Syahrin stamps authority on Sepang ARRC opener as Epis fights back

5 days ago 7

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Round One – Sepang, Malaysia

The opening round of the 2026 Asia Road Racing Championship at Sepang quickly established a familiar theme in the premier class, with Hafizh Syahrin controlling the ASB1000 contest from the outset and rarely looking under serious threat across the weekend on the Ducati.

The Malaysian set the pace in practice, carried that form into the races, and left Sepang with a double victory that underlined both his own comfort at the front and the strength of the JDT Racing Team package. Behind him, however, the weekend was far more fluid, with Keito Abe, Andi Farid Izdihar, Zaqhwan Zaidi and the Australian contingent all featuring in a premier-class contest that had more depth than the final margins might suggest.

ASB1000

Syahrin had shown his hand early by topping combined practice on the JDT Ducati with a best lap of 2m05.549s, and that pace translated directly into race trim. Once the lights went out in Race One, he was immediately in command, broke the field early, and then managed the gap with the sort of composure expected of a defending champion.

Behind him, the story was more complicated. Lachlan Epis had shown enough speed through practice to suggest he could be a factor, and he was right in the fight early in Race One before misfortune intervened.

That left Syahrin free to disappear up the road while Keito Abe (SDG HARC-Pro Honda Philippines) emerged as the closest challenger, eventually taking second, with Andi Farid Izdihar (JDT Ducati) climbing strongly late to complete the podium.

Race Two followed a similar pattern at the front. Syahrin again controlled the tempo, again had the pace to break the field, and again left the rest to sort out the minor placings behind him. Abe and Andi resumed their battle from the previous day, with Andi briefly appearing set to lock out a JDT one-two before Abe stole second back by the barest of margins on the run to the flag.

It was another dominant performance in race two for Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah

Lachlan Epis remained one of the more notable stories of the weekend despite the result sheet only telling part of it. After showing early speed and enduring a disrupted first race, the Australian regrouped for Sunday and ran as high as second before the weekend’s physical toll began to bite. Even so, sixth in Race Two represented a resilient salvage job and at least gave the Swift Grow Racing Team something more solid to carry forward to Buriram.

Anthony West’s weekend also had a transitional feel to it. The veteran was reacquainting himself with the MotoGo Yamaha YZF-R1M after recently racing the DesmoSport Ducati V4 R in ASBK, so Sepang was as much about rebuilding feel with the Yamaha package as it was about chasing a headline result. In a class where Syahrin was setting a ruthless benchmark, that adaptation phase was always going to be a significant part of the story for West and his team.

What Sepang did make clear is that Syahrin is the rider everyone else must now chase. He topped practice, won both races, and looked the most settled rider in the class at every stage of the weekend. Abe was consistently strong, Andi finished both races on the podium, and Epis showed enough pace to suggest more is possible once the weekend runs cleanly, but the ASB1000 opener belonged to Syahrin.

ASB 1000 Race One Results

Pos

Rider

Bike

Time/Gap

1	H. Syahrin	Duc	29m32.797
2	K. Abe	Hon	+4.026
3	A. F. Izdihar	Duc	+5.291
4	A. H. Anuar	Hon	+7.899
5	M. Z. Zaidi	Hon	+11.581
6	N. Atiratphuvat	Hon	+16.469
7	M. A. Putra	Hon	+20.478
8	R. Sessler	BMW	+22.893
9	A. Nordin	Suz	+25.330
10	K. Watanabe	Apr	+34.332
11	A. West	Yam	+35.036
12	J. Francis	Yam	+1m02.002
13	M. F. A. Wahaf	BMW	+2m00.559
14	C. Q. Rong	BMW	1 Lap
DNF	L. Epis	BMW	DNF

ASB 1000 Race Two Results

Pos

Rider

Bike

Time/Gap

1	H. Syahrin	Duc	29m35.664
2	K. Abe	Hon	+4.779
3	A. F. Izdihar	Duc	+4.785
4	M. Z. Zaidi	Hon	+7.738
5	A. H. Anuar	Hon	+7.859
6	L. Epis	BMW	+14.623
7	M. A. Putra	Hon	+14.700
8	A. Nordin	Suz	+27.296
9	R. Sessler	BMW	+29.266
10	A. West	Yam	+33.056
11	K. Watanabe	Apr	+33.236
12	J. Francis	Yam	+47.296
13	N. Atiratphuvat	Hon	+59.875
DNF	C. Q. Rong	BMW	DNF
DNF	M. F. A. Wahaf	BMW	DNF

