Pelumba Cardinals Racing Team, Ahmad Afif Amran menghadiahkan kemenangan untuk pasukannya apabila mengungguli Perlumbaan 2 kategori UB150 di Buriram pada Ahad.
Bermula di petak keempat ternyata tidak menyekat Afif untuk bersaing dengan kelompok depan dan bignkas menempatkan dirinya di belakang pendahulu selpeas tiga lap.
Afif kemudiannya terus mendahulu perlumbaan di lap keempat dan memulakan asakan untuk membuka jurang di lap kelima.
Dia kemudiannya berjaya mengekalkan kelajuan sehingga ke garisan penamat untuk muncul juara dengan kelebihan tiga saat berbanding pesaing terdekat, Wahyu Aji Trilaksanaka (INA) dari ONEXOX TKKR Racing Team di tempat kedua.
Wakil LFN HP696 Indonesia Racing Team, Murobbil Vithoni melengkapkan podium di tempat ketiga.
Sementara itu, Afif berterima kasih kepada pasukannya yang berkerja keras untuk mensiapkan jentera.
“Pasukan telah berpenat lelah sepanjang minggu untuk memperkemaskan jentera bagi memastikan kami mendapat catatan masa yang baik. Saya sangat gembira dengan keputusan ini,” jelasnya.
Dalam perkembangan lain, kategori SuperSport 600cc (SS600) menghadirkan pencapaian berganda untuk Malaysia apabila Mohd Helmi Azman muncul juara sementara Mohd Ibrahim Mohd Norrodin melengkapkan podium di tempat ketiga.
“Perlumbaan kali ini cukup mencabar, cuba mengekalkan kelajuan sewaktu mengekori Andi (Farid Izdihar). Tetapi apabila peluang itu tiba, saya terus memotong dan kekalkan kelajuan.
“Saya gembira kerana dapat mencatat lap yang baik,” ujarnya.
Pada masa sama, bekas pelumba Moto3 negara, Khairul Idham Pawi menamatkan aksi di tempat kelima dalam aksi sulungnya di pentas perlumbaan kompetitif selepas kembali dari persaraan.
Sawadeekahp! The Thailand MotoGP was voted as the best round in the 2018 season. It was MotoGP’s inaugural round in the country.
At final count, more than 220,000 spectators descended on the Chang International Circuit in Buriram over the event’s three days. It was the highest number of attendances throughout the entire season. It was even more remarkable if you factor in that the little town of Buriram lies in the middle of nowhere. To be exact, the location is some 379km to the east of Bangkok and takes 5 hours to reach by road.
The MotoGP race was won by Marc Marquez after a thrilling race-long battle with Andrea Dovizioso. Maverick Vinalez and Valentino Rossi finished in third and fourth on the resurgent Yamaha.
The Grand Prix Commission made their appreciation known to MotoGP.com. The commission consists of the FIM, IRTA (International Road Racing Teams Association), and Dorna, MSMA (Motorcycle Sports Manufacturers’ Association).
Speaking to MotoGP.com, Herve Poncharal, president of IRTA said, “The whole MotoGP paddock was keen to discover how the new Thai GP would be, we were impatient for it to arrive and there was plenty of expectation. In the end we can be assured it was the best GP of the season due to many different aspects – we expected good, but we didn’t know quite what they would be able to achieve.”
“Everything went smoothly, the commitment of the organisers was fantastic, and they faced any problems through the weekend quickly, trying to find solutions as soon as possible. The crowd, the people…every single person involved was happy and always smiling.”
“The fans’ support was incredible, the access to the circuit was fast and they demonstrated that they understood MotoGP – creating a commercial area close to the paddock, giving good exposure to our businesses, investors, sponsors, teams and riders.”
“It’s also significant that a new event in this area – an important region for MotoGP – has achieved this result. It’s a perfect example for other countries to follow and this prize is fully deserved. From my point of view, it will be hard for them to improve!”
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports, called Buriram “a perfect blueprint for future events and we’re excited to return to Buriram already.”
Newin Chidchob, President of the Chang International Circuit said: “On behalf of both the people of Buriram and Thailand, we are extremely honored to receive the MotoGP Grand Prix of the year 2018.”
“We must also thank the people of Buriram, for showing the capability of Thai people to the world… Everyone really came together to make this sports entertainment experience for our visitors from around the world unforgettable.”
Nine time world champion Valentino Rossi has described the Chang International Circuit as boring. This is in response to reports that Thailand may be the third Asian country to host a MotoGP race at the circuit in Buriram.
In a report published by motorsport website crash.net, Rossi is said to be “not very happy to go” to Thailand in 2018.
The report said that Rossi was left “unmoved” after a recent trip to the Chang International Circuit. It is said that he was left unmoved by the location, and feels that the five hour drive from Bangkok would be “inconvenient for the traveling MotoGP community”.
Referring to the possible addition of a 19th race in 2018, Rossi was quoted as saying, “I think 18 is already a good number.”
“If from 18 goes to 19, it doesn’t change the world, but if it’s possible to remain 18, I’m more happy.”
Describing the problems with the track, Rossi said, “Especially the problem I think is, I was in Thailand for Yamaha two years ago and the track is not interesting. It’s very boring, has not a lot of corners, just long straights. I think it’s not the best place to go.”
“And also where the track is, is quite bad, it’s far from everything. So I’m not very happy to go to Thailand, essentially, on that track. But if we have to go, we’ll go.”
Marc Marquez too echoed the opinion of his rival, and agreed that the number of races per year was “already a lot”. However, Marquez too is open to the idea of sampling a new setting and layout.
“Like Valentino says, 18 race is already a lot,” said Marquez. “Maximum, I don’t know the plan in the future, but maximum 20 races will already be the limit for the riders. But, OK, Thailand is a new track, I like new tracks. Always when we go to new tracks I feel good. So why not? I like it.”
However, current championship leader Maverick Vinales expressed concern that the expansion to more races would make it more difficult for riders to keep fit throughout the season.
In the report, Vinales was quoted as saying, “It’s always difficult. When it’s more races it’s even more difficult because you have to continue on your 100% all of the year. It’s really difficult. When you have a great physical condition, six, seven more, you start to go down.
“But every person will go down, you cannot stay at the top level all the year. It’s going to make it more difficult, but also it’s going to be good for the show, more interesting. Let’s see. I don’t know. I like to go to new places, new tracks that we can enjoy it.
“Thailand, the place is quite nice, so it’s going to be quite nice to go there. It’s going to be good. Also, the other places, I like to go to new tracks and try it, and not always the same tracks. It’s going to be difficult to make all of the year at a really good level.”
Read the original report by Crash.net here.
According to a recent article posted by the Bangkok Post, the Thailand government has allocated a cool 300 million baht with plans to host a MotoGP round as early as 2018. The proposal is not set in stone just yet but Thailand is planning to organise the world’s most exciting motorcycle race for three years from 2018 to 2020 at the Chang International Circuit. (more…)
It was good day last Saturday for 18 year old Azroy Anuar who finished in second position for the first round of the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup 2017 over at Chang International Circuit, Thailand. The season opener at Buriram was held together with WorldSBK which saw 14 year old Deniz Oncu from Turkey taking victories for both races. Check out the highlights of Race 1 in the video below. (more…)
It was a great day filled with drama and events especially for WorldSBK rider Jonathan Rea in Round Two of the 2017 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship. After finishing on top in Race 1 yesterday, the Kawasaki Racing Team rider continued his assault with another victory in Race 2 making a total of four straight victories for the 30 year old Brit rider. (more…)
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