Yuki Takahashi menamatkan pusingan kelima Kejuaraan Motosikal Asia FIM (ARRC) dengan rekod membanggakan apabila meraih kemenangan kelima berturut-turut pada musim ini dalam kategori SuperSports 600cc yang berakhir di Litar Antarabangsa Losail, Qatar, hari ini.
Selepas memenangi Perlumbaan 1 semalam, pelumba Musashi Boon Siew Honda itu bersendirian melintasi garisan penamat dengan masa 31’18.704s, 9.196s dihadapan Ahmad Yudhistira (Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki) yang berjaya memberikan tentangan sengit di awal perlumbaan sebelum mengalami masalah tayar pada baki lima pusingan terakhir.
Yudhistira menamatkan 15 pusingan perlumbaan dengan masa 31’27.900s manakala Tomoyoshi Koyama (T.Pro Yuzy Honda NTS) yang mengalami kecederaan bahu setelah terjatuh pada Perlumbaan 1 berada di tempat ketiga sekaligus masih berupaya memberikan tentangan dalam perebutan gelaran jiara keselurihan.
Koyama menamatkan perlumbaan dengan masa 31’38.809s.
Bagaimanapun tugas sukar menanti Koyama setelah kemenangan ini meletakkan Takahashi semakin mendekati gelaran keseluruhan dengan mengumpul 177 mata, 44 mata mendahului Koyama yang mengumpul 133 mata manakala Yudhistira ketiga dengan 123 mata.
Malah, kemenangan berganda Takahashi di litar sepanjang 5.380 kilometer ini telah membantu pasukan Musashi Boon Siew Honda mempertahankan kedudukan sebagai pasukan terbaik buat musim keempat berturut-turut.
“Perlumbaan 2 lebih sukar. Saya mahu menggunakan kelebihan bermula dari petak pertama untuk menjarakkan diri dari awal perlumbaan namun gagal. Koyama pula bermula dengan baik sekali dan hanya pada pusingan kedua barulah saya dapat mendahului perlumbaan namun jarak dengan pelumba kelompok hadapan sangat rapat. Saya tidak mahu mengambil sebarang risiko jadi saya cuba bertahan dan menutup ruang dengan baik mengelak daripada dipintas Yudhistira, ” jelas Takahashi.
“Saya gembira dengan dua kemenangan di sini dan turut gembira kerana membantu pasukan mempertahankan gelaran buat musim keempat berturut-turut. Kami seakan tidak percaya dan sangat berpuas hati dengan prestasi jentera dan sememangnya kami layak dengan kejayaan ini,” tambahnya.
Sementara itu Takehiro Yamamoto turut mengikut jejak langkah Takahashi dengan meraih kemenangan berganda bagi kategori Asia Production 250cc.
Pelumba Trickstar Racing itu berhadapan tentangan sengit dari awal perlumbaan bersama duo AP Honda Racing Thailand, Apiwat Wongthananon dan Nakarin Athiratphuvapat serta Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin (Yamaha Finson Racing) sebelum mencatat kemenangan dengan masa 21’54.699s.
Namun begitu, keputusan mengejutkan dilakukan oleh Kasma Daniel apabila pelumba muda itu berjaya berada di kelompok hadapan sepanjang perlumbaan untuk muncul sebagai naib juara dengan masa 21’54.699s diikuti Apiwat ketiga, 21’54.813s.
Dengan 50 mata yang diraih, Takehiro kini mendahului kedudukan keseluruhan dengan 186 mata, 25 mata mengatasi Apiwat manakala Nakarin di tangga ketiga dengan 146 mata.
Sementara itu, Gupita Kresna (Manual Tech KYT Rextor) telah dinobatkan selaku juara keseluruhan Underbone 130cc buat kali kedua berturut-turut sekalipun sekadar tamat di kedudukan keempat yang menyaksikan perlumban dimenangi oleh Ahmad Fazrul Sham dengan masa 18’13.062s, juga kemenangan pertama pada musim 2015 buat pelumba Horse Oil William Racing itu.
Jumlah 13 mata yang dipungut meletakkan Gupita di tangga teratas dengan 184 mata, 59 mata mengatasi Ferlando Herdian (BKMS Indonesia Racing Team) yang berada di tangga kedua dengan hanya 50 mata maksimum menanti pada pusingan terakhir di Thailand, Disember nanti.
Sementara itu, aksi perlumbaan akhir menyaksikan tempat kedua dan ketiga turut menjadi milik pelumba Malaysia dengan Sasitharen Sukumaran (T.Pro Yuzy Honda NTS) muncul naib juara diikuti Fareez Afeez (Felda PB Racing) di tempat ketiga, masing-masing dengan masa 18’13.437s dan 18’13.465s.
