Adrenaline Impact

After a 5-month long break, the PETRONAS Malaysian Cub Prix Championship finally gets in gear with Round 3 and 4 to be held at the Sepang North Track this weekend.

For the majority of teams and riders, this is akin to a new start with everyone still in the running for the title chase. In the CP150 class, team PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha Maju Motor’s Nazirul Izzat Bahauddin leads the premiere class by a single point ahead of Muzakkir Mohamed from the ONEXOX TKKR Racing Team.

SCK Honda Racing Team’s rookie, Izam Ikmal, has proven to be the darkhorse of the season to date. Izam’s strong and consistent track record at the Sepang Circuit sees him third on the standings.

Meanwhile, Mohd Adib Rosley from Ipone Yamaha YY Pang Racing Team double podium from earlier in the year has him in the lead for the CP125 title chase. However, Adib will need to stay on his toes with eight more races to be held before season 2021 is done and dusted. Adib’s closest competitors so far include Syafiq Rosli (PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha Maju Motor), Adib’s own team mate Fareez Afeez Abd Rahman, Ahmad Syukran Aizat Mohd Yusoff (PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha-CKJ Racing), and Hafiza Rofa (ONEXOX TKKR RACING Team).  

Finally, team PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha-31 Racing is sitting pretty at the top of the Wira KBS leaderboard. The team’s riders – Mohd Aqil Danial Nasrul, Mohd Syamil Amsyar Mohd Iffende and Danial Johan – have dominated the first two rounds of the season.

Round 2 of the PETRONAS Malaysian Cub Prix Championship, scheduled for the Sepang North track this weekend, will proceed without spectators for the upcoming round.

“Of course we miss the presence of race fans at Cub Prix races. But with only one more round to go before the 2021 series heads into the Ramadhan and Syawal break, we felt that it would be better to stick to the status quo for the moment. With more time to prepare for the return of spectators, we will be better able to create a safe environment for everyone to enjoy the races,” said Ron Hogg, Director of Safe Aim Mutual Sdn Bhd, the race promoters of the Malaysian Cub Prix.

The second leg of the 2021 season will rev off with the ONEXOX TKKR Racing Team’s Mohd Muzakkir Mohamed in the lead for the premiere class title chase. The season opener at Sepang South two weekends ago turned out to be a challenging start for the usual race leaders with top names like defending champion Helmi Azman, Azroy Hakeem Anuar and comeback kid Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin finishing off the podium.

As in the 2020 season, team PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha Maju Motor’s Mohd Syafiq Rosli is still the man to beat in the CP125 class. After a decisive victory in Round 1, Syafiq has given his title defense campaign with the best possible start.

Finally, team PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha 31 Racing will be looking to extend the team’s domination in the age-capped Wira KBS class. The team led by former Cub Prix Champion K. Sivanesan, locked out the top three steps of the Wira KBS podium in Round 1 with Mohd Syamil Amsyar Iffende, Danial Johan and Mohd Aqil Danial Nasrul.

A decade as a professional rider, the moment that Mohd Muzakkir Mohamed finally arrived. The 29-year-old ONEXOX TKKR Racing Team finally achieved his dream of winning a premiere CP150 race when the 2021 season of the PETRONAS Malaysian Cub Prix Championship kicked off at the Sepang South Circuit last weekend.

It was an emotional moment for the determined rider, who described the 2021 season as one of the most challenging seasons in recent memory.

“In the weeks leading to the first round, we have been hearing news of one big name comeback after another. Just look at the CP150 grid. Out of the 27 riders, 14 were previous title holders,” said Muzakkir.

However, Muzakkir kept his cool in the face of the ramped up competition, confident that his vast experience racing at Sepang would see hjim through. Sticking to the script, Muzakkir led the group in the final five laps of the 11-lap race to clinch the victory with a time of 14’12.181s.

0.265 seconds behind Muzakkir, lap record holder Mohd Izzat Zaidi Mohd Salehan from team Ipone Yamaha YY Pang Racing Team came home in second place followed by double CP150 champion Ahmad Afif Amran took third place with 14’12.503s.

“This is such a meaningful win for me. I’ve been waiting for this moment for 10 years and now I’m looking ahead to sustain the advantage in pursuit of a bigger dream, to see my name carved into the Cub Prix champion trophy,” said Muzakkir.

Meanwhile, CP125 defending champion Mohd Syafiq Rosli proved to be peerless at Round 1 when he left the competition half a second behind to effortlessly pick up the win with 11’10.393s. Team Ipone Yamaha YY Pang Racing Team duo Mohd Fareez Afeez and Mohd Adib Rosley joined Syafiq on the podium in second and third places respectively.

Finally, team PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha – 31 Racing made a clean sweep of the Wira KBS podium with a dominant performance in the 7-lap race. Mohd Syamil Amsyar Mohd Iffende led the trio in first place, followed by Danial Johan and Mohd Aqil Danial Nasrul in second and third.

Only a day into the season opener of the 2021 PETRONAS Malaysian Cub Prix Championship, and a new lap record has been set at the 2.6km Sepang South Circuit. Ipone Yamaha YY Pang Racing Team rider Mohd Izzat Zaidi Mohd Salehan found a way past the rpm limitation rules to clock a whopping 1’15,190s to erase the previous record of 1’15.240s held by Azroy Hakeem Anuar.

