2017 will be another great year for Malaysia’s motorcycle racing scene
⇒ Hafizh Syahrin & Khairul Idham Pawi in Moto2
⇒ Adam Norrodin in Moto3
⇒ New SuperCub 150 Premier Class in Malaysian Cub Prix
At the beginning of what will possibly be the most interesting year in motorcycle racing yet, people all around the world definitely have something to look forward to. For us Malaysians, things are no different. Here are a few things to look out for this year in the world of motorcycle racing.
Khairul Idham Pawi in Moto2
We definitely had an amazing racing year back in 2016, especially in the highest level of racing that is MotoGP. Things got even more special with the fact that Negaraku finally sounded for the world to hear when our very own Moto3 rider, Khairul Idham Pawi took the top spot in the Moto3 race in Argentina.
This was only the second race of the season and also Khairul’s second ever Moto3 race and he dominated and shocked the entire field. What exactly did he do? Well, he won a very, VERY wet race with rain pouring down from the heavens and by a big margin too. How big? 26 seconds from the runner-up, Jorge Navarro (Estrella Galicia 0,0)!
Khairul Idham then repeated his superb performance in Germany and that was when he was crowned the nickname “King of the Wet”. Again, the Negaraku was played on foreign soil. Again, an 18-year-old kid from Perak made Malaysia proud.
What to expect from #SuperKIP for the 2017 season? Well, the 19-year-old will move up to Moto2 next season on-board the Kalex 600cc machine with the Idemitsu Honda Team Asia outfit alongside Takaaki Nakagami. From the pre-season testing, we saw that our boy was very competitive on the bigger bike and managed to clock in a few impressive laps.
Adam Norrodin is no longer “The Rookie”
The other Moto3 local lad, Adam Norrodin is also someone worth mentioning. He too was a major threat during the Moto3 race in Argentina last season up until the second last corner in the very last lap where he suffered a massive highside that ruined his only chance to be on podium.
Although Adam Norrodin had a very difficult rookie season, he was known for his big heart and sheer determination. What most riders will do after a massive and painful highside is just give up and get away from any danger. Not our boy. He actually picked up his bike and PUSHED it to the finish line. He managed to finish 11th in the race but not before receiving massive applause and praise from the world.
One could say that Adam Norrodin inspired MotoGP rider, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) to do the same thing when he was struck down by his former teammate, Andrea Iannone at the very same corner in the last lap as well. Adam Norrodin will be racing with the same Moto3 outfit for the 2017 season, alongside with the 2016 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, Ayumi Sasaki.
Hafizh Syahrin – Possible Moto2 Domination?
Another Malaysian hero in the Moto2 category is none other than Hafizh Syahrin aka “Pescao” or “Little Fish”. After finishing a strong and impressive ninth overall in the 2016 Moto2 season, we reckon that he will definitely be a major threat for podium and possibly for the Moto2 championship.
This is due to the fact that a few of the front runners in the 2016 Moto2 championship have graduated and move on up to the big leagues, MotoGP. This includes the 2016 Moto2 champion, Johann Zarco. Other riders who are moving up to the premier class include Sam Lowes, Alex Rins and Jonas Folger.
There are still a few major threats left in Moto2 but we’re confident that our boy Hafizh Syahrin will get them something to worry about. Hafizh Syahrin will stay with Petronas Raceline Malaysia for the 2017 Moto2 season.
New SuperCub 150 Premier Class in Malaysian Cub Prix
After eight years of running as the top premier class in the Petronas AAM Malaysian Cub Prix, the CP130 category has finally closed its curtains for the last time in the 2016 season. The category has been changed to a bigger capacity and highly anticipated category, the SuperCub 150.
The premier class engine capacity has been raised to 150cc. With bigger capacity, comes greater speed and excitement. However, there will only be two manufacturers involved in this category, Yamaha and Honda. This is due to the fact that they are the only ones offering 150cc machineries.
For the very first season of SuperCub 150, we will witness a head-on battle between the two most popular cubs in the country today, the Yamaha Y15ZR and the Honda RS150R. The on-going battle between the two manufacturers has been going on for ages and things will definitely heat up more in this year’s Malaysian Cub Prix.
In the meantime, stay tuned to Bikes Republic for everything related to motoring.