ASB 1000 Points


Pos	Rider	Bike	Total
1	H. Syahrin	Duc	50
2	K. Abe	Hon	40
3	A. F. Izdihar	Duc	32
4	M. Z. Zaidi	Hon	24
5	A. H. Anuar	Hon	24
6	M. A. Putra	Hon	18
7	A. Nordin	Suz	15
8	R. Sessler	BMW	15
9	N. Atiratphuvat	Hon	13
10	A. West	Yam	11
11	K. Watanabe	Apr	11
12	L. Epis	BMW	10
13	J. Francis	Yam	8
14	M. F. A. Wahaf	BMW	3
15	C. Q. Rong	BMW	2
16	T. Yew Joe	BMW

SS600

SS600 delivered a split result and, in many ways, a more open contest than the premier class. Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin (Yamaha YZF-R6) had topped combined practice, but Race One went the way of Muhammad Helmi Azman (Honda CBR600RR) after a tense contest in which the lead changed hands before Helmi took control and held firm under heavy pressure to the finish.

Race Two then swung back toward Kasma, who made his move early, found the pace to establish control, and turned his home round into a victory of his own. Helmi followed him home in second, while Thanat Laoongplio (Honda CBR600RR) completed the podium.

That split between Helmi and Kasma leaves the class looking nicely poised heading to the next round. Both have already shown they have the speed to win, while Khairul Idham Pawi, Anupab Sarmoon, Herjun Atna Firdaus and Wahyu Nugroho all had moments that suggested the season will not become a two-man affair.

SS600 Race One Results

Pos

Rider

Bike

Time/Gap

1	M. H. Azman	Hon	21m58.392
2	A. Sarmoon	Yam	+0.293
3	H. A. Firdaus	Hon	+3.980
4	W. Nugroho	Yam	+4.202
5	M. K. Paz	Yam	+6.172
6	F. A. Aditama	Hon	+6.566
7	K. D. Kasmayudin	Yam	+6.779
8	T. Laoongplio	Hon	+7.416
9	M. I. Ikmal	Yam	+32.589
10	D. E. Pratama	Hon	+34.952
DNF	K. I. Pawi	Hon	DNF
DNF	Z. Tianhao	Yam	DNF
DNF	K. Tanachot	Hon	DNF
DNS	M. F. Toreqottullah	Yam	DNS

SS600 Race Two Results


Pos	Rider	Bike	Time/Gap
1	K. D. Kasmayudin	Yam	21m59.305
2	M. H. Azman	Hon	+1.442
3	T. Laoongplio	Hon	+2.923
4	M. K. Paz	Yam	+8.192
5	F. A. Aditama	Hon	+9.852
6	W. Nugroho	Yam	+10.245
7	H. A. Firdaus	Hon	+10.249
8	K. I. Pawi	Hon	+18.000
9	M. F. Toreqottullah	Yam	+18.914
10	K. Tanachot	Hon	+22.355
11	D. E. Pratama	Hon	+38.588
12	A. Sarmoon	Yam	+2m20.154
13	Z. Tianhao	Yam	1 Lap
14	M. I. Ikmal	Yam	1 Lap

SS600 Points


Pos	Rider	Bike	Total
1	M. H. Azman	Hon	45
2	K. D. Kasmayudin	Yam	34
3	H. A. Firdaus	Hon	25
4	A. Sarmoon	Yam	24
5	T. Laoongplio	Hon	24
6	M. K. Paz	Yam	24
7	W. Nugroho	Yam	23
8	F. A. Aditama	Hon	21
9	D. E. Pratama	Hon	11
10	M. I. Ikmal	Yam	9
11	K. I. Pawi	Hon	8
12	M. F. Toreqottullah	Yam	7
13	K. Tanachot	Hon	6
14	Z. Tianhao	Yam	3

AP250

AP250 was ultimately the domain of Krittapat Keankum. The Thai rider had already headed combined practice and then converted that pace into a polished double, though the two wins came in very different ways.

