The first official tyre test and outing for the fledgling new ASB 1000 Superbike category came to a conclusion on Wednesday after a busy two-day test program at Chang International Circuit in Buriram.
On day two 25-year-old Yamaha Thailand ace Anupab Sarmoon knocked Kawasaki’s Thitipong Warokorn out of top spot in the penultimate session on Wednesday afternoon with a 1m36.003.
As a reference, Jonathan Rea’s WorldSBK Superpole lap in 2018 at the circuit was 1m32.814.
Warokorn failed to improve on the 1m36.167 he set on day one, but went very close in the final session with a 1m36.184.
Andi Farid Izdihar punted the Honda Asia Dream Racing Fireblade to third quickest ahead of Kawasaki’s Chaiwichit Nisakul, who like team-mate Warokorn, failed to improve on his day one marker.
Australian Glenn Allerton and his homegrown NextGen BMW squad were also present at Buriram to chance their arm ahead of a proposal to join the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship ASB1000 ranks for season 2019. Allerton ended the test fifth quickest on a best of 1m36.713.
Dunlop technicians had been using the hot weather testing to refine their tyre options for the new series and had hoped to see riders break into the 1m35s.
Kentaro Kobayashi – Dunlop
“At this moment, the exact specs for 2019 is yet to be determined. What we can say is that this tyre is an all new development, with the compound construction built specifically for the ARRC. This is why this week’s tyre test is so very important for the success of the ASB1000 class. We have brought with us a large variety of compounds and construction to determine which will be better for the soft, medium and hard tyres. Unlike other Championships, the ARRC usually race in very high temperatures. With the possible exception of the rounds in Japan and Australia, the rest of the races run on searing hot asphalts. The tyres must be up to challenge of performing well under those circumstances without sacrificing grip and the stability of the tyre performance.”
ASB 1000 Test Times
Anupad Sarmoon Yamaha Thailand 1:36.003
Thitipong Warokorn Kawasaki Thailand 1:36.167
Andi Farid Izdihar Honda Asia Dream Racing 1:36.329
Chaiwichit Nisakul Kawasaki Thailand 1:36.460
Glenn Allerton NextGen BMW S 1000RR 1:36.713
Ratthapong Wilairot Yamaha Thailand 1’36.774
Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman ONEXO X TKKR 1:37.060
TJ Alberto Access Plus Ducati Philippines 1’37.246
The ARRC’s Supersport 600 season reached a dramatic climax at Chang International Circuit on the weekend, as Yamaha Thailand’s Ratthapong Wilairot put it all on the line to convert what was a mathematical long shot on Friday, into the 2018 championship by the middle of Sunday afternoon.
Anthony West, under provisional suspension by the sport’s governing body, the FIM, since mid-September, following positive results to an anti-doping test after the WSBK Misano on July 8, was again forced to watch from the sidelines. No explanation for the lengthy delay in resolving the 37-year-old Queenslander’s case has been forthcoming from the FIM, which has left both him and the ARRC in limbo for the past three months.
Despite having missed three of the championship’s six rounds, West took 136 points into the final weekend: a lead of 34 over his nearest challenger, 2017 champion, Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman. Azlan’s Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki team-mate, Ahmad Yudhistira, Astra Honda protégé, and Farid Izdihar were tied in third position on 99, former champion Zaqwan Zaidi was next on 94, while Ratthapong had 91.
To help defend West’s championship lead, his Webike Ikazuchi team drafted in Randy Krummenacher, who had won the World Supersport round at Buriram in March. Krummenator’ joined South Africa’s Sheridan Morais, who was having a second run out for the team, following his debut at round five, in Indonesia.
In the end it was Ratthapong who stepped up, with the help of his mentor at Yamaha Thailand, Decha Kraisart, himself a former two-times ARRC Supersport champion. The 25-year-old Thai went to the top of the combined timing screens for Friday’s third free practice session, managing a lap of 1:38.939, almost three tenths quicker than Decha and half a second faster than Yudhistira and Krummenacher.
The Yamaha Thailand pair stayed in formation for qualifying on Saturday morning, as Ratthapong brought his time down to 1:39.903 and Decha managing 1:39.219. Keminth Kubo, for Yamaha Racing ASEAN, completed a solid blue line at the front of the grid, while Yudhistira led row two from Krummenacher and Musashi Boon Siew Honda’s Tomoyoshi Koyama. Zaqwan, Azlan and Keisuke Kurihara made up row three.
Decha Kraisart made the best start in race one to lead the first lap from Ratthapong, Yudhistira and Kubo. Azlan Shah made a good start from the third row and slotted into fifth in turn one only to get forced into the run-off area at turn three as Zaqwan Zaidi low-sided into him. The 2017 champion stayed upright, but was in last place by the time he got himself back between the white lines.
