Round 3 July 5, 2015  Asia Production 250

Indonesian rider Galang notches best finish yet for a Yamaha rider with 4th in Race 1
Japanese rider Tanaka just misses podium with 4th in Race 2 after battling for 2nd

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RACE DATA

Circuit

Japan/Suzuka Circuit

Condition

Wet

PP

Takehiro Yamamoto(2'42.443/Kawasaki)

FL Race 1

Takehiro Yamamoto(2'44.024/Kawasaki)

FL Race 2

Ayumu Tanaka(2'34.490/Yamaha)

REPORT

Roughly one month after Round 2 of the 2015 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) in Indonesia, the final event of the first half of the season, Round 3, was held at Suzuka Circuit in Japan. Hosting a round of the Road Racing World Championship in the past, Suzuka is one of the world’s most well-known racing circuits and holds numerous big motorsports events, including rounds of the All Japan Road Race Championship and Round 2 of the FIM Endurance World Championship, the Suzuka 8 Hours, in late July.
With Japan being the home of Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.—where the YZF-R25 was developed—the Yamaha Factory Racing Indonesia team visited the company’s headquarters prior to the race weekend and many Yamaha employees turned out to give the team heartfelt encouragement. A cheer group from the company also made the trip to Suzuka for the race, rooting for the YZF-R25 riders and enjoying the exciting racing that unfolded.

Race1
For this round in Japan, the Asia Dream Cup championship—held as part of the ARRC—was run as a 2-hour endurance race and there were major changes to the racing schedule compared to the previous two rounds of the series as a result. The races for each class are normally held on Sundays, but this time, Race 1 for the four classes other than the Asia Dream Cup were run on Saturday following the qualifying sessions. Furthermore, because this round was held in the middle of Japan’s rainy season, the Saturday qualifying and races were all under wet track conditions.
The first round of the series was held on Sepang International Circuit’s short course in Malaysia and the second round at Sentul International Circuit in Indonesia, so the high-speed Suzuka Circuit presented new challenges for many of the riders. What’s more, after the dry practice sessions on Friday, Saturday brought rain and the riders and teams suddenly had to compete in the wet for Race 1.
In Saturday’s qualifying, the fastest YZF-R25 rider was Galang Hendra Pratama (#99), who secured a second row start with 6th position. At the start, Galang went into the first corner aggressively chasing the front group and continued racing among them in a battle that saw the order change numerous times. However, this being his first ARRC race on a wet track, his times gradually slowed after the opening stages of the race and he lost ground.
The situation was the same for the other R25 riders; many expressed what they felt as “like riding the bike on ice,” and they were unable to up their pace. Some riders also fell and had to drop out of the race. The two riders that were able to overcome the challenging conditions and stay in the second group were top Indonesian rider Sigit Purno Harjono (#630), who had recovered from injuries suffered in the season opener, and Japanese rider Ayumu Tanaka (#82). The two riders kept battling to improve their positions.
In the latter half of the race, Galang (#99) was alone in 5th and went on to finish the race that way. In the second group, Tanaka (#82) and Sigit (#630) beat their rivals to take the checkers in 6th and 7th, respectively. However, one of the riders in the top four was later disqualified, causing those from 5th and down to be moved up a place, which put Galang (#99) in 4th, just shy of the podium but the best finish for a Yamaha rider so far. This raised hopes for even better results in Race 2 the next day.
In the SuperSports 600cc class, which is also quite popular in Japan, Japanese rider Yuki Ito (#78), who had taken a podium finish with 3rd at the previous round in Indonesia, showed his speed again here at his home race. For a while he ran just behind Honda rider and race-leader Yuki Takahashi (#72), but Ito was struggling to keep his machine under control on the wet track and eventually fell behind. But Takahashi would later fall and Ito was able to come from behind and claim his first win of the season.

