Doha: Japan’s Yuki Takahashi got off to a perfect start when he smashed the SuperSports 600cc lap record at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar as Round 5 of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship got under way on Thursday.
Running on extra-hard Dunlop compounds, the Honda-man was unquestionably the man to beat as he dominated the first two practice sessions before blazing to a new lap record of 2’04.413s in FP3, erasing the benchmark previously held by team-mate, Zamri Baba (2’04.437s).
Ratthapong Wilairot (AP Honda Racing Thailand) delivered the next best effort in 2’05.150s, 0.737 seconds adrift Takahashi followed by Makoto Inagaki (Yellowcorn Akeno Speed Racing) third with a personal best of 2’05.173s.
Tomoyoshi Koyama (T.Pro Yuzy Honda NTS) was fourth fastest with Yuki Ito (Petronas Hong Leong Yamaha) completing the top five.
Yuki Ito initially aimed to bridge the gap with Takahashi but suffered a massive crash in the opening stages of FP3, forcing race officials to call out the red flag and halt the session temporarily.“I’m glad everything worked out and that we managed to break the lap record here today,” said the in-form Japanese rider..
In the Underbone 130cc, Indonesia’s Ferlando Herdian outpaced compatriot, Gupita Kresna to take the lead for SuperPole after he appeared quickest in the Underbone 130cc qualifying. The BKMS Indonesia Racing rider shaved off two seconds from the practice sessions to wrap up the qualifying quickest in 2’33.181s while Manual Tech KYT Rextor’s Gupita dropped down to second having clocked his best lap in 2’33.219s.
Mohd Amirul Ariff Musa (T Pro Yuzy Honda NTS) also picked up the pace to register third in 2’33.834s with Rezza Fahlevy (RPM Racing) and Sasitharen Sukumaran rounding up top five.
The remaining five riders who made the SuperPole cut were Faito Factory Racing duo, Wahyu Aji Trilaksana and Anggi Permana Putera, Ahmad Fazrul Sham (Horse Oil William Racing Team), Mohd Adib Rosley (RCB Yamaha YY Pang Racing Team( and Affendi Rosli (PETRONAS Hong Leong Yamaha).
THE PENINSULA
