Tag Archives: Anthony West

Anthony West ban from competition extended

Anthony West ban now extended to 14 March, 2021

In the framework of a decision rendered by the FIM International Disciplinary Court (CDI) on 28 January 2019, Mr Anthony West was sanctioned with a period of ineligibility of two years running from 17 January 2019 until 14th September 2020. (i.e Mr. West was tested positive for a prohibited substance under the heading ‘S6 Stimulants’ of the list of prohibited substances of the FIM Anti-Doping Code (CAD)).

Accordingly, and pursuant to article 10.12.1 CAD, Mr West was banned from participating in any capacity in any competition or activity during the period of ineligibility decided by the CDI.

During his period of ineligibility Mr West participated in several rounds of the Brazilian Superbike Championship.

Brazilian SBK Rnd Interlagos Anthony West
Anthony West – 2019 Brazilian Superbike Championship Round 3

The CDI has considered that the participation of Mr West in the aforementioned motorcycling competitions constituted violations of the prohibition against participation during ineligibility and has imposed to Mr. West a new period of ineligibility of 6 months starting from 15 September 2020 and ending on 14 March 2021, in accordance with article 10.12.3 CAD.

An appeal against this decision may be lodged before the Court for Arbitration for Sport within 21 days.

Source: MCNews.com.au

Anthony West quits over doping scandal

Gold Coast racer Anthony West, 37, has parked his motorcycle racing career over a seven-year doping dispute with the FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme).

Ant West, who has raced in seven world championship series since 1998, announced his decision in a Facebook post over night:

Fuck FIM I’m done with this sport!!!! You will never see me on another motorcycle again in my life. You win FIM you dogs. Your really low shit people who should have nothing to do with the sport. FIM have pushed to make me lose my ride with Kawasaki here Brazil. FIM have destroyed my life many times and have put me into depression to point I wish I was dead. I’m done playing there bullshit political games. Fuck you FIM. Sorry to all my fans who have supported me all the way since 1999 when 1st went to world championship. I love you all!!!!

It follows a video post two days ago saying: “Last laps like this is why FIM don’t want me racing. Not meant to beat factory teams on a private bike.”

Doping scandal

The doping scandal started in 2012 when he was racing World Moto2 championship with the Qatar-based QMMF Racing Team.

Ant claims he skipped breakfast and had a “workout drink” which caused him to prove positive in a drug test later the same day at the Le Mans round.

The FIM claims they had changed the rules to add the drink, but Ant says it wasn’t on the doping list and is even used by Australian football players.Ant West

Several months later he was banned.

A legal wrangle followed, he was dope tested two more times, his team was disqualified over an engine technicality, he had a 2018 Asian championship win revoked and he lost his racing licence.

Ant claims this was FIM bullying because he challenged the original ban.

He switched to the Brazilian SBK Championship in 2019 to escape FIM rules, but now seems to have dropped out of that series. 

  • If you are experiencing feelings of depression, contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or Lifeline on 131114.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Anthony West leads Bazilian Superbikes after Round 3

Anthony West claims SBK lead with third place

Images by Sampafotos

Team Kawasaki Brasil rider Anthony West continues to lead the Brazilian Superbike Championship after three rounds. Sunday’s third place points put Ant at the top of the championship standings with 41-points, eight clear of second place.

Anthony West

“The good news is, we are still leading the championship. Unlike Barros and Granado who have hundreds of laps here, we are still making big changes to the bike trying to find a better setup for Interlagos. The team is working really hard and we are making progress, we just need to close the gap to the front.”

Brazilian SBK Rnd Interlagos Anthony West
Anthony West celebrates another podium in Brazilian Superbikes, this time at Round 3

Once again the Interlagos track of Sao Paolo, Brazil delivered all four seasons in one weekend. The team and Ant had many things to test to try and close the setup advantage that the Brazil Superbike riders enjoy over the newcomer.

The weekend was also going to be challenging because the Interlagos circuit demolished all the pitboxes in order to rebuild new ones, necessitating the use of a new temporary pitlane. Thursday morning was raining and the first session was skipped.

