Asia Road Racing Championship

RACE DATA

■Race: 2019 Asia Road Racing Championship Rd. 02
■Category: ASB1000/SS600/AP250
■Location: Bend Motorsport Park(4.95km)

Race 1
■Date: April 27, 2019
■Race Condition: Dry

ASB1000 Class
■Laps: 12
■PP: #23 Broc Parkes(1'52.581/Yamaha)
■FL: #23 Broc Parkes(1'53.194 /Yamaha)

SS600 Class
■Laps: 10
■PP: #66 Muhamad Adam Mohd. Norrodin(1'56.580/Yamaha)
■FL: #26 Peerapong Boonlert(1'56.946 /Yamaha)

AP250 Class
■Laps: 9
■PP: #108 Andy Muhammad Fadly(2'08.626/Kawasaki)
■FL: #108 Andy Muhammad Fadly(2:07.249 /Kawasaki)

Race 2
■Date: April 28, 2019
■Race Condition: Dry

ASB1000 Class
■Laps: 12
■PP: #23 Broc Parkes(1'52.581/Yamaha)
■FL: #23 Broc Parkes(1'53.622 /Yamaha)

SS600 Class
■Laps: 10
■PP: #66 Muhamad Adam Mohd. Norrodin(1'56.580/Yamaha)
■FL: #66 Muhammad Ibrahim Md Norrodin(1'56.791/Yamaha))

AP250 Class
■Laps: 9
■PP: #108 Andy Muhammad Fadly(2'08.626/Kawasaki)
■FL: #44 Muklada Sarapuech(2'07.170/Honda)

REPORT

ASB1000

Race 1: Parkes Takes 2nd with Ito 3rd for Double Podium Finish!

This event is the home round for Australian Broc Parkes (#23) of Yamaha Racing Team ASEAN. After coming straight back from the Le Mans 24 Hours race in France (Round 2 of the EWC season) just a few days prior, he showed no signs of fatigue as he was fast from the opening session of the first day before going on to take pole position in qualifying with a time in the 1'52s. His teammate Yuki Ito (#76) also started strongly at a circuit he won at last season, placing 4th in both the practice sessions and qualifying as he set gradually quicker times and put the podium within sight.

Parkes made a solid start, initially losing out to fellow Australian and Kawasaki rider Bryan Staring on the first lap but soon recovering to take over the lead on lap 2. The rest of the race saw Parkes and countryman Staring slice and dice at a fast pace as it became a 2-bike duel.

Parkes' laps in the early stages were in the 1'53s and were fast enough to open a 1.5 second gap to the trailing riders, but they soon regrouped. The middle stages saw the gap come down to 1 second, and on lap 8 he relinquished the lead. Parkes kept at it, but nearing the end of the race his tires did not have enough grip left to let him make a charge to the front. At the finish line he took 2nd for his best finish of the season.

Meanwhile behind Parkes a battle was raging in the third group from the front. At its head was Honda's Md Zaqhwan Zaidi (#21) and behind him were Apiwat Wongthananon (#24) of the Yamaha Thailand Racing Team, BMW's Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman (#25), Ito and Yamaha Thailand Racing Team rider Ratthapong Wilairot (#56). Wilairot was the first to drop back and 4th placed Wongthananon soon suffered the same issue while Ito kept steadily quick lap times before catching Kamaruzaman on lap 7 to take over 4th. Two seconds ahead of him on track was Zaidi in 3rd as Ito began a push to catch up.

That gap did not come down soon, but lap after lap Ito closed in until on the final lap he was nearly on Zaidi's tail. He left his challenge to the final two corners. He made the pass on the inside, then held it through the final corner to come out on top and take 3rd. Following Race 2 of the previous round, this made two double podiums from two races for Parkes and Ito.

Race 2: First Win for Parkes! Ito Hits the Podium for Three 3rds in a Row

The Yamaha Racing Team ASEAN's Broc Parkes was once again locked in a two-way tussle with Bryan Staring for the win, and this time Parkes got his revenge as he came out on top, taking Yamaha's first win in the #ASB1000 class. The lead group was formed by Staring, Wongthananon and Parkes, but Parkes soon made a move to slot into 2nd. It did not take long for him to take over the lead, but his rival stayed right on his tail within a few tenths of a second and passed for the lead before the whole process repeated. This was the flow of the race until nearly the end.

Parkes stayed behind and kept his powder dry, saving his final attack for the final few laps. He passed Staring on lap 10 to get into the lead, after which he didn't allow him to close in and have a chance at a move. He kept this up until the final lap where he crossed the finish line and took victory. Parkes' win was his first, as well as Yamaha's first in the ASB1000 class. It was his second podium finish from two races, and brought him to the top of the championship standings.

Ito started off his race much like Race 1 in the second group from the front. He quickly got to the front of that group and when Wongthananon fell back from the lead group Ito was able to pass him to take over 3rd. After that the gap to the front duo of Parkes and Staring was around 3 seconds, but Ito was setting laps in the 1'53 range, which brought the gap down to 1.7 seconds. In the closing laps Parkes and Staring upped their pace which meant that Ito was unable to catch them. He had opened up a considerable gap to 4th place, so he was able to take the checkers in 3rd. It was his second 3rd place finish of the weekend, and brought his championship standing up to 3rd overall.