With Decha and Ratthapong formation flying at the front, attention focused on the fight for third between Yudhistira and Kubo. The 19-year-old Thai got through on lap six, only to forfeit the place again to the Kawasaki. As they fought, Koyama began to reel them in.
Ratthapong got past Decha on lap 10. Mindful of championship positions, Decha tucked in behind his team-mate and managed a gap of almost five seconds back to Yudhistira who, after half distance, had the pace to manage his margin over Kubo.
Azlan, meanwhile, charged his way through the field, working his way back up to seventh by lap 14, dragging Andi Farid Izdihar with him, who had started from 15th on the grid.
At the end, Ratthapong and Decha stayed in formation to cross the line 1.3 seconds apart and more than five seconds clear of Yudhistira. Keminth just got the better of Koyama to seal fourth and Keisuke Kurihara was sixth on the road, despite going off track at the last turn. Azlan was seventh from Andi Farid, Yuki Ito and Azroy Hakeen Anuar, who completed the top ten.
Webike IKAZUCHI’s World Supersport stars, Sheridan Morais and Randy Krummenacher finished 11th and 12th.
Ratthapong’s 25 points brought his total to 116, 20 points behind West, while Yudhistira’s third place kept him in title contention with 115. Azlan, on 112, was also within a win of the championship.
Super Sport 600 Race 1 Results
Ratthapong Wilairot (THA) Yamaha 29:56.061
Decha Kraisart (THA) Yamaha +1.370
Ahmad Yudhistira (INA) Kawasaki +5.372
Keminth Kubo (THA) Yamaha +5.919
Tomoyoshi Koyama (JPN) Honda +6.107
Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman (MAS) Kawasaki +17.511
Andi Farid Izdihar (INA) Honda +24.252
Sheridan Morais (RSA) Yamaha +24.746
Randy Krummenacher*** (SUI) Yamaha +25.026
Passawit Thitivararak (THA) Honda +25.103
Race Two
It was rinse and repeat at the start of race two, as Decha got another perfect launch from the middle of the front row, initially stretching away from title protagonists, Ratthapong and Yudhistira. A determined Azlan also made his way into contention, slotting into fifth, behind Keminth Kubo.
Yudhistira briefly got ahead of Ratthapong, before the Thai rider reasserted himself to get back in front and open up a gap on the Kawasaki. Yudhistira subsequently fell into the clutches of Kubo, who engaged him while Ratthapong moved closer to Decha.
Azlan, chased by Koyama, closed in on the battle for third, passing Kubo, who fought back, only to low-side out of the contest on lap eight. Meanwhile, Decha gave way to his team-mate at the front to put him five points clear in the live standings and Yudhistira began to consolidate third place. Koyama passed Azlan for fourth.
At the end of lap 12 and with one third of the race distance remaining, the gap between the blue duo at the front and Yudhistira was four seconds, as Koyama moved closer the back of the Indonesian’s Kawasaki. Decha looked as though he had the pace to win, but the more important job of helping Ratthapong become the first Thai to win the title since he himself last claimed it in 2010, prevailed.
Yudhistira finished three seconds back from Decha, just holding off Koyama for third, while Azlan was fifth, a further 3.5 seconds in arrears. Krummenacher was 11th, 13 seconds behind the winner and Morais was another two seconds and two places further behind.
Ratthapong’s win brought his points total to 141, five clear of the sidelined Anthony West. Yudhistira’s third place brought his total to 135 and therefore placed him third in the final standings.
Emotion spilled over as Ratthapong was greeted not only by his team, but by his brother, Ratthapark, and his mother, who held a memorial photo of his late father, Christmas Wilarot. It was the eighth anniversary of the Thai racing legend’s passing, as well as Ratthapong’s 26th birthday.
Super Sport 600 Race 2 Results
Ratthapong Wilairot (THA) Yamaha 30:00.360
Decha Kraisart (THA) Yamaha +0.341
Ahmad Yudhistira (INA) Kawasaki +2.972
Tomoyoshi Koyama (JPN) Honda +3.052
Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman (MAS) Kawasaki +6.567
Keisuke Kurihara (JPN) Honda +9.619
Andi Farid Izdihar (INA) Honda +12.211
Yuki Ito (JPN) Yamaha +12.239
Muhammad Zulfahmi Khairudin (MAS) Kawasaki +12.487
Passawit Thitivararak (THA) Honda +12.633
Super Sport 600 Final Standings
Ratthapong Wilairot THA Yamaha 141
Anthony West AUS Yamaha 136
Ahmad Yudhistira INA Kawasaki 131
Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman MAS Kawasaki 123
Andi Farid Izdihar INA Honda 117
Tomoyoshi Koyama JPN Honda 107
Decha Kraisart THA YAMAHA 96
Md Zaqhwan Zaidi MAS Honda 94
Yuki Ito JPN Yamaha 86
Keminth Kubo THA Yamaha 83 …28 Liam Taylor MacDonald NZL Yamaha 2 …29 Scott Nicholson AUS Suzuki 2 …30 Patrick Li AUS Yamaha 0
Asia Production 250cc Wins for Rafid and Fadly and sin bin for Muklada
Both AP 250 races featured up to 15 bikes battling for podium positions and penalties from race direction that changed the on-track results. The fact that Astra Honda’s Rheza Danica Ahrens had already put the intermediate class title out of reach in round five did not prevent two of the most dramatic races of 2018 unfolding at Chang International.