Brazilian SBK Rnd Interlagos Anthony West
Anthony West – Brazilian Superbike Championship Round 3

The second session was to find current track conditions using the previous race weekend’s setup. The third session saw the implementation of a new solution to try and increase edge grip. The team skipped the final session of the day as the temperature dropped significantly and the sun was going down quickly—days are getting shorter as Brazil enters the Autumn season.

Friday arrived and the team implemented another radical change to the setup of the bike. The team and Ant’s efforts were rewarded with a new personal best lap record of 1:36.4 around the 4.4 km circuit. The team continued to work on the power delivery of the awesome ZX-10R engine, trying to help Ant get as much grip as possible.

Brazilian SBK Rnd Interlagos Anthony West
Anthony West – Brazilian Superbike Championship Round 3

Saturday the setup work continued and the lap times became more consistent and easier to maintain. Although a little down on one lap pace, the team was optimistic with Ant’s race pace. West qualified in the middle of the front row in second place.

Sunday morning’s 8:45am ten minute warm up was held under cool overcast conditions and West tried the new setup with a full fuel load to simulate the opening laps of the race.

Brazilian SBK Rnd Interlagos Anthony West
Anthony West – Brazilian Superbike Championship Round 3

At the end of the session, Ant was in second place and looking forward to the race, however as the 1pm race time approached, the clouds gave way to bright blue skies and intense sun. The track temperature was 36 degrees, significantly warmer then it had been in any earlier session.

Brazilian SBK Rnd Interlagos Anthony West
Anthony West – Brazilian Superbike Championship Round 3

Eric Granado demonstrated he had the one lap pace in qualifying, while West and team were hoping to close the gap over race distance on worn tires. When the lights went out, Ant rocketed off the line and made his way to the lead. Unfortunately, it was short lived.

Brazilian SBK Rnd Interlagos Anthony West
Anthony West – Brazilian Superbike Championship Round 3

Granado made it past Ant and pulled a small gap. Alex Barros and Ant then fought the entire race distance over second place, allowing Granado to escape. Unlike the first round, Barros was able to beat Ant to the finish line to claim second, leaving Westy with third. Ant continues to lead the Brazilian Superbike Championship, and sits eight-points clear of second place.

Brazilian SBK Rnd Interlagos Alex Barros
Alex Barros – Brazilian Superbike Championship Round 3 – Image courtesy of BMW Group

Brasil Superbike Race – Round 3 – Result

  1. Eric Granado 23:28.853
  2. Alex Barros +5.855
  3. Anthony West ” Gringo ” +6.063
  4. Pedro Sampaio +9.344
  5. Maximiliano Gerardo +9.363
  6. Danilo Lewis +33.416
  7. Rodrigo Dazzi +49.415
  8. Mauriti Junior +49.417
  9. Diego Viveiros +1:09.130
  10. Davi Costa +1:12.220
  11. Julio Fortunato +1:25.757
  12. José Luiz Teixeira “Cachorrão” +1:40.78

Brazilian Superbike Standings

  1. Anthony West – Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R – 41
  2. Maximiliano Gerardô – Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R – 33
  3. Alex Barros – BMW S1000RR – 29
  4. Eric Granado – Honda CBR 1000RR – 27
  5. Pedro Sampaio – Honda CBR 1000RR – 26
  6. Danilo Lewis – BMW S1000RR – 24
  7. Bruno Corano – BMW S1000RR – 17
  8. Diego Pierluigi – Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R – 11
  9. José Luiz “Cachorrão” – Honda CBR 1000RR – 8
  10. Juninho Trudes – Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R – 0

Team Kawasaki Brasil is operated by JC Racing. Team Kawasaki Brasil is sponsored by: Steck, Castropil, Flip Racing Moto Parts. Ant West personal sponsors include FuSport, Accent Timber Flooring, Graeme Cavanagh, Arai, SC Exhaust, CHC Leathers

Source: MCNews.com.au

Anthony West on the podium in Brazil despite blown engine

2019 Brazilian Superbike Championship

Anthony West retains championship lead

Round 2 of the Brazilian Superbike championship at Interlagos proved a challenging weekend with weather and technical issues cutting short practice.

Brazilian SBK Rnd Interlagos Anthony West
Anthony West

Despite an overheating engine Anthony West was able to finish the Superbike race in third place. That was good enough for the 37-year-old to retain his championship lead. His Kawasaki cried enough on the cool-down lap, leaving him to catch a ride on the back of another rider’s bike back to park ferme.