SS600

Race 1: Boonlert Completes 3rd Consecutive Win

Yamaha Thailand Racing Team rider Peerapong Boonlert and his YZF-R6 are unstoppable so far this season. He scored his first ARRC win in Race 1 of the opening round before taking his second in Race 2. Here in the Australian round, he set the fastest time in every practice session before narrowly missing out on pole position to start the race from the front row in 2nd.

He ran a very solid race. Once he took the holeshot and hit the front he started setting lap times similar to his qualifying pace in the 1'56s, which allowed him to pull out an advantage on the riders behind. After that he stayed in the 1'57s with solid riding and by the end had opened a 4 second gap before taking the checkers to complete his third victory in a row.

For the Hong Leong Yamaha Malaysia team, Ahmad Afif Amran (#50) was joined by UB150 rider Muhammad Akid Aziz (#13), who stood in as a replacement for Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin (#127) who is in Spain for the CEV Moto2 Championship Race.

Amran started from 8th on the grid and could not quite get involved in the fight for the podium but took a season-best finish of 5th. Aziz was faced with making a big transition from an underbone machine to the YZF-R6 and finished 11th.

Race 2: Boonlert Does the Double for Four in a Row and Overall Lead

Peerapong Boonlert of the Yamaha Thailand Racing Team faced a hard-fought battle to take his fourth win and remain undefeated for the season.

Just as in yesterday's race, Boonlert got to the front in the opening laps. In the past three races this pattern has seen him escape at the front and run uncontested for the win. This time however, Muhammad Ibrahim Md Norrodin (#66) and Honda's Andi Farid Izdihar (#27) remained in close contention until the final corner of the final lap.

Even in this different kind of race, Boonlert was unfazed as he set steady laps in the 1'57 range without giving his rivals any chance of making a move. In the final two laps his rivals tried as hard as they could, but even with his tires degrading Boonlert set fast laps in the '56s to hold onto the lead, and he stayed there on the final lap for the win, his fourth win from four races this season. This brought his total up to 100 points and opened up a 50 point gap to the next rider in the standings, putting Boonlert in command of the championship even at this early stage.

Behind the fight for 1st, Amran put on a strong showing in the second group contesting 4th place. He was in 8th after the start but improved his position lap after lap until he was in 4th by the middle stages. He could not quite reach the podium positions, but did well to keep his rivals at bay and take a season-best finish of 4th. His teammate Aziz finished three positions higher than in Race 1 in 10th.

AP250

Race 1: Rakutore Highest Placed Yamaha in 5th

From the first day of Free Practice, Yamaha Racing Indonesia's Muhammad Faerozi (#36) had a strong pace, but qualified in 13th so had to start his race from the rear of the grid.

The opening laps were positive. At first he gained positions to 8th, but then dropped back to 11th in the third group from the front. After that however, the riders in front suffered an accident which helped Farozi and fellow YZF-R25 rider Reynaldo Chrisantho Rakutore (#222) mount a comeback, and by the second half of the race were in contention for 4th. He suffered an accident lap 8 however that forced him to retire from the race.

Rakutore ended up the highest placed R25 rider in 5th, while Faerozi's teammate Anggi Setiawan (#96) finished 12th. Yamaha Thailand Racing's Suttipat Patchareetorn (#86) finished 13th, with Sawapol Nillapong (#56) in 16th.

Race 2: Rakutore Top Yamaha Again in 5th

In a repeat of Race 1, Rakutore was the top placed Yamaha with a 5th place finish.

He ran his first few laps in 3rd to stay with the lead group, which was made up of eight bikes that swapped and changed positions at a furious pace throughout the race. In the second half the front four broke away but Rakutore was unable to stay with them, but he did show a strong pace as he held position at the front of the second group. Just as in Race 1, he finished the race as top placed Yamaha in 5th.

Yamaha Racing Indonesia's Faerozi improved on his starting position but could not break into the leading groups. He finished 11th as his teammate Setiawan crossed the line in 16th. Yamaha Thailand Racing Team's Patchareetorn placed 14th with teammate Nillapong in 17th.

The next round is set for May 31 to June 2 at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand.

ASB1000 RESULT Race.1

ASB1000 RESULT Race.2

ASB1000 RIDERS RANKING

SS600 RESULT Race.1

SS600 RESULT Race.2

SS600 RIDERS RANKING

AP250 RESULT Race.1

AP250 RESULT Race.2

AP250 RIDERS RANKING

COMMENT

Race 1

Yamaha Racing Team ASEAN
#23 Broc Parkes (ASB1000: 2nd)

"One of the reasons I lost out was my rear tire. I didn't have any problems in the beginning but with six laps to go the tire suddenly started to lose grip. I don't know exactly why, but it might be that the track temperatures kept changing. I think we need to adjust our settings to be a little easier on the tires, so our plan is to do that and confirm it in the morning warmup. With the championship leader absent, tomorrow's race is a really important chance to make up points. I definitely need to be on the podium, but I want a win more than anything."