With four riders within close reach of the runner-up spot and another eight capable of winning on any given Sunday, official eyes were glued to the 38 CCTV TV screens in race control.
AP Honda Racing Thailand’s Kritchaporn Kaewsonthi won the qualifying battle decisively a lap of 1:52.339 that was almost fourth tenths faster than Anuparb Sarmoon, with the Manual Tech KYT Ninja 250 of Andy Muhammad Fadly close behind and completing the front row.
In race one, more than half the grid managed to stay within one camera shot for the full ten lap distance. In the early stages Kritchaporn Kaewsonthi, Anuparb Sarmoon, Andy Mohammad Fadly, Awhin Sanjaya and Muklada Sarapuech spent most time at the front until Anuparb seemed to lose his cutting edge and Fadly pulled into the pits with a nasty top-end rattle coming from his Kawasaki’s engine. Rafid Topan Sucipto, who had started from the fourth row, moved up to join the list of potential winners and Rheza Danica also decided to get himself involved.
Muklada, clearly determined to make up for a season marred by race direction penalties and injury, increased an already formidable effort on the last two laps, swapping the first four places with Awhin, Rheza, Krithchaporn and Rafid, who led into Chang’s notorious final turn.
As they braked, Muklada hit Kritchaporn’s rear wheel, causing both bikes to go offline. They made contact again, and this time Kritchporn was unable to recover and crashed. Muklada lurched upright, across the track and clattered into Mario to make it a fourth successive DNF for the young Indonesian.
Race Direction took a dim view of Muklada’s last corner pinball performance, disqualifying her and dishing out a one race suspension that would keep her in the garage for race two. That elevated Anuparb to third, making a three-way fight for second place in the championship, with Anuparb on 142 points, Rafid on 138 and Awhin on 137.
Asia Production 250cc Race 1 Result
Rafid Topan Sucipto (INA) Yamaha 19:03.592
Awhin Sanjaya (INA) Honda +0.223
Anupab Sarmoon (THA) Yamaha +0.734
Rheza Danica Ahrens (INA) Honda +1.050
Piyawat Patoomyos** (THA) Honda +1.211
Kanatat Jaiman (THA) Yamaha +1.416
Galang Hendra Pratama*** (INA) Yamaha +1.536
Peerapong Boonlert (THA) Yamaha +1.896
Ahmad Afif Amran (MAS) Yamaha +19.972
Reynaldo Chrisantho Ratukore (INA) Yamaha +23.392
Race Two
The usual suspects, minus Muklada, put a similar show on for Sunday. As the last lap lottery began Mario, Fadly, Awhin and Anuparb had a small gap back to Rheza, Kritchporn and Peerapong Boonlert, who helped each other to close back in by the time they reached turn five.
As they braked for the final corner, Anuparb was forced onto the grass and lost just enough momentum for Awhin, Fadly and Kritchaporn to beat him to the line. Mario, Peerapong and Rheza were all within six tenths of the winner to complete the top seven positions. Five seconds further back, race one winner, Rafid Topan Sucipto, held off Galang Hendra Pratama and Kanatat Jaiman for eighth place.
Race Direction subsequently intervened to penalise Awhin, Kritchaporn, Peerapong and Mario by dropping them five places each for exceeding track limits. That handed Fadly his first AP250 win and brought Rheza and Anuparb up to second and third places.
Rheza’s total points haul for the year increased to 226 and Anuparb held onto second place with 158 points from Rafid, who finished with 151.
