Tough weekend for the Aussies in ARRC at Sepang last weekend

2025 Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championships
Round Two – Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia

ASB 1000

In qualifying, Thailand’s Apiwath Wongthananon shattered the five-year-old ARRC lap record set by Markus Reiterberger in 2020 (2’04.597s), securing pole position with a scorching time of 2’04.597s. Local favourite Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah lined up second with a 2’04.758s, while Azroy secured a strong third with a 2’04.928s. That trio were the only ones in the 4s, but it was pretty tight behind them with six riders covered by the next half-second.

Lachlan Epis qualified tenth quickest on 2m06.109 while Cam Dunker started on the back foot after destroying a bike during practice on Friday. Dunker’s MotoGo Yamaha crew built a new bike from spares to get him back out on Saturday where the youngster qualified 13th on 2m09.848s.

ASB 1000 Race One

The opening ASBK1000 race at the second round of the 2025 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship last weekend saw Malaysian hero Azroy Hakeem Anuar storm to a commanding victory at the Sepang International Circuit, delighting fans on home turf.

Azroy made a brilliant start and immediately took control of the race. Hafizh slotted into second, ahead of Azroy’s teammate Md Zaqhwan Zaidi, setting up an all-Malaysian trio at the front.

While Azroy began pulling away, the battle for second intensified, Hafizh and Zaqhwan swapping positions in a fierce contest. On Lap 6, Apiwath, who had fought his way up from P6 to P4, was forced to retire due to a mechanical failure, a disappointing end after his record-breaking qualifying effort.

Further drama unfolded on Lap 8 when Nakarin Atiratphuvapat suffered a crash. Though he rejoined the race, he was unable to mount a challenge for the podium.

By Lap 10, Azroy had opened up a commanding two-second lead, while Hafizh, Zaqhwan, and Andi Farid Izdihar engaged in an intense three-way fight for second. The trio diced through the corners with multiple lead changes, delivering nonstop action that kept the excitement at a fever pitch.

In the end, Azroy crossed the line unchallenged to seal victory with a time of 25’22.336s. Hafizh’s late push on the final lap paid off as he edged out Zaqhwan for second, Zaqhwan settling for third.

Australia’s Lachlan Epis, who had been struggling with some bike gremlins throughout the weekend, settled for eighth. Fellow Aussie Cameron Dunker a further 17-seconds adrift in tenth.

Azroy Hakeem Anuar

“I want to thank the team for all the hard work this weekend in finding a great setup, and also my teammate Zaqhwan, who helped plan a good race strategy. Honestly, if Hafizh and Zaqhwan hadn’t been fighting each other, they might’ve caught me! I’m happy with my consistent pace around 2’06.000s each lap, but I’m still not fully satisfied because I was targeting high 2’05.000s. Still, we’ve got another chance tomorrow, so let’s keep this momentum going.”

ASB 1000 Race One Results

ASB 1000 Race Two

Azroy Hakeem Anuar gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about in the second contest also, proudly waving the Malaysian flag from the top step of the ASB1000 podium after securing a sensational second win at Sepang.

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Following his race one victory on Saturday, Azroy capped off a stellar weekend with another commanding performance in Sunday’s bout, taking the chequered flag seven-tenths clear of his closest competitor at the end of the 12-lap distance.

Azroy’s intent was clear from the very first lap, as he edged past strong starter Hafizh Syahrin on the JDT Ducati. Azroy faced constant pressure from a determined group of challengers, including Thailand’s Apiwath Wongthananon and Hafizh, who both took turns overtaking him. At one point, Azroy dropped to fifth position.

But the Malaysian rider quickly regained momentum, setting the fastest lap of the race at 2’06.134s to reclaim the lead on lap four. With Hafizh close behind, the battle for the top spot intensified, leaving no room for error.

Andi Farid Izdihar put in a brilliant performance, surging from P6 to P3 to join the front-running duo. Unfortunately, his charge ended in disappointment after a crash on lap nine, allowing Keito Abe and Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman to move up the order.