The PETRONAS Malaysian Cub Prix Championship had previously announced new regulations whereby all motorcycle makes in the CP150 premiere class will be limited to a maximum of 14,000rpm.

“To be honest, the results came as a bit of a shock to me. Like all the other riders on the grid, I’m still looking for the best racing line and riding style to adjust to the new rpm limits,” said Izzat.

“No doubt, this lap record has given myself and the entire team a strong morale boost as we prepare for the SuperPole and first race of the season tomorrow.”

Honda Yuzy Idemitsu Team’s Azroy Hakeem Anuar trailed in as the second fastest rider in the CP150 class with 1’15.409s. CP150 defending champion, Mohd Helmi Azman, clocked third fastest with 1’15.423s.

Meanwhile, comeback kid Kasma Daniel Kasmayuddin was clearly still getting back into the rhythm of underbone racing. The PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha Maju Motor rider, a three-times Cub Prix champion, failed to make the cut for the SuperPole when he clocked 14^th in qualifying with 1’16.240s.

Meanwhile, ONEXOX TKKR Racing Team’s Mohd Hafiza Rofa took top honours in the CP125 qualifying session with 1’32.306s. However, it was Siti Norafizah Mohamad from new racing outfit TUNEBOSS Pink Racing who stole the limelight when she clocked second fastest in the class with 1’33.005s.

Mohd Syamil Amsyar from team PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha – 31 Racing led the age-capped Wira KBS class with a time of 1’34.222s.

CP150

1. Mohd Izzat Zaidi Mohd Salehan (Yamaha, Ipone Yamaha YY Pang Racing Team), 1’15.190s

2. Azroy Hakeem Anuar (Honda, Honda Yuzy Idemitsu Team), 1’15.409s

3. Mohd Helmi Azman (Honda, SCK Honda Racing Team), 1’15.423s

CP125

1. Mohd Hafiza Rofa (Yamaha, ONEXOX TKKR Racing Team), 1’32.306s

2. Siti Norafizah Mohamad (Yamaha, TUNEBOSS PINK RACING), 1’33.005s

3. Mohd Haziq Mohd Hamdan (Honda, MOTO1 Koyoko Honda KC Racing Team), 1’33.150s

WIRA KBS

1. Mohd Syamil Amsyar M Iffende (Yamaha, PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha-31Racing), 1’34.222s

2. Mohd Aqil Danial Nasrul (Yamaha, PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha-31 Racing), 1’35.531s

3. Mohd Harith Haziq Zamri (Honda, Castrol Power1 Honda Team), 1’36.269s

The 2021 season of the PETRONAS Malaysian Cub Prix Championship will be revving off on schedule this March 20 and 21 at the Sepang South Circuit.

“On behalf of the Malaysian Cub Prix Championship, we would like to extend our sincere appreciation for the combined efforts from the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) along with the dedicated officials from the National Security Council (MKN) as well as the Ministry of Health (KKM) who have given us a lot of support to ensure that we are able to start our season as planned.

Working alongside with the MAM, we pledge to observe all the terms and conditions within the sports bubble SOP. This way, we ensure that the Malaysian sports industry will continue to thrive even in the face of the current challenging pandemic.”

Ron Hogg, Director of Safe Aim Mutual Sdn Bhd.

However, there has been minor changes made to the published 2021 calendar whereby Round 2 has now been shifted to the Sepang North Track on April 3 and 4, 2021.

PETRONAS MALAYSIAN CUB PRIX CHAMPIONSHIP – 2021 PROVISIONAL CALENDAR

• Round 1           Sepang South (20 – 21 March, 2021)
• Round 2           Sepang North (3 – 4 April, 2021)
• Round 3           Tangkak, Johor (22 – 23 May, 2021)
• Round 4           Terengganu Motorsports Track (26 – 27 June, 2021)
• Round 5           to be confirmed (9 – 10 July, 2021)
• Round 6           Sepang North (7 – 8 Aug, 2021)
• Round 7           Sepang South (4 – 5 Sept, 2021)
• Round 8           Terengganu Motorsports Track (9 – 10 Oct, 2021)
• Round 9           to be confirmed (13 – 14 Nov, 2021)
• Round 10         Sepang North (18 – 19 Dec, 2021)

Note: Calendar as of March 11, 2021

The annual PETRONAS Malaysian Cub Prix Rider Search programme begins anew with the search for new riders to take part in one of the three mono-brand race categories in the 2021 season.

This opportunity is limited to Malaysians aged 13 to 18 years old who are looking for an entry-level opportunity into the sport of motorcycle racing.

“This free registration is but the first step. Essentially, we are asking all interested parties to register their interest in the programme. From there, the short-listed riders will be asked to attend a selection process which will be conducted individually by Honda and Yamaha respectively,” explained Ron Hogg, Director of Safe Aim Mutual Sdn Bhd, the race promoters of the PETRONAS Malaysian Cub Prix.

For more information and online registration, please visit  https://www.malaysiancubprix.com/rider-search-2021/. The registration process will close on February 15, 2021.