Asia Production 250cc Race 2 Result
Andy Muhammad Fadly (INA) Kawasaki 19:01.944
Rheza Danica Ahrens (INA) Honda +0.539
Anupab Sarmoon (THA) Yamaha +0.105
Rafid Topan Sucipto (INA) Yamaha +5.581
Galang Hendra Pratama*** (INA) Yamaha +5.780
Awhin Sanjaya (INA) Honda — 10 laps —
Kanatat Jaiman (THA) Yamaha +5.793
Kritchaporn Kaewsonthi (THA) Honda +0.087
Piyawat Patoomyos** (THA) Honda +6.220
Mario Suryo Aji (INA) Honda +0.168
Asia Production 250cc Standings
Rheza Danica Ahren INA Astra Honda 226
Anupab Sarmoon THA YAMAHA 158
Rafid Topan Sucipto INA Yamaha 151
Awhin Sanjaya INA Honda 147
Andy Muhammad Fadly INA Kawasaki 130
Mario Suryo Aji INA Honda 128
Muklada Sarapuech THA Honda 86
Peerapong Boonlert THA Yamaha 82
Reynaldo Chrisantho Ratukore***INA Yamaha 64
Anggi Setiawan INA Yamaha 64
Underbone 150cc Wawan and Gupita win and Helmi takes the title
With 27 entries, the mono class served up two of the best races of the season, despite SCK Rapido Hi Rev Honda’s Helmi Azman beginning the final round needing just one eighth place finish to seal 2018 title.
Indonesian wildcard, Wawan Wello, wowed underbone fans again, in just his second ARRC outing and his first trip to Buriram. After finding his way round in the first Friday session, he shot to the top of the timing screens in FP2 and recorded the quickest qualifying time – the only sub-two minute lap of the weekend – at the end of the afternoon to lead the fastest fifteen into Saturday’s Superpole shootout. Helmi had an engine problem in qualifying and found himself dropped 16 places to 19th when his team pushed his bike into the pit box during the session.
Helmi’s Australian team-mate, Travis Hall, got through to superpole by clocking 2:03.545, putting himself into the thick of a field of race winners and former champions and subsequently improved by four places from qualifying to start tenth.
In race one, attention inevitably focused on Helmi, who treated his challenge as a normal day’s work. Wawan and Affendi Rosli led the swarm into turn one, as Helmi sliced his way through to the top ten. Ahmad Fazli Sham showed well throughout the race, while two times former champion, Gupita Kresna, threatened and Reza Fahlevi, another Indonesian wildcard, had an impressive outing. Izzat Zaidi’s long-shot challenge for the championship didn’t materialise and he wasn’t able to get close to the front of 15-bike leading group.
As the last lap bare knuckle fight ensued, Wawan got clear to take the win from Helmi, Affendi Fazli Sham, Gupita and Reza, who completed the first six. With Izzat finishing 14th, Helmi’s title winning margin stood at 60 points. Travis finished 12th, just two seconds behind the race winner.
Wawan out-dragged the rest of the field into turn one again on Sunday and briefly opened a gap until the chasing peloton sucked him back in on the long straight between turns three and four. Helmi Azman, along with Syahrul Amin, Ahmad Fazli Sham, Peerapong Luiboonpeng and Akid Aziz hounded the Indonesian upstart, forcing him back into the middle of the leading group by lap three.
Clearly believing in his right to lead the race, Wawan had charged back to the front one lap later, as his SND team-mates, Gupita and Syahrul, along with Helmi, Akid and Fazli Sham stayed close, trying to work out a way past the wild card.
As is often the case at the Thai circuit, the last corner and race direction played a major role in the finishing order. After leading much of the final lap, Wawan got caught in a melee as the leaders fanned out under braking for turn 12.
A total of seven bikes, including Travis Hall’s, went down and Syahrul scrambled through to the chequered flag first, one tenth ahead of Gupita who was chased across the line by Aiman Azman and Fazli Sham. After Race Direction had handed out a sheaf of five place drop penalties for exceeding track limits, Gupita was elevated to first position from Aiman, McKinley Kyle Paz, Helmi and Wawan.
Underbone 150cc Race 2 Results
Gupita Kresna (INA) Yamaha 16:22.140
Md. Aiman Azman (MAS) Honda +0.972
McKinley Kyle Paz*** (PHI) Yamaha +1.018
Md Helmi Azman (MAS) Honda +1.347
Wawan Wello** (INA) Yamaha +1.398
Syahrul Amin (INA) Yamaha — 8 laps —
Md Amirul Ariff Musa (MAS) Honda +1.422
Ahmad Fazli Sham (MAS) Yamaha +0.473
Reza Fahlevi** (INA) Yamaha +1.485
Md Izzat Zaidi (MAS) Yamaha +2.794 …DNF. Travis Hall
Underbone 150cc Standings
Md Helmi Azman MAS Honda 197
Md Izzat Zaidi MAS Yamaha 130
Ahmad Fazli Sham MAS Yamaha 117
Gupita Kresna Wardhana INA Yamaha Yamaha 110
Md Akid Aziz MAS UMA Yamaha 95
Md Amirul Ariff Musa MAS Honda 87
Md Affendi Rosli MAS Yamaha 84
Wahyu Aji Trilaksana INA Yamaha 83
Syahrul Amin INA Yamaha 83
Md Haziq Md Fairues MAS Yamaha 77 …14. Travis Hall AUS Honda 50