Keputusan
SuperSports 600cc
Perlumbaan 2
1.Yuki Takahashi (Honda) 31’18.704s 2.Ahmad Yudhistira (Kawasaki) 31’27.900s 3.Tomoyoshi Koyama (Honda) 31’38.809s 4.Zaqhwan Zaidi (Honda) 31’38.830s 5.Jakkrit Swangswat (Honda) 31’38.949s
Kedudukan Keseluruhan
1.Yuki Takahashi (Honda) 177 mata 2.Tomoyoshi Koyama (Honda) 133 mata 3.Ahmad Yudhistira (Kawasaki) 123 mata 4.Yuki Ito (Yamaha) 101 mata 5.Dimas Ekky (Honda) 88 mata
Anugerah Berpasukan
1.Musashi Boon Siew Honda Racing 193 mata 2.T.Pro Yuzy Honda NTS 133 mata 3.Astra Honda Racing Team 128 mata 4.Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki 123 mata 5.PETRONAS Hong Leong Yamaha 105 mata
Asia Production 250cc
Perlumbaan 2
1.Takehiro Yamamoto (Kawasaki) 21’54.648s 2.Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin (Yamaha) 21’54.699s 3.Apiwat Wongthananon (Honda) 21’54.813s 4.Peerapong Boonlert (Yamaha) 21’54.860s 5.Nakarin Athiratphuvapat (Honda) 21’55.108s
Kedudukan Keseluruhan
- Takehiro Yamamoto (Kawasaki) 186 mata 2.Apiwat Wongthananon (Honda) 161 mata 3.Nakarin Athiratphuvapat (Honda) 146 mata 4.Ayumu Tanaka (Yamaha) 85 mata 5.Vorapong Malahuan (Honda) 82 mata
Anugerah Berpasukan
1.AP Honda Racing Thailand 192 mata 2.TRICKSTAR Racing 186 mata 3.Yellowcorn Akeno Speed Racing 85 mata 4.Yamaha Factory Racing Indonesia 73 mata 5.Yamaha Thailand Racing Team 60 mata
Underbone 130cc
Perlumbaan 2
1.Ahmad Fazrul Sham (Yamaha) 18’13.062s 2.Sasitharen Sukumaran (Honda) 18’13.437s 3.Fareez Afeez (Yamaha) 18’13.465s 4.Gupita Kresna (Kawasaki) 18’13.476s 5.Amirul Ariff Musa (Honda) 18’13.496s
Kedudukan Keseluruhan
1.Gupita Kresna (Kawasaki) 184 mata 2.Ferlando Herdian (Yamaha) 125 mata 3.Norizman Ismail (Honda) 124 mata 4.Ahmad Fazrul Sham (Yamaha) 81 mata 5.Fareez Afeez (Yamaha) 81 mata
Anugerah Berpasukan
1.Manual Tech KYT Rextor 184 mata 2.Harian Metro Y-TEQ SCK Honda Racing 131 mata 3.BKMS Indonesia Racing Team 125 mata 4.T.Pro Yuzy Honda NTS 115 mata 5.Felda PB Racing 105 mata
YUKI TAKAHASHI MAKES IT FIVE IN A ROW IN QATAR
Musashi Boon Siew Honda Racing’s Yuki Takahashi wrapped up the penultimate round of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship on a high as he bagged his fifth consecutive win in Race 2 of the SuperSports 600cc category at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar.
The poleman eased to victory after closest challenger, Yudhistira (Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki) lost pace due to worn out tyres with five laps remaining while title contender, Tomoyoshi Koyama (T.Pro Yuzy Honda NTS) struggled with a shoulder injury sustained in yesterday’s race.
Yuki rounded up the gruelling 15-lap battle in 31’18.704s, 9.196 seconds ahead of Yudhistira in second place with 31’27.900s.
Koyama who could only put out a strong pace in the first five laps rode through his pain and finished third with 31’38.809s to keep his championship hopes alive.
With this win, Yuki extended his point tally to 177 points, 44 points ahead of Tomoyoshi Koyama (T.Pro Yuzy Honda NTS) followed by Yudhistira third with 123 points.
His victory at the 5.380 kilometre circuit also meant that Musashi Boon Siew Honda Racing have successfully retain the SuperSports 600cc Team Award for a fourth consecutive year with 193 points.
“Race 2 was very difficult. I wanted to take advantage of my pole position to steal the holeshot and pull away quickly but Koyama had an amazing start. It was only in the second lap that I managed to get in front but even so, everybody was still quite close. I didn’t want to take any risk so I kept a steady pace and tried my best to hold off Yudhistira,” commented Yuki on the race.
“I am proud to take another double win and I am very happy that we succeeded to defend the Best Team Award four years running. It‘s been an unbelievable year from the results to the performance of the bike and this victory is well deserved,” he added.