Anthony West

“The second round of the Brazilian SBK Championship is in the books and we have with the championship points lead. The race was declared wet but then it stopped raining. Only one rider gambled on slicks. I struggled with grip and an overheating engine, nursing the bike home in third to retain the points lead. Engine locked up on cool down lap, sorry to my team – you guys have a motor to rebuild! It’s a shame, that one was fast.”

Brazilian SBK Rnd Interlagos Anthony West
Brazilian Superbike Round 2 – Interlagos

Brazil Superbike Round Two Report

The Kawasaki Racing Team-Brasil (KRT-Brasil) squad had prepared a full testing schedule to be completed when they arrived at the Interlagos circuit just outside Sao Paolo, unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans, with the weekend proving a trying one for Ant West and the team alike.

Brazilian SBK Rnd Interlagos Anthony West
Brazilian Superbike Round 2 – Interlagos

The previous weekend had seen the circuit hosting Lollapalooza Brazil and the ensuing rain delayed the break down of the stages and preparation of the track for the second round of the Brazilian Superbike Championship. The entire Thursday test schedule was scuttled by the organisers as a result.

Friday arrived and the team was all set to try and condense their planned eight practice sessions into three. The team was looking for a new solution for the unique layout of the Interlagos track in search of grip, but an electrical gremlin in the form of a malfunctioning quickshifter ensured another entire session was lost. Eight testing sessions were now reduced to two.

Brazilian SBK Rnd Interlagos Anthony West
Brazilian Superbike Round 2 – Interlagos

Saturday’s free practice saw Ant West reduce his personal best lap time around the circuit to 1:36.7, leaving him ready to fight for pole position in the ten-minute Superpole session. Just as Ant was up to speed and ready to start his time attack, Alex Barros crashed and the session was red flagged, with the session not restarted and West relegated to fourth on the grid.

Sunday morning greeted riders with a steady rain that drenched the track, while the schedule only allowed for a single ten-minute warm up session, which was all the team had to test a wet setting that they developed without any on track testing over the weekend.

Brazilian SBK Rnd Interlagos Anthony West
Superbike Race Start – Interlagos

West managed to finish the warm up session in P1, two seconds clear of second place as the weather continued to wreak havoc on the team’s plans, before the rain stopped and the track quickly started drying, leaving teams to decide what tyres to race on.

When it came time for West to head to the grid, the team discussed switching to slicks from wets, however in the final moments before the race, the sky dropped a little more water and the team decided the safe decision was to stay on wets. Only one rider gambled on dry tyres.

Small problems plagued Ant during the race, most noticeably, a severely overheating engine and a lack of rear grip as the rear wet disintegrated on the abrasive Interlagos tarmac.

Brazilian SBK Rnd Interlagos Anthony West
Superbike Race Start – Interlagos

Ant was able to defend his podium position and championship points lead when he crossed the line in third position. After receiving the checkered flag, the engine came to an abrupt halt when it locked up due to severe overheating.

Anthony West

“Well… That weekend did not go to plan. It seemed like we were fighting issues from before the official weekend even started. Thursday testing was cancelled, we missed an entire session with a quickshifter failure, the rain came Sunday morning and the track was drying for the race. The good news is the team never stopped working towards finding solutions and we just kept trying. During the race, I realised my engine was overheating and I tried to salvage as many points as I could. I was able to hold on to third place and the championship points lead. After I finished the race, the motor made a horrible noise and just stopped. I parked my bike and had to jump on the back of a competitors bike for a ride to parc ferme.”

Brazilian SBK Rnd Interlagos Anthony West
Anthony West
Brazilian SBK Rnd Interlagos Anthony West
Brazilian Superbike Round 2 – Interlagos

Source: MCNews.com.au

Anthony West bombs in to Brazil Superbike with victory

Ant West goes wild in Brazil with Superbike opener win


Still engaged in the fight for his race licence with the FIM, Anthony West has grabbed an opportunity to race in Brazil with the Kawasaki Racing Team Brasil, and hopes to complete the entire 10-round season. Brazil is outside FIM jurisdiction.