Race 2
The following morning, Suzuka Circuit was still covered by dense clouds and the morning warm-up session began in wet conditions. By the time of the start of Race 2 at 3:00 in the afternoon, however, the rain was gone and the race would be run in dry conditions.
For the riders and teams, this turned out to be a mixed blessing as they struggled to adapt to the rapidly changing track conditions. For most, this was their first experience of having to change things like machine settings and racing lines with each session as the conditions changed. The local Japanese wildcard entries had the advantage of greater racing experience at Suzuka in such conditions and invariably had an easier time adjusting, but it would nonetheless turn out to be a race that highlighted the potential of the R25 and its riders.
n the early stages of the race, Sigit (#630) was in 2nd position in the lead group, followed by Galang (#99) and Tanaka (#82). The R25 riders would then fall behind for a while, but Tanaka (#82) suddenly upped his pace. While the leader was alone at the front, Tanaka (#82) managed to catch up to the group fighting for 2nd and it became a five-machine battle. In the course of the scrap, Tanaka set the fastest lap of Race 2, and using the high-revving, high-output potential of the R25 to the fullest, he came within reach of a podium finish. However, while running in 3rd approaching the entrance to the chicane on the last lap, he was passed. Tanaka tried to reclaim 3rd on the final straight but just fell short and finished 4th, missing out on a podium finish by just 0.3 seconds. Behind him, other R25 riders had raced well, with Reynaldo Chrisantho Ratukore (#222), Sigit (#630) and Muhamad Hasyim Zaki Adil (#32) taking the checkers in 6th, 7th and 8th, respectively.
This round in Japan brought a host of new experiences for many of the Yamaha teams as they struggled to find their pace from the earliest sessions of the race weekend. While there was still a clear gap between the Yamaha riders and the leading rivals, Galang (#99) and Tanaka (#82) proved with their lap times and race craft that further solid progress had been made.
n Race 2 of the SuperSports 600cc class, Ito (#78) led the race in the early stages before falling off the pace. Still, he managed to finish 3rd and take his third podium of the season, jumping up from 10th to 3rd in the points standings. In the Underbone 130cc class, Yamaha riders had missed a podium finish in Race 1, but in Race 2, Ferlando Herdian (#61) charged passed four riders who had made mistakes in their battle for the lead on the last lap and won the race. Md Affendi Rosli (#36) had been one of those four in the top group but he managed to recover quickly from his mistake and finish in 2nd place, giving Yamaha a 1-2 finish.

The fourth round of the series will be held in Thailand from August 28 to 30 at the new Chang International Circuit that opened in 2014.

