2023 FIM Asia Road Racing Championships Asia Superbike 1000cc Race 1 Md Zaqhwan Zaidi kicked off the weekend setting a new record of 1’34:844s in qualifying. His close contender Markus Reiterberger clocking 1’35’008s while Japanese star, Haruki Noguchi was third fastest with a 1’35:045s, to mark the front row on race day. Zaqhwan showed blistering […]
The post Asia Road Racing Championship 2023 kicks off in Thailand appeared first on MCNews.
Source: MCNews.com.au
A provisional version of the 2022 Asia Road Racing Championship calendar has been released, with six rounds visiting Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, China and Thailand again, with one round still yet to be declared.
The season will begin with the official test and season opener at the Chang International Circuit. The Sepang International Circuit will host the second leg.
While the host venue for Round 3 is yet to be confirmed, season 2022 will see the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship making its debut at the Sportsland Sugo International Circuit.
The Zhuhai International Circuit in China will serve as the host for the penultimate round and the season is expected to wrap up again at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand.
Ron Hogg – Director Two Wheels Motor Racing
“After two years of enforced inactivity, we can’t wait to get the Asian grid together. The past two years has been an extremely challenging time for the ARRC paddock and we would like to thank all our stakeholders for their continued patience and understanding. We anticipate that we will return to The Bend Motorsport Park, Australia in 2023 when we hope that international travel requirements will have eased up. More importantly, we are definitely looking forward to the ARRC’s debut race in Sugo! Having raced previously at the Autopolis International Race Course and the Suzuka Circuit, the Sportsland Sugo will be a new playground for the Asian paddock. Look forward to fireworks when we finally get in gear! There will be more announcements to come with exciting changes in the works!”
Stephan Carapiet – President FIM Asia
“The FIM Asia is thrilled to witness the re-start of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship. No doubt, there will be strict SOPs to follow but we are certain that the Asian series will be able to adapt and make the best of the situation. Rest assured, the FIM Asia officials will lend our full support and assistance to ensure that 2022 will be our best season ever!”
| Round | Date | Circuit | Nation |
| Official Test | 22–23 March, 2022 | Chang International Circuit | Thailand |
| Round 1 | 25–27 March, 2022 | Chang International Circuit | Thailand |
| Round 2 | 27–29 May, 2022 | Sepang International Circuit | Malaysia |
| Round 3 | 1–3 July, 2022 | TBC | TBC |
| Round 4 | 12–14 August, 2022 | Sportsland Sugo International Circuit | Japan |
| Round 5 | 9–11 September, 2022 | Zhuhai International Circuit | China |
| Round 6 | 18