Brazilian Superbike Championship Anthony West
Anthony West – Brazilian Superbike Championship 2019

West has been nicknamed ‘The Gringo’ by the local racers after a rider briefing, a name he’s adopted with pride and now has plastered across the back of his leathers.

Anthony West

“I’m excited to get back on a superbike. After everything the FIM has done to try and stop my career, I jumped at the chance to ride the ZX-10R in the Brazilian Superbike championship. I was here and able to meet the team and ride the bike at the Interlagos circuit for the pre-season test. After riding the bike, I was more determined then ever to race again in 2019. Thanks to everyone at JC Racing and Kawasaki Brasil for making this happen. Thanks to Arai helmets and Fusports boots for sticking with me everywhere I go. And thanks to all fans who support me every step of the way. I figured after seeing how fast Alex Barros is at 48 and Troy Bayliss at 49 and still carving up younger riders that gives me hope I still have more then 10 years left in the sport. You’re not getting rid of me that easy.”

Brazilian Superbike Championship Anthony West
Anthony West’s Kawasaki Brasil ZX-10R – Brazilian Superbike Championship 2019

West kicks off Brazilian Championship tilt at Interlagos Circuit

Westy and team arrived at the Interlagos Circuit outside Sao Paolo, on Thursday morning with a full schedule of testing prepared ahead of competing in the opening round of the Brazilian Superbike Championship.

Unfortunately the weather wreaked havoc on these plans, with light rain all day and a damp the trac, but not wet enough for rain tyres and no dry line for slick tyres, the entire test program was scrapped and would have to wait until FP1.

Friday saw the team struggling with various electronics issues that were upsetting the bike on corner entry. The team were able to come up with a number of electronic strategies and chassis settings that allowed Ant to extract all the performance out of the Pirelli control tyres, they were rewarded on Saturday with a front row starting position.

Brazilian Superbike Championship Anthony West
Anthony West – Brazilian Superbike Championship 2019

Sunday morning arrived with clear skies and warm temperatures. By the time the lights went out for the start of the race, the air and track temperatures were hotter than the team had experienced all weekend.

With the demanding track layout of the Interlagos circuit, and the highest temperatures the team had seen all weekend, tyre wear was on everyone’s mind. This left Ant having to ride the bike without traction control, while the team was never able to complete a race simulation on Friday or Saturday to check for tyre life.

Brazilian Superbike Championship Anthony West
Anthony West claims a narrow victory from Alex Barros – Brazilian Superbike Championship 2019

Ant was able to get a great start and led the field into turn one with ex Grand Prix star Alex Barros right behind him. Polesitter Eric Granado had a problem off the line and pulled into the pits with a mechanical failure. That left just Ant and Barros to battle it out at the front over the entire race distance, swapping the lead multiple times while leaving the rest of the field in their wake.

When the checkered flag flew, Ant crossed the stripe first with Barros a whisker behind him.

Anthony West – P1

“That was fun. From not being sure if I was going to be able to race this year, to standing on the top of the podium in my first race in the Brazilian Superbike championship, I couldn’t be happier. We lost a whole day of testing to the weather, we struggled with electronic issues, setup issues, and I injured my foot on the farm back in Australia. We just kept working and steadily made the bike better. It feels great to win a race and I can’t wait for the next round of the championship.”

Brazilian Superbike Championship Anthony West
Anthony West- Brazilian Superbike Championship 2019

The next round of the championship is back at Interlagos on April 14th.


Anthony West and the FIM Drug tests saga

The following statement from the FIM was released in November 2018, with no further updates since. The FIM originally notified Anthony West September 13, 2018, even though the FIM Anti-Doping Department were first notified of an “adverse analytical finding” from the testing facility in Germany on July 30, 2018. The FIM Medical Director notified the FIM Legal Department Director on August 24, 2018. The FIM Legal Department waited over two weeks to notify Anthony West, despite being required to give riders prompt notification of these findings.

“[Anthony] West remains banned from competing in any FIM motorcycling competition or activity until further notice. His ban is pending a final decision on the merits of the case.”

West’s latest statement on his continued battle for his race licence is as follows:

Anthony West

“FIM never responds to emails and does not want to talk on the phone. I’m still fighting. I do not know how long it will take.”