Race One was a frantic, last-lap affair that only really settled when Krittapat kept his nerve while others around him faltered in the final metres. Race Two was far more emphatic. Once he hit the front, the Yamaha Thailand rider built a margin, controlled the rhythm and turned the second outing into a statement win.

A hard-fought second and third in the two races for riders such as Gerry Salim, Md Danial Syahmi Ahmad Shahril, Rheza Danica Ahrens and Candra H reinforced how competitive the class remains, but Sepang still ended with Krittapat as the clear early benchmark.

AP250 Race One Results

Pos

Rider

Bike

Time/Gap

1	K. Keankum	Yam	19m32.842
2	G. Salim	Hon	+0.269
3	M. D. S. Ahmad Shahril	Yam	+0.329
4	P. Chitwirulchat	Hon	+0.395
5	R. D. Ahrens	Hon	+0.597
6	N. N. V. Tuan	Hon	+0.665
7	A. Iyoshi	Hon	+1.556
8	P. Luiboonpeng	Yam	+2.109
9	N. H. Tri	Hon	+2.767
10	T. Tubtim	Yam	+3.172
11	T. Saito	Hon	+4.698
12	G. H. Pratama	Yam	+4.994
13	M. I. H. Amidi	Hon	+5.232
14	A. A. Ismaya	Yam	+6.118
15	G. Ziang	Yam	+7.124
16	S. Juntong	Yam	+7.125
17	C. J. Solis	Hon	+35.879
18	L. N. Tse	Yam	+42.975
19	C. Villanueva	Yam	+43.356
20	S. C. Zhang	Kaw	+50.417
21	K. Rajini	Yam	+51.391
22	S. Yokoyama	Yam	+53.295
23	S. Rajiv	Hon	+1m33.243
DNF	M. B. Ayatullah	Hon	DNF
DNF	F. Basam	Yam	DNF
DNF	U. Calatayud Pascual	Kaw	DNF
DNF	C. H	Yam	DNF
DNF	R. Takahira	Yam	DNF
DNF	M. F. Musyavi	Yam	DNF
DNF	M. J. Juraimi	Yam	DNF

AP250 Race Two Results


Pos	Rider	Bike	Time/Gap
1	K. Keankum	Yam	19m33.870
2	R. D. Ahrens	Hon	+5.042
3	C. H	Yam	+5.118
4	P. Chitwirulchat	Hon	+5.138
5	M. F. Musyavi	Yam	+5.158
6	R. Takahira	Yam	+5.174
7	G. H. Pratama	Yam	+5.695
8	P. Luiboonpeng	Yam	+8.718
9	G. Salim	Hon	+8.764
10	N. N. V. Tuan	Hon	+10.906
11	M. D. S. Ahmad Shahril	Yam	+10.971
12	N. H. Tri	Hon	+11.195
13	A. Iyoshi	Hon	+11.605
14	A. A. Ismaya	Yam	+19.329
15	T. Saito	Hon	+24.377
16	U. Calatayud Pascual	Kaw	+25.734
17	M. I. H. Amidi	Hon	+30.029
18	S. Juntong	Yam	+30.258
19	F. Basam	Yam	+35.529
20	G. Ziang	Yam	+35.920
21	M. J. Juraimi	Yam	+35.962
22	K. Rajini	Yam	+38.261
23	S. Yokoyama	Yam	+49.404
24	S. C. Zhang	Kaw	+1m01.837
25	L. N. Tse	Yam	+1m03.045
26	C. Villanueva	Yam	+1m11.647
27	S. Rajiv	Hon	+1m34.525
DNF	T. Tubtim	Yam	DNF
DNF	C. J. Solis	Hon	DNF