RIDER RANKING

COMMENT

• Yamaha Factory Racing Indonesia
  #99 Galang Hendra Pratama (4th/10th)
  “Although 4th place in Race 1 was my best performance yet, I can’t be satisfied with this result since my goal is to get podiums and wins. In Race 2, I collided with another rider on the first lap and that knocked me out of the lead group. I feel that in each round some kind of trouble happens like it did in Race 2 and that causes me to lose my competitive edge. I have to aim for even better performance with a number of things, like my riding skills and race strategy. For the next round in Thailand, I’m determined to stay with the lead group and finally finish on the podium.”
• #630 Sigit Purno Harjono (6th/7th)
  “The leg that I injured in the season opener isn’t completely healed yet, but when I rode at Sentul to prepare for this race at Suzuka, I felt that it had recovered to the point where it wouldn’t affect my racing. Still, I was nervous because this was my first race in some time and I know there is a lot expected of me. Also, I have to admit that I was surprised at the high level of the other riders. In that sense, I can accept my results to a degree this time. But in the next race in Thailand, I’ll be going for a podium finish.”
• Team Manager Yusuke Koizumi
  “Put simply, this was another utter defeat. Sigit has experience here at Suzuka, but it was the first time for the team to compete here. On top of that, this was their first experience racing in wet conditions. Even considering that, the team wasn’t able to live up to its full potential because we weren’t able to adequately prepare for the race weekend and didn’t use our time effectively. The bike has become much more competitive as a race machine, and since we were motivated to finally do well this time, it has been very disappointing. The next round in Thailand will again be at a circuit that is new to us. This is what makes a championship with rounds held in different countries difficult, but it’s important for us to not repeat the same mistakes. All we need to do is keep aiming for a podium finish.”
• Yamaha Thailand Racing Team
  #45 Peerapong Boonlert (16th/20th)
  “I’m disappointed in how I performed this time. There are reasons like this being our first race in wet conditions and my first time racing with rain tires, but even considering that, it’s still not a result that I can accept. But, I definitely learned a lot of new things. I especially felt the importance of thinking about what lines to take in a race like this when the conditions are constantly changing. I also saw that the strategy we take during the course of the race weekend is also important. The next round will be in our home country, so my motivation is up, but considering the difference in strength between myself and our rivals, I think that finishing in the top seven is a realistic aim. Still, I want to get on the podium, so I want to make the best possible use of this interval between races.”
• #14 Peerapong Loiboonpeng (17th/18th)
  “This time the Japanese riders were very fast and we were racing in wet conditions, something I’m still not used to, and I wasn’t able to fulfill our goal of finishing in the top ten. I’m disappointed with these results, but on the other hand, being able to ride on a course with good grip like this showed me where my riding level is. It was also a big plus for me to learn about riding in the wet. The next round will be in our home country, so we’ll have an advantage compared to the other riders. We are also planning to do some special training, so I want to finish in the top five next time.”
• Team Manager Korathat Kanjanda
  “This time we had to race in conditions where everything was new to us. Especially because Suzuka is a high-speed and technical course, we focused on getting the riders used to the track. As you can see from the results, there was a clear difference in the performances of teams that had a lot of experience at this circuit. The next round will be at a circuit that our riders are used to in our home country. Nonetheless, since our rivals are strong we plan to use as much of the limited time we have running on the Chang International Circuit in Buriram. I hope the efforts will pay off.”
• Yamaha Finson Racing
  #127 Kasma Daniel Bin Kasmayudin (DNF/14th)
  “I fell in Race 1 but I’m still satisfied with the results this time. Before my fall I was able to battle in the group, and though I still only started riding the R25 this year, I was able to ride well on a challenging track like Suzuka. This experience has given me a lot of confidence. The circuit in Thailand next time will also be a new one for me, but I’ll prepare by practicing a lot during the interval so I can ride even faster.”
• #21 Brandon Paul Demmery (24th/28th)
  “I had trouble running on the wet track during qualifying so I ended up near the back of the grid; that made the start tough. Also, this was my first time racing at Suzuka, my first time riding in the wet and my first time running with rain tires; there were so many firsts for me. On top of that, we weren’t able to manage the limited sets of tires we were allowed to use well. As a result, the racing was over before we were able to get up to our full potential, which was disappointing. At the next round in Thailand, I want to get the full performance potential out of the machine and have a good race.”
• Team Manager Eddy Saputra
  “As the team manager, I went through the race weekend trying to communicate with both the riders as much as possible about how to approach and tackle the race, etc. Unfortunately, Kasma fell in Race 1, but I was happy to see him finish Race 2 in 14th place, since this was a new circuit for him. The next round in Thailand will also be on a circuit that is new for us, but since we’re competing in a class that only began this year, it’s natural that we’ll be competing on new tracks. For the next round, I want to make thorough preparations so that we can run smarter races than this time. The whole team will be working together towards the goal of finishing races in the top ten.”
• Yamaha Yamalube KYT Tunggal Jaya Racing
  #32 Muhamad Hasyim Zaki Adil (DNF/8th)
  “After my fall in Race 1, I had pain in my stomach area. This circuit in particular has sections where you have to make fast switch-overs and that was painful every time for me in Race 2. So, I’m glad that I was able to finish in the top ten considering the condition I was in. Also, Suzuka is such a good circuit and I was able to ride more aggressively than I did at Sentul. If it weren’t for the pain in my abdomen I think I could have raced even more aggressively, so that’s disappointing. The next round in Thailand will also be on a new circuit for me. First, I’ll do my best to get in good condition and then try to finish in the top five.”
• #27 Rusman Fadhil (26th/13th)
  “I injured my left arm in the last round, and though it has gotten much better, I still had some pain. For this race, we were at a high-speed, technical circuit, Race 1 was in the wet, and I had my own physical disadvantage. As my results show, I wasn’t able to race confidently and the round ended without me being able to perform at my best. For the next round in Thailand, I’ll concentrate first on getting back into good condition again. Then, I’ll be going for a place in the top five.”
