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Franco Morbidelli in PETRONAS Sepang Racing Team for Endurance World Championship Round at Sepang

  • MotoGP rider Franco Morbidelli will join the PETRONAS Sepang Racing Team squad for the FIM Endurance World Championship round in Sepang International Circuit.

  • He will join two other riders namely Hafizh Syahrin and four-time Suzuka 8 Hour endurance winner Michael van der Mark.

  • The round will take place from 13th to 15th December 2019.

MotoGP rider Franco Morbidelli will join the PETRONAS Sepang Racing Team squad for the FIM Endurance World Championship round in Sepang International Circuit.

Morbidelli’s draft ends months of speculation that he will be one of the riders for the Sepang stint. He will join two other riders namely Hafizh Syahrin and four-time Suzuka 8 Hour endurance winner Michael van der Mark.

The squad will be supported by the YART Yamaha EWC squad who were former winners of the EWC. As such, the three riders will play their parts in riding the Yamaha YZF-R1.

The 2020 EWC opens with the Bol D’or in France before heading to Sepang for the second round from 13th to 15th December 2019. However, the Sepang round has a large significance to the EWC as it will form the qualifying round for “irregular” EWC teams to qualify for the Suzuka 8 Hour race.

Additionally, the race also features an FIA World Touring Car Cup round back-to-back.

Morbidelli expressed his concerns about riding in an endurance race. “I’m curious to see how an endurance race format suits me, and am really looking forward to it.”

Team Principal Dato’ Ahmad Razlan Ahmad Razali is confident about the team’s prospects given the two MotoGP riders in addition to a multiple Suzuka 8 Hour winner. “We have faith that Franco, Michael, Hafizh and YART will deliver and we’re targeting the very top step of the podium.”

Source: PETRONAS Sepang Racing Team

Wahid's lust for motorcycles was spurred on by his late-Dad's love for his Lambretta on which he courted, married his mother, and took baby Wahid riding on it. He has since worked in the motorcycle and automotive industry for many years, before taking up riding courses and testing many, many motorcycles since becoming a motojournalist. Wahid likes to see things differently. What can you say about a guy who sees a road safety message in AC/DC's "Highway to Hell."

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