjaya menamatkan saingan di tempat kedua dan ketiga, masing-masing dengan masa 17’36.286s dan 17’36.377s.

“Saya sangat gembira kerana berjaya meraih kemenangan kedua pada musim ini. Elly Idzlianizar Ilias (Harian Metro Y-TEQ SCK Honda Racing) melakukan kesilapan di selekoh terakhir sehingga menyebabkan semua pelumba terpaksa memperlahankan jentera jadi saya menggunakan peluang ini untuk memecut dan memenangi perlumbaan. Mudah-mudahan saya berjaya memenangi Perlumbaan 2 esok,” jelas Gupita.

Gupita unggul di tangga teratas dengan 131 mata manakala pelumba Malaysia, Norizman Ismail (Harian Metro Y-TEQ SCK Honda Racing) yang menamatkan saingan di tempat kesembilan kekal di tangga kedua dengan mengumpul 93 mata sambil dicabar rapat Ferlando Herdian (BKMS Indonesia Racing Team) ketiga, 91 mata.

Perlumbaan 2 ARRC bagi kesemua kategori akan berlangsung pada 30 Ogos 2015.

Keputusan

Results

SuperSports 600cc

Perlumbaan 1

1.Yuki Takahashi (Honda) 26’43.824s 2.Ratthapong Wilairot (Honda) 26’50.395s 3.Tomoyoshi Koyama (Honda) 26’53.201s 4.Ahmad Yudhistira (Kawasaki) 27’01.009s 5.Yuki Ito (Yamaha) 27’01.042s

 

Asia Production 250cc

Perlumbaan 1

1.Nakarin Athiratphuvapat (Honda) 19’50.293s 2.Apiwat Wongthananon (Honda) 19’50.396s 3.Takehiro Yamamoto (Kawasaki) 19’57.416s 4.Sitthisak Onchawiang (Honda) 19’59.744s 5.Ayumu Tanaka (Yamaha) 20’00.149s

 

Underbone 130cc

Perlumbaan 1

1.Gupita Kresna (Kawasaki) 17’36.077s 2.Fareez Afeez (Yamaha) 17’36.286s 3.Azam Omar (Yamaha) 17’36.377s 4.Anggi Permana (Yamaha) 17’36.601s 5.Ahmad Fazrul Sham (Yamaha) 17’36.659s

SS600 - P1 Yuki Takahashi P2 Ratthapong Wilairot P3 Tomoyoshi Koyama

YUKI WINS SUPERSPORTS RACE 1 AT CHANG CIRCUIT

Yuki Takahashi clinched his third win for the season after he won Race 1 of the SuperSports 600cc category in Round 4 of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship in Thailand on Saturday.

The Musashi Boon Siew Honda Racing rider who grabbed pole earlier today effortlessly fended off resistance from Ratthapong Wilairot (AP Honda Racing Thailand) and Tomoyoshi Koyama (T.Pro Yuzy Honda NTS) in the opening lap before pulling away from the pack, eventually completing the 16-lap race with a comfortable 6.571 seconds advantage in 26’43.824s.

Ratthapong recovered from an early mistake that saw him run wide in the opening lap at turn 3 to finish second with 26’50.395s while championship leader, Koyama completed the podium in third place, 26’53.201s.

Rounding up top five were Yudhistira (Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki) and Yuki Ito (PETRONAS Hong Leong Yamaha).

“I had a good feeling with the bike and I’m glad it continued today through the qualifying and race. I had to battle Ratthapong and Koyama in  the beginning but once ahead I just concentrated on opening a gap. Nevertheless, I’m happy to win here and thanks to the team for preparing a competitive bike,” said Yuki.

The former Moto2 rider added, “Tomorrow we have another race and I think it will be even more challenging. I anticipate Ratthapong and Koyama will be faster and they will push very hard to win. So I have to be careful and step up my game for Race 2.”

Meanwhile AP Honda Racing Thailand gave their local supporters something to shout about when poleman, Nakarin Athiratphuvapat and Apiwat Wongthananon took a one-two finish in the Asia Production 250cc.

The Thai duo proved unbeatable on their home track as they dominated the 10-lap race. But in the last lap, in a desperate attempt to win, Apiwat took a risky move and dove inside of Nakarin and came into contact at the final turn, forcing the latter to run wide.

Nakarin not willing to let his maiden victory slip away regained control of his Honda and powered it across the finish line first in 19’50.293s, 0.103 seconds ahead of Apiwat with 19’50.396s.

Takehiro Yamamoto (Kawasaki) got caught up in a battle with Sitthisak Onchawiang and Ayumu Tanaka (YellowCorn Akeno Speed Racing) but eventually finished third in 19’57.416s, 7.123 seconds adrift the winner.

“This is my first victory in the AP250 and I’m very glad to achieve it at my home track in front of my sponsors and local supporters. I will cherish this moment forever. As for the race, it was very tough although I had to battle Apiwat for most parts. But things got quite intense in the last lap when we came into contact heading into the final turn. My rear tyre almost gave in but I held on the throttle and pushed for the finish line,” said Nakarin.

Separately, Kawasaki’s Gupita Kresna won Race 1 of the Underbone 130cc to stretch his championship lead to 131 points.

The Manual Tech KYT Rextor rider claimed his second win for the season in a frantic battle that saw him slip from seventh to first in the final turn, completing the 8-lap race in 17’36.077s.

ARRC newcomer, Fareez Afeez made his team, Felda PB Racing proud as he secured his first podium finish after three rounds in 17’36.286s with Azam Omar (PETRONAS Hong Leong Yamaha) rounding off the top three.

Poleman, Wahyu Aji Trilaksana (Faito Factory Racing) retired with three laps remaining due to technical difficulties.

“I’m very happy to win for a second time this season. Elly Idzlianizar Ilias (Harian Metro Y-TEQ SCK Honda Racing) made a mistake at the last turn and slowed everybody down. I took this opportunity to dive from the inside and speed off. All in all it was a great race but difficult and dangerous as Wahyu ignored the flags calling him to pit in. Hopefully we can get another win for Race 2,” said Gupita.

 

Results

SuperSports 600cc

Race 1

1.Yuki Takahashi (Honda) 26’43.824s 2.Ratthapong Wilairot (Honda) 26’50.395s 3.Tomoyoshi Koyama (Honda) 26’53.201s 4.Ahmad Yudhistira (Kawasaki) 27’01.009s 5.Yuki Ito (Yamaha) 27’01.042s

 

Asia Production 250cc

Race 1

1.Nakarin Athiratphuvapat (Honda) 19’50.293s 2.Apiwat Wongthananon (Honda) 19’50.396s 3.Takehiro Yamamoto (Kawasaki) 19’57.416s 4.Sitthisak Onchawiang (Honda) 19’59.744s 5.Ayumu Tanaka (Yamaha) 20’00.149s

 

Underbone 130cc

Race 1

1.Gupita Kresna (Kawasaki) 17’36.077s 2.Fareez Afeez (Yamaha) 17’36.286s 3.Azam Omar (Yamaha) 17’36.377s 4.Anggi Permana (Yamaha) 17’36.601s 5.Ahmad Fazrul Sham (Yamaha) 17’36.659s

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