• Team Manager Rudynanto Widjaya
  “This time, both of our riders were injured. We were aiming to finish in the top six, but that proved to be too difficult considering their physical condition. Also, concerning the machine settings, we weren’t able to get a good enough setting for the wet conditions. However, I can say with certainty that both the machine and the riders have made progress; the abilities of the riders are at a very high level. Next time, our riders will have recovered and we’ll be aiming to take the machine a level higher so we can race in the top group.”
• YAMAHA MLT RACING TEAM
  #26 Li Zheng Pang (19th/21st)
  “Suzuka is a difficult and technical circuit to begin with and Race 1 turned out to be our first race in wet conditions with the R25. I wasn’t able to ride the way I wanted to overall, with things like finding which lines to run in the corners making it tough, and as my results show, it was a very difficult race. In Race 2, I got behind at the start and had to race in the confusion of the pack, so it was hard for me to find a good pace. Also, it’s difficult to pass at this track and I wasn’t able to make up ground by overtaking either. The machine was working very well and it has enough power, but I’m still not able to take advantage of that potential. I’ve been successful in losing weight to fit the requirements of the R25’s size, so I want to get my best result yet at the round in Thailand.”
• #28 Meng Xing Bin (20th/24th)
  “This was my first time competing at Suzuka. Since I’m used to competing in scooter races, it was hard for me to get used to this high-speed course. To be honest, the wet conditions weren’t actually a problem for me and I was able to enjoy racing in them. The three rounds until now have been difficult races for me, but I’m gradually getting used to racing on a sport bike; the transition from scooters has been smooth and I’ve gotten used to battling at high speeds. On the other hand, there are things that I still have to learn like finding the right braking points, but I’m making progress step by step. My goal for the next round in Thailand is to finish in the top 20. And I‘ll continue working to be able to finish at that level consistently.”
• Team Manager Louis Mok
  “After three rounds, it’s clear that the gap between us and the top riders is still a big one. The problem is that our riders are normally racing on bikes that are quite different from the R25. In other words, they aren’t able to concentrate on racing with the R25. Looking ahead to the next round in Thailand, I want to prepare an environment and secure time where they can concentrate on training on the R25. This will help the riders gain confidence and that’s my job as the team manager. But, to tell the truth, it’s difficult to set goals under these conditions. For example, the next round is also at a circuit we will be seeing for the first time. Still, we will be aiming to have Li finish in the top 15 and Meng in the top 20. It won’t be easy but we will continue to give it our best.”
• TEAM YSK Korea
  #52 Lim Hogon (22nd/23rd)
  “Our mechanic Muroi-san has experience at Suzuka, so he was able to give us a lot of useful information. Unfortunately, the qualifying was in wet conditions and I wasn’t able to ride as I wanted to. Although I did my best, I wasn’t able to pass the qualifying session. I was still allowed to ride in the races but since this is a difficult circuit, I wasn’t able to get good results. Still, I was able to enjoy the racing experience. In the three rounds until now, I believe I’ve been making progress, so in the next round I definitely want to take some series points.”
• #88 Minseok Baik (25th/30th)
  “The wet conditions made things difficult, but more than anything else, this was my first time on this circuit and I wasn’t able to ride as I wanted. It was really a difficult and tough race. We will have two rounds in Thailand this season, but both will be at new circuits for us, so I believe they will be as difficult as this round was. For that reason, rather than trying to improve my skills, I think it’s important that I work on my mental approach so that I can go out and race with confidence.”
• Team Manager Kibok Ku
  “Our two riders are really giving their all. But since we are competing on a new circuit each time and there’s no way to absorb everything in just three practice sessions, they are learning by watching videos that we have taken. Still, that isn’t enough to get the results we hope for. Although it’s taking time, I can feel the progress that’s being made with the machine and by the riders. Both are top riders in South Korea, but they understand that there’s still a big gap in our level compared to the top riders in Asia. To bridge this gap we have a lot of learning to do, so we need to increase the number of opportunities for them to practice riding. Not only the riders but the whole team will be working hard to win some series points.”
• Akeno Speed Racing
  #82 Ayumu Tanaka (5th/4th)
  “I wasn’t able to ride well up to the qualifying session and I went into the races in a very difficult situation. But in the races, my feeling with the bike was much better, especially in Race 2. In addition to this being my home course, the machine was very competitive and I was able to compete for 2nd place. During that battle, while it was possible to use the slipstream to get in front of somebody, it was hard to stay there. So, I decided to wait until the last two laps to make my move. But unfortunately, I got passed on the last lap and ended up in 4th place. It was a case where I was made painfully aware that I still lack experience and skill as a rider. Still, I was finally able to show that both the machine and I are competitive. In the next round in Thailand, I hope to get Yamaha its first podium finish in this new class.”
• Koji Kobayashi (Asia Support Representative, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.)
  “A lot of the riders struggled this time not only with the high-speed and technical Suzuka Circuit but also with the wet conditions. Still, Japanese rider Tanaka rode exceptionally well in Race 2. Granted, Suzuka is a local course he’s familiar with, but he was able to do something that the other R25 riders have not done until now by battling in the top group and setting the fastest lap of the race. He came within one step of standing on the podium. As for the other Yamaha riders, most were struggling with the track itself, but I’m certain that they gained a lot of knowledge from this experience, even if it was from watching our more experienced rivals. While progress has also been made with the machine, the difficult conditions this time have shown us some new issues that need to be dealt with. I hope that everyone will look forward to the achievements of these Yamaha riders and teams as their challenge continues in the three remaining rounds of the season.”