The closing laps saw Azroy and Hafizh stretch out a five-second gap over the chasing pack. Both riders were determined to secure national glory on home soil, but Azroy held firm under pressure to seal his second win of the weekend and climb to the top of the championship standings with 71 points.

Hafizh Syahrin secured second place, while Keito Abe completed the podium in a distant third, five-seconds behind the leading duo.

Lachlan Epis improved to seventh, and Cameron Dunker to eighth. Both Australians just under 35-seconds behind the winner.

Azroy Hakeem Anuar

“This is my first time getting a double podium and double win, so I’m really happy. All of this is thanks to my team for their hard work. Without them, I wouldn’t be here. In the race, I tried to follow the same pace as yesterday, but today the weather was hotter, so I had to manage the tyres more carefully. Early on I dropped to 5th or 6th, but I pushed to make a comeback. I noticed something was off with the tyre, so I just maintained my pace. Hafizh was close, sometimes near, sometimes far, and that’s when I knew my pace was strong. I just controlled the race until the final lap. I’m really happy with this result, and we’ll aim to do it again in the next round.”

ASB 1000 Race Two Results

ASB 1000 Points

SS600 Race One

The opening Supersport 600 contest delivered a heart-stopping finish, with Mohammad Adenanta Putra clinching victory at Sepang by just 0.172s from Kasma Daniel Kasmayydin. Anupab Sarmoon only 0.344s off the leader in third.

SS600 Race One Results

SS600 Race Two

In front of his home crowd at the Sepang International Circuit, Muhammad Helmi Azman delivered a spectacular performance to secure a hard-fought and emotional victory in the second contest. Closest competitors Khairul Idham Pawi and Anupab Sarmoon were both over two-seconds off the leader.

SS600 Race Two Results

SS600 Points

AP250 Race One

Fadillah Arbi Aditama claimed a hard-fought victory in Race 1 of the AP250 category at Sepang. Nothing separated the final two on the podium, Irfan Ardiansyah and Md Izam Ikmal Izamli.

AP250 Race One Results

AP250 Race Two

In a dramatic showdown during Race 2, Krittapat Keankum held off Md Izam Ikmal Izamli to take the win.  Galang Hendra Pratama rounded out the podium.

AP250 Race Two Results

AP250 Points

UB150 Race One

Husni Zainul Fuadzy emerging as the winner after a fierce multi-rider battle in the opening Underbone bout, ahead of Wahyu Aji Trilaksana and Md Akid Aziz.

UB150 Race One Results

UB150 Race Two

Husni Zainul Fuadzy celebrated another victory on Sunday, the win marking his third victory of the season in the UB150 category, further cementing his status as one of the season’s standout riders. Fahmi Basam and Nazirul Izzat Md Bahauddin rounded out the podium.

Fuadzy now leads the standings by 40-points.

UB150 Race Two Results

UB150 Points

TVS Asia Race One

The opening TVS Asia One Make Championship bout delivered a thrilling showdown between local favourite Md Ramdan Rosli  and Hiroki Ono, with Rosli taking the win. Third going to Sarthak Chavan.

Australia’s Hunter Corney finished sixth, 12-seconds behind the winner.

New Zealand’s Nixon frost 14th, a further 18-seconds behind as he adapted to the cut-throat TVS competition.

TVS Asia Race One Results

TVS Asia Race Two

Sunday’s bout saw Luis Miguel from Spain clinch the TVS Asia One Make Championship victory, race one winner Rosli the runner up, and Sarthak Chavan third.

Nothing separated the top trio at the flag, with fouth placed Ono a few bike lengths further back, nine-seconds clear of young Australian Hunter Corney, who crossed the line in a highly creditable fifth.

Nixon Frost was ninth in the second bout and notched up a whole lot of experience from his Malaysian adventure that will stand him in good stead for the future.

TVS Asia Race Two Results

TVS Asia Points