AP250 Points


Pos	Rider	Bike	Total
1	K. Keankum	Yam	50
2	R. D. Ahrens	Hon	31
3	G. Salim	Hon	27
4	P. Chitwirulchat	Hon	26
5	M. D. S. Ahmad Shahril	Yam	21
6	C. H	Yam	16
7	N. N. V. Tuan	Hon	16
8	P. Luiboonpeng	Yam	16
9	G. H. Pratama	Yam	13
10	A. Iyoshi	Hon	12
11	M. F. Musyavi	Yam	11
12	N. H. Tri	Hon	11
13	R. Takahira	Yam	10
14	T. Tubtim	Yam	6
15	T. Saito	Hon	6
16	A. A. Ismaya	Yam	4
17	M. I. H. Amidi	Hon	3
18	G. Ziang	Yam	1
19	L. N. Tse	Yam
20	S. Juntong	Yam
21	C. J. Solis	Hon
22	C. Villanueva	Yam
23	S. C. Zhang	Kaw
24	M. B. Ayatullah	Hon
25	U. Calatayud Pascual	Kaw
26	M. J. Juraimi	Yam
27	S. Rajiv	Hon
28	S. Yokoyama	Yam
29	K. Rajini	Yam
30	F. Basam	Yam

UB150

UB150 was predictably chaotic from start to finish.

Race One went to Gupita Kresna Wardhana, who timed his final-lap charge perfectly to steal victory in a finish so tight that Dimas Juli Atmoko missed out by just two thousandths of a second. Husni Zainul Fuadzy added to the ZIEAR squad’s strong start by taking third.

Race Two then flipped again, with Husni turning the tables in a rain-affected thriller. In typical UB150 fashion, the leading group remained tightly stacked almost throughout before the race was decided in the final corner, where Husni found a way through to beat April King Mascardo and Aqshal Ilham Safatulah.

If the opening weekend is any guide, UB150 will once again be the category where prediction counts for very little and track position only really matters at the flag.

UB150 Race One Results


Pos	Rider	Bike	Time/Gap
1	K. Keankum	Yam	19m33.870
2	R. D. Ahrens	Hon	+5.042
3	C. H	Yam	+5.118
4	P. Chitwirulchat	Hon	+5.138
5	M. F. Musyavi	Yam	+5.158
6	R. Takahira	Yam	+5.174
7	G. H. Pratama	Yam	+5.695
8	P. Luiboonpeng	Yam	+8.718
9	G. Salim	Hon	+8.764
10	N. N. V. Tuan	Hon	+10.906
11	M. D. S. Ahmad Shahril	Yam	+10.971
12	N. H. Tri	Hon	+11.195
13	A. Iyoshi	Hon	+11.605
14	A. A. Ismaya	Yam	+19.329
15	T. Saito	Hon	+24.377
16	U. Calatayud Pascual	Kaw	+25.734
17	M. I. H. Amidi	Hon	+30.029
18	S. Juntong	Yam	+30.258
19	F. Basam	Yam	+35.529
20	G. Ziang	Yam	+35.920
21	M. J. Juraimi	Yam	+35.962
22	K. Rajini	Yam	+38.261
23	S. Yokoyama	Yam	+49.404
24	S. C. Zhang	Kaw	+1m01.837
25	L. N. Tse	Yam	+1m03.045
26	C. Villanueva	Yam	+1m11.647
27	S. Rajiv	Hon	+1m34.525
DNF	T. Tubtim	Yam	DNF
DNF	C. J. Solis	Hon	DNF

UB150 Race Two Results


Pos	Rider	Bike	Time/Gap
1	H. Z. Fuadzy	Yam	17m10.568
2	A. K. Mascardo	Yam	+0.114
3	A. I. Safatulah	Yam	+0.170
4	S. S. Shahrol Yuzy	Hon	+0.372
5	M. S. Helsinki	Yam	+0.384
6	M. A. A. Mohd Hisam	Yam	+0.564
7	A. Fauzi	Hon	+1.032
8	J. E. Inguito	Yam	+1.085
9	G. K. Wardhana	Yam	+1.260
10	M. S. Rasol	Yam	+11.674
11	A. D. Ahmad Sahir	Hon	+11.778
12	M. S. Sauki	Yam	+12.722
13	F. Rigani	Yam	+17.309
14	W. A. Trilaksana	Yam	+17.309
15	T. J. K. Rojas	Yam	+17.842
16	R. Odding	Yam	+30.129
17	A. F. Sham	Yam	+42.286
DNF	K. S. Manurung	Hon	DNF
DNF	D. J. Atmoko	Yam	DNF
DNF	N. I. M. Bahauddin	Yam	DNF
DNF	M. A. Supaat	Vog	DNF
DNF	M. M. Mohamed	Vog	DNF

