The National Sports Institute (NSI) announced the participation of Sepang International Circuit (SIC) as an official strategic partner.
This partnership between is the first ever joint venture held in the field of high-performance sports services for motor sports.This collaboration is also a positive step in promoting the country’s motor sports. The scope of the strategic cooperation covers:
Both parties expect more exchanges of experience and high-performance sports research for motorsports can be implemented through this collaboration. In fact, this collaboration is an important step for the exchange of information, experience, knowledge and the latest research into the development of the national motor sports industry.
Dato’ Razlan Razali, CEO of SIC said, “To ensure that SIC talents in 2- and 4- wheels (racing) are fully prepared, physically and mentally fit, we are pleased with the strategic partnership with NSI. NSI has the best place and facility to produce world class athletes and they are proven with a number of success stories. Hence, with a whole suite of services offered for our motorsport talents to utilise, we have a complete chain of ecosystem and structure to ensure that our motorsport athletes are prepared to compete in their respective championships. There are simply no excuses now for these athletes as we have provided nearly everything for them to ensure they are competitive and aspire to be champions.”
Malaysia’s MotoGP rider Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah won the Petronas International Rider of the Year Award at the Petronas SIC Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM) Award 2018 on Tuesday evening (12thFebruary).
He was also awarded the Malaysia Motorsports People’s Choice Award. The nominees and subsequently the winner of this category was determined by fans through online voting.
Hafizh became Malaysia’s first ever full-time MotoGP rider in 2018 when he was picked by Herve Poncharal to join his Monster Energy Yamaha Tech 3 team. His consistency meant that he led the MotoGP Rookie of the Year chase until a slew of crashes forced him to cede the title to 2017 Moto2 champion and fellow rookie, Franco Morbidelli by just four agonizing points. Hafizh’s best finish was an incredible 9thin Argentina after starting from the 23rdspot. But perhaps the most emotional result was in Malaysia where he stormed up from dead last on the grid to finish 10th.
Other Malaysian motorsports achievers were also awarded at the gala event.
One rider, Danial Syahni Shahril was awared the KBS Motorsports Development Award by the Youth, Sports and Culture Minister YB Syed Saddiq. Danial was close to winning the final Asia Talent Cup race at SIC when a fellow competitor side-checked his bike. The bump caused him to fall into the path of another rider who smashed into his legs. Danial delivered an emotional note, “I’ve been in hospital for the last three months. Tonight, is the first day I am out of the hospital.” There’s perhaps justice for Danial as the offending rider was docked with a penalty and lost the race and ATC title to rival Billy Van Eerde.
On the four-wheeled front, Jazeman Jaafar won the Petronas International Driver of the Year award with fellow drivers Nabil Jeffri and Weiron Tan.
The trio was the first Asian driver team to win the fourth round of the World Endurance Championship at the 6 Hours of Fuji. They earned the entry to the 2018 Malaysia Motorsports Hall of Fame.
A total of 14 competitive awards were presented to teams and individuals over the course of the evening. Additionally, six honorees were inducted into the Hall of Fame including Kuan Huah Chin better known as Bulldog Kuan; go-kart driver Ng Wai Leong; and rally navigator Allen Oh.
Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahatir Mohamad was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award for his role in bringing Malaysia into a higher level in automotive and motorsports. It was Tun who started the first national car project, Proton and built the Sepang International Circuit.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Tun Dr Mahatir Mohamad
Inductees into the Malaysian Motorsports Hall of Fame: Allen Oh, Ng Wai Leong, Jazeman Jaafar, Nabil Jeffri, Weiron Tan, Kuan Huah Chin (Bulldog Kuan)
Petronas International Driver of the Year: Jazeman Jaafar (WEC)
Petronas International Rider of the Year: Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah (MotoGP)
SIC Best National Driver of the Year: Mark Darwin
SIC Best National Rider of the Year: Muhammad Helmi Azman
SIC Best National Team (2 Wheels): SCK Rapido Hi-Rev Honda Racing
SIC Best National Team (4 Wheels): Dream Chaser
Most Inspiring Female Motorsports Athlete: Leona Chin
SIC Best e-Motorsport Athlete: Ady Rahimy & Angeline Lee
Most Improved Driver of the Year: Brendan Paul Anthony
Most Improved Rider of the Year: Danial Syahmi Shahril
KBS Motorsports Development Award: Danial Syahmi Shahril
Malaysia Motorsports People’s Choice Award: Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah
SIC-MAM-SAM Media Award (Best Journalist): Sukhairi Thani – Berita Harian
SIC-MAM-SAM Media Award (Best Photographer): Ridzuan Rizal Ahmad – Utusan Malaysia
SIC-MAM-SAM Media Award (Best Electronic Media): Hasnida Hanim Ahmad Kamil and Aji Saregar – TV3
PETRONAS Sprinta Racing Teams for Moto2 and Moto3 took to the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) in private pre-season tests starting 11thFebruary. SIC is the team’s home track.
Team riders are Khairul Idham Pawi for the Moto2 class, and Ayumu Sasaki and John McPhee for the Moto3 category.
Their tests sessions followed in the footsteps of the third official MotoGP test which took place from 6thto 8thFebruary. The PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team riders Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Quartararo put their Yamaha YZR-M1s through their paces for the upcoming season. The Yamaha factory later announced on 7thFebruary that Quartararo will also ride the 2019 Yamaha YZR-M1 like his teammate Morbidelli’s and those of the factory Yamaha team.
Khairul Idham Pawi and his crew continues their work on the new Kalex machine which is powered by the new Triumph three-cylinder engine. The tests will allow Pawi to familiarize himself further to the machine. He improved his pace as the day progressed.
The tests focused on the new engine initially, before moving to chassis, geometry and suspension set-ups.
The Sasaki/McPhee pairing concentrated on obtaining the optimum motorcycle base settings on the new 2019 Honda. Work focused on learning the new engine, chassis, and chassis geometry.
Both riders put in many laps to obtain the sizeable data required. Sasaki logged 51 laps while McPhee logged another 38.
Testing continues today and tomorrow. The two Moto2 and Moto3 teams will head to their official tests at Jerez, Spain beginning 20thFebruary and Losail, Qatar from 1stMarch. As for the MotoGP team, the final official pre-season test will begin from 23rdFebruary. The 2019 MotoGP season kicks off in Qatar from 10thMarch.
Sepang International Circuit (SIC) CEO, Dato’ Razlan Razali offers an opportunity to Malaysian rider Khairul Idham Pawi in the Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team in the MotoGP championship.
Khairul Idham Pawi shocked the world when he won two Moto3 races in his debut season in 2016. He was Malaysia’s first GP race winner in any category. Both wins came during wet races, but he didn’t score well in dry races. However, he was moved up to the Moto2 category in 2017 where he languished in the tail end of the field.
As for 2019, he signed up with the Petronas Sprinta Racing Team and remains in Moto2.
Dato’ Razlan told Crash.net that Pawi had been moved to Moto2 too early. On the other hand, he’s positive that Pawi had learned a lot in those two years.
“He came to visit our Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team in Valencia. We showed him around and said, ‘look, you have two years to do something because we want you to be our first Malaysian MotoGP rider in this team.’”
Dato’ Razlan hopes that “pep talk” will spur Pawi to perform his best during the 2019 season, as there is a path for progression in the team.
Besides Hafizh Syahrin riding for the Tech 3 KTM team this year, having a Malaysian rider riding for a Malaysian team will die the country’s fans much to cheer for.
Watch this space for the official launching of the Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team (MotoGP) and Petronas Sprinta Racing Teams in Moto2 and Moto3 on 28thJanuary.
It’s MotoGP week here in Malaysia and as we head towards the grand weekend of the 2018 Shell Malaysia MotoGP championship round, the good folks from SIC (Sepang International Circuit) organised a very special ‘Teh Tarik Session’ with the national MotoGP riders and a very special appearance from Alma Pramac Racing (and future Ducati factory rider), Danilo Petrucci. (more…)
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