Meanwhile Takehiro Yamamoto took his second victory in Race 2 of the Asia Production 250cc.
The Trickstar Racing rider endured a race-long battle with AP Honda Racing Thailand duo, Apiwat Wongthananon, Nakarin Athiratphuvapat and Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin (Yamaha Finson Racing) before he got the best of his rivals to cross the finish line first in 21’54.699s.
The real surprise however came in the form of Kasma Daniel who rocket his way from fifth row to become a constant feature in the front group, eventually completing the race second with 21’54.699s followed by Apiwat third, 21’54.813s.
Hauling 50 points from this leg, Takehiro heads into the final round in Thailand with 186 points, 25 points ahead of Apiwat with Nakarin trailing in third, 146 points.
Lastly Gupita Kresna won the Underbone 130cc title for a second year running while Ahmad Fazrul Sham produced a master class ride to win Race 2.
The Indonesian rider finished fourth to bring his championship lead to 184 points, an unassailable 59-point advantage over title challengers, Ferlando Herdian (BKMS Indonesia Racing Team) and Norizman Ismail (Harian Metro Y-TEQ SCK Honda Racing) with two races remaining.
The 11 points from Race 2 was also enough for Gupita to help Manual Tech KYT Rextor seal the Underbone 130cc team award as well.
Horseoil Williams Racing Team’s Fazrul Sham who could not escape the pack left it to the final lap to take charge of the field and his gamble paid off when he crossed the finish line first to claim his maiden win for the season in 18’13.062s.
Fazrul was flanked by compatriots, Sasitharen Sukumaran (T.Pro Yuzy Honda NTS) anad Fareez Afeez (Felda PB Racing) who rounded up the 7-lap race in 18’13.437s and 18’13.465s respectively, making it an all-Malaysian affair.
Results
SuperSports 600cc
Race 2
1.Yuki Takahashi (Honda) 31’18.704s 2.Ahmad Yudhistira (Kawasaki) 31’27.900s 3.Tomoyoshi Koyama (Honda) 31’38.809s 4.Zaqhwan Zaidi (Honda) 31’38.830s 5.Jakkrit Swangswat (Honda) 31’38.949s
Overall Standings
1.Yuki Takahashi (Honda) 177 points 2.Tomoyoshi Koyama (Honda) 133 points 3.Ahmad Yudhistira (Kawasaki) 123 points 4.Yuki Ito (Yamaha) 101 points 5.Dimas Ekky (Honda) 88 points
Team Awards
1.Musashi Boon Siew Honda Racing 193 points 2.T.Pro Yuzy Honda NTS 133 points 3.Astra Honda Racing Team 128 points 4.Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki 123 points 5.PETRONAS Hong Leong Yamaha 105 points
Asia Production 250cc
Race 2
1.Takehiro Yamamoto (Kawasaki) 21’54.648s 2.Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin (Yamaha) 21’54.699s 3.Apiwat Wongthananon (Honda) 21’54.813s 4.Peerapong Boonlert (Yamaha) 21’54.860s 5.Nakarin Athiratphuvapat (Honda) 21’55.108s
Overall Standings
- Takehiro Yamamoto (Kawasaki) 186 points 2.Apiwat Wongthananon (Honda) 161 points 3.Nakarin Athiratphuvapat (Honda) 146 points 4.Ayumu Tanaka (Yamaha) 85 points 5.Vorapong Malahuan (Honda) 82 points
Team Awards
1.AP Honda Racing Thailand 192 points 2.TRICKSTAR Racing 186 points 3.Yellowcorn Akeno Speed Racing 85 points 4.Yamaha Factory Racing Indonesia 73 points 5.Yamaha Thailand Racing Team 60 points
Underbone 130cc
Race 2
1.Ahmad Fazrul Sham (Yamaha) 18’13.062s 2.Sasitharen Sukumaran (Honda) 18’13.437s 3.Fareez Afeez (Yamaha) 18’13.465s 4.Gupita Kresna (Kawasaki) 18’13.476s 5.Amirul Ariff Musa (Honda) 18’13.496s
Overall Standings
1.Gupita Kresna (Kawasaki) 184 points 2.Ferlando Herdian (Yamaha) 125 points 3.Norizman Ismail (Honda) 124 points 4.Ahmad Fazrul Sham (Yamaha) 81 points 5.Fareez Afeez (Yamaha) 81 points
Team Awards
1.Manual Tech KYT Rextor 184 points 2.Harian Metro Y-TEQ SCK Honda Racing 131 points 3.BKMS Indonesia Racing Team 125 points 4.T.Pro Yuzy Honda NTS 115 points 5.Felda PB Racing 105 points