UB150 Points


Pos	Rider	Bike	Total
1	H. Z. Fuadzy	Yam	41
2	G. K. Wardhana	Yam	32
3	A. K. Mascardo	Yam	22
4	D. J. Atmoko	Yam	20
5	A. I. Safatulah	Yam	19
6	A. Fauzi	Hon	19
7	S. S. Shahrol Yuzy	Hon	17
8	W. A. Trilaksana	Yam	15
9	J. E. Inguito	Yam	14
10	M. S. Sauki	Yam	12
11	F. Rigani	Yam	12
12	R. Odding	Yam	11
13	M. S. Helsinki	Yam	11
14	M. A. A. Mohd Hisam	Yam	11
15	A. D. Ahmad Sahir	Hon	10
16	K. S. Manurung	Hon	7
17	M. S. Rasol	Yam	6
18	T. J. K. Rojas	Yam	1
19	A. F. Sham	Yam
20	M. A. Supaat	Vog
21	N. I. M. Bahauddin	Yam
22	M. M. Mohamed	Vog

TVS Asia

Chavan and Rosli shared the wins while young Australian Tyler King shook off disappointment in race one to forge his way forward from 13th to finish fourth in the second bout.

Nixon Frost carded an 11th place finish in the opening stanza but recorded a DNF in the second bout.

TVS Asia Race One Results


Pos	Rider	Bike	Time/Gap
1	S. Chavan	TVS	14m27.477
2	M. R. Rosli	TVS	+0.044
3	M. H. M. Fairues	TVS	+0.102
4	M. N. Rifqi	TVS	+0.472
5	O. Phiri	TVS	+5.588
6	C. Vishwanath	TVS	+5.656
7	L. Parades	TVS	+5.723
8	R. S. Dave	TVS	+6.051
9	J. A. Lopez C	TVS	+9.853
10	F. A. Priyadi	TVS	+18.079
11	N. K. Frost	TVS	+20.691
12	J. K. Turner	TVS	+23.097
DNF	T. King	TVS	DNF
DNF	L. Miguel	TVS	DNF
DNF	P. Matos	TVS	DNF
DNF	K. Ahamed	TVS	DNF

TVS Asia Race Two Results


Pos	Rider	Bike	Time/Gap
1	M. R. Rosli	TVS	16m03.931
2	S. Chavan	TVS	+8.336
3	L. Miguel	TVS	+12.366
4	T. King	TVS	+12.530
5	O. Phiri	TVS	+13.672
6	M. H. M. Fairues	TVS	+24.684
7	P. Matos	TVS	+34.798
8	J. K. Turner	TVS	+47.897
9	K. Ahamed	TVS	+48.432
10	J. A. Lopez C	TVS	+49.281
DNF	M. N. Rifqi	TVS	DNF
DNF	R. S. Dave	TVS	DNF
DNF	N. K. Frost	TVS	DNF
DNF	C. Vishwanath	TVS	DNF
DNF	F. A. Priyadi	TVS	DNF
DNF	L. Parades	TVS	DNF

TVS Asia Points


Pos	Rider	Bike	Total
1	M. R. Rosli	TVS	45
2	S. Chavan	TVS	45
3	M. H. M. Fairues	TVS	26
4	O. Phiri	TVS	22
5	L. Miguel	TVS	16
6	T. King	TVS	13
7	M. N. Rifqi	TVS	13
8	J. A. Lopez C	TVS	13
9	J. K. Turner	TVS	12
10	C. Vishwanath	TVS	10
11	L. Parades	TVS	9
12	P. Matos	TVS	9
13	R. S. Dave	TVS	8
14	K. Ahamed	TVS	7
15	F. A. Priyadi	TVS	6
16	N. K. Frost	TVS	5