Source: MCNews.com.au

2018 Asian Road Racing Championship finale blow by blow

2018 Asian Road Racing Championship

Wilairot claims Supersport 600 title

Anthony West forced to watch from sidelines

By Barry Russell


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.

ARRC Rnd Race Decha leads Ratthapong Yudhistira Kubo
Supersport 600 Race 1 Start

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.

ARRC Rnd Girls Buriram
2018 ARRC Round 6

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.

ARRC Rnd Randy Krummenacher
Randy Krummenacher

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.

ARRC Rnd Ratthapong Leads Decha
Ratthapong leads Decha

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.

ARRC Rnd Ratthapong Decha Celebrate Race
Ratthapong got past Decha and retained the lead

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.

ARRC Rnd Ratthapong Race
Ratthapong Wilairot

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

  1. Ratthapong Wilairot (THA) Yamaha 29:56.061
  2. Decha Kraisart (THA) Yamaha +1.370
  3. Ahmad Yudhistira (INA) Kawasaki +5.372
  4. Keminth Kubo (THA) Yamaha +5.919
  5. Tomoyoshi Koyama (JPN) Honda +6.107
  6. Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman (MAS) Kawasaki +17.511
  7. Andi Farid Izdihar (INA) Honda +24.252
  8. Sheridan Morais (RSA) Yamaha +24.746
  9. Randy Krummenacher*** (SUI) Yamaha +25.026
  10. 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.

ARRC Rnd SS Race Start
Supersport 600 Race 2 Start

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.

ARRC Rnd Krummenacher Meets Kubo
Krummenacher meets Kubo

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.

ARRC Rnd Ratthapong ARRC Champion
Ratthapong Wilairot

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.

ARRC Rnd Ratthapong Decha
Ratthapong Wilairot

Super Sport 600 Race 2 Results

  1. Ratthapong Wilairot (THA) Yamaha 30:00.360
  2. Decha Kraisart (THA) Yamaha +0.341
  3. Ahmad Yudhistira (INA) Kawasaki +2.972
  4. Tomoyoshi Koyama (JPN) Honda +3.052
  5. Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman (MAS) Kawasaki +6.567
  6. Keisuke Kurihara (JPN) Honda +9.619
  7. Andi Farid Izdihar (INA) Honda +12.211
  8. Yuki Ito (JPN) Yamaha +12.239
  9. Muhammad Zulfahmi Khairudin (MAS) Kawasaki +12.487
  10. Passawit Thitivararak (THA) Honda +12.633
ARRC Rnd Ratthapong ARRC Champion
2018 Supersport 600 champion Ratthapong Wilairot

Super Sport 600 Final Standings

  1. Ratthapong Wilairot THA Yamaha 141
  2. Anthony West AUS Yamaha 136
  3. Ahmad Yudhistira INA Kawasaki 131
  4. Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman MAS Kawasaki 123
  5. Andi Farid Izdihar INA Honda 117
  6. Tomoyoshi Koyama JPN Honda 107
  7. Decha Kraisart THA YAMAHA 96
  8. Md Zaqhwan Zaidi MAS Honda 94
  9. Yuki Ito JPN Yamaha 86
  10. 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.

ARRC Rnd Rafid Topan Sucipto ARRC AP
Rafid Topan Sucipto

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.

ARRC Rnd Rafid Topan Sucipto ARRC Chang
Rafid Topan Sucipto took the Race 1 win

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

  1. Rafid Topan Sucipto (INA) Yamaha 19:03.592
  2. Awhin Sanjaya (INA) Honda +0.223
  3. Anupab Sarmoon (THA) Yamaha +0.734
  4. Rheza Danica Ahrens (INA) Honda +1.050
  5. Piyawat Patoomyos** (THA) Honda +1.211
  6. Kanatat Jaiman (THA) Yamaha +1.416
  7. Galang Hendra Pratama*** (INA) Yamaha +1.536
  8. Peerapong Boonlert (THA) Yamaha +1.896
  9. Ahmad Afif Amran (MAS) Yamaha +19.972
  10. 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.

ARRC Rnd Buriram Grid Girls
2018 ARRC Round 6

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.