#76 Yuki Ito (ASB1000: 3rd)

"I was 4th in all the sessions until the race. In qualifying I was in the 53s but I couldn't go that little bit quicker so it was a bit frustrating. I did improve my time every session though, so I had a good feeling going into the race. I tried to follow Broc and shoot for the podium. I couldn't keep up with the pace of the front two guys and they pulled away, and it was all I could do to stay in the fight for 3rd. I was riding at the same pace as I was in qualifying, and I didn't think I could keep up with Zaidi. I figured my chance would be on the final lap. I went for it and made a block pass in the final corner to get 3rd. With my current issues I wasn't fast enough to stay with the top two. For tomorrow I'm planning to make preparations to be able to do that and to aim for the podium."

Team Manager Yukihiko Kurata

"We showed really strong teamwork. Even though Parkes was in the EWC round with really tough conditions last weekend, he still made it here and was going fast right from the start. Today he missed out on the win, but he got 2nd which is important for his championship challenge. Ito tried some different settings through the practices and settled on one before the race. At first he had some trouble but on the last lap he caught up and passed for 3rd which was fantastic. Tomorrow we want a win and another double podium!"

Yamaha Thailand Racing Team
#26 Peerapong Boonlert (SS600: 1st)

"For the race I was concentrating on the first corner of the opening lap after the start. I knew that if somebody got in front of me I wouldn't be able to run my own pace, but if I got into the lead that I could run on my own and set a fast pace that way. But the other guys were setting fast times in the morning warmup so I was a bit worried, but everything went to plan and I got the lead soon after the start. I'm going to try the same thing for tomorrow's race, so I hope I can win then too."

Theerapong Opaskornkul, Senior General Manager of Sales & Marketing Support

"From the free practices to qualifying to the morning warmup, we kept adjusting our settings to gain more confidence. We started from 2nd on the grid, but our strategy was to get the holeshot and open up an advantage, and we were able to do that. Last year there were three R6s on the podium, so we know the bike is suited to this track and that gives the rider a lot of confidence. All we have to do then is not take too many risks and ride smart to get the win. Of course tomorrow's goal is another win."

Race 2

Yamaha Racing Team ASEAN
#23 Broc Parkes (ASB1000: 1st)

"This was my home race, and this was the first win I've had in a while, so I'm really, really happy. Yesterday in Race 1 I had some issues with tire management, so for today we went with a bike setup that would be easier on the tires and I checked that in the morning warmup. We tried one other strategy, and that was to follow behind and study the guy in front. While I was there I found some areas where I was faster, so with two laps to go I passed him and held it until the end. It was a great race. The track at the next round in Thailand will be a first for me, but I don't think it will be too hard to figure out where it goes. The problem is it has a lot of long straights, so I think it'll be tougher than this weekend. But I need to take as many points as possible from the coming rounds, so all I can do is give it my all at the next one."

#76 Yuki Ito

"The morning warmup went really well, so we went into Race 2 feeling good. The issue was the start where I got swallowed up and had to catch up from behind. But I got into 3rd and went after the guys in front. They were setting lap times faster than they had all weekend, and honestly it was a struggle to try to keep up. I realized they still had the speed left to control their pace, whereas I was totally on the limit. Still I had to try to push forward and keep the other guys behind me, so it was a very difficult and important 3rd place for me. Going forward I want to overcome my issue of slow starts, among other things of course."

Team Manager Yukihiko Kurata

"It was Parkes's home round, so I know he really wanted to win. His plan was to stay behind his rival to strategize and conserve his tires, he did that and then with 2 laps left he made the pass and took the win. The way he managed his race was great, and was exactly what you'd expect from a veteran racer like him. Ito was in 3rd and had Parkes within view, but he looked at it from the perspective of risk management. I know he wanted to push but he held back and concentrated on keeping everybody else behind him. He controlled his pace really well to do that, so it was a solid race for him. So far, our riders, machines and team are showing their strength. I think the next round is going to be tough, but we'll come prepared with the goal of winning the championship in our minds."

Yamaha Thailand Racing Team
#26 Peerapong Boonlert (SS600: 1st)

"Four in a row is an amazing feeling. My plan was the same as Race 1, to get to the front and run my own pace. I did that, but this time some other riders stuck with me, and that made it a very hard race. I was able to hold them off thanks to the mechanics putting together two engine maps and being able to use them both effectively. I think riding in such a tough race like this has helped me get better with my mental focus as well. The next round will be at home for me, so without a doubt I want another double win."

Theerapong Opaskornkul, Senior General Manager of Sales & Marketing Support

"Boonlert ran another perfect race. It was his 4th win in a row and gave him 100 points in total. His impact on the championship is one of the strongest I have seen in all of ARRC so far. Every rider is trying to overcome the pressure and get good results, but Boonlert has the ability and confidence to make that happen every time. This race for example was really tough, but he held on and concentrated until the end, so he got a lot from that I think. In Thailand our goal is to come away with six consecutive wins, so we'll do the maximum preparations and come in with confidence."