ARRC Rnd Buriram Grid Girls
2018 ARRC Round 6

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

  1. Andy Muhammad Fadly (INA) Kawasaki 19:01.944
  2. Rheza Danica Ahrens (INA) Honda +0.539
  3. Anupab Sarmoon (THA) Yamaha +0.105
  4. Rafid Topan Sucipto (INA) Yamaha +5.581
  5. Galang Hendra Pratama*** (INA) Yamaha +5.780
  6. Awhin Sanjaya (INA) Honda — 10 laps —
  7. Kanatat Jaiman (THA) Yamaha +5.793
  8. Kritchaporn Kaewsonthi (THA) Honda +0.087
  9. Piyawat Patoomyos** (THA) Honda +6.220
  10. Mario Suryo Aji (INA) Honda +0.168

Asia Production 250cc Standings

  1. Rheza Danica Ahren INA Astra Honda 226
  2. Anupab Sarmoon THA YAMAHA 158
  3. Rafid Topan Sucipto INA Yamaha 151
  4. Awhin Sanjaya INA Honda 147
  5. Andy Muhammad Fadly INA Kawasaki 130
  6. Mario Suryo Aji INA Honda 128
  7. Muklada Sarapuech THA Honda 86
  8. Peerapong Boonlert THA Yamaha 82
  9. Reynaldo Chrisantho Ratukore***INA Yamaha 64
  10. 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.

ARRC Rnd Underbone Race Wawan leads Helmi outside
Underbone 150cc

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.

ARRC Rnd Grid Girls Buriram
2018 ARRC Round 6

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.

ARRC Rnd Race Underbone Grid Travis Hall
Travis Hall

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.

Underbone 150cc Race 1 Results

  1. Wawan Wello** (INA) Yamaha 16:18.788
  2. Md Helmi Azman (MAS) Honda +0.574
  3. Md Affendi Rosli (MAS) Yamaha +0.756
  4. Ahmad Fazli Sham (MAS) Yamaha +0.774
  5. Gupita Kresna (INA) Yamaha +0.775
  6. Reza Fahlevi** (INA) Yamaha +0.899
  7. Md Amirul Ariff Musa (MAS) Honda +1.055
  8. Md Akid Aziz (MAS) Yamaha +1.131
  9. Md. Aiman Azman (MAS) Honda +1.313
  10. Syahrul Amin (INA) Yamaha +1.439
    …12. Travis Hall (AUS) Honda +2.110

Race Two

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.

ARRC Rnd Wawan Wello Head Down Ass Up
Wawan Wello

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.

ARRC Rnd Muklada Sarapuech Incident
Underbone 150cc

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

  1. Gupita Kresna (INA) Yamaha 16:22.140
  2. Md. Aiman Azman (MAS) Honda +0.972
  3. McKinley Kyle Paz*** (PHI) Yamaha +1.018
  4. Md Helmi Azman (MAS) Honda +1.347
  5. Wawan Wello** (INA) Yamaha +1.398
  6. Syahrul Amin (INA) Yamaha — 8 laps —
  7. Md Amirul Ariff Musa (MAS) Honda +1.422
  8. Ahmad Fazli Sham (MAS) Yamaha +0.473
  9. Reza Fahlevi** (INA) Yamaha +1.485
  10. Md Izzat Zaidi (MAS) Yamaha +2.794
    …DNF. Travis Hall
ARRC Rnd Helmi Azman Underbone Champion ARRC
Md Helmi Azman – Underbone 150cc champion

Underbone 150cc Standings

  1. Md Helmi Azman MAS Honda 197
  2. Md Izzat Zaidi MAS Yamaha 130
  3. Ahmad Fazli Sham MAS Yamaha 117
  4. Gupita Kresna Wardhana INA Yamaha Yamaha 110
  5. Md Akid Aziz MAS UMA Yamaha 95
  6. Md Amirul Ariff Musa MAS Honda 87
  7. Md Affendi Rosli MAS Yamaha 84
  8. Wahyu Aji Trilaksana INA Yamaha 83
  9. Syahrul Amin INA Yamaha 83
  10. Md Haziq Md Fairues MAS Yamaha 77
    …14. Travis Hall AUS Honda 50

Images by FIM Asia Road Racing Championship

Source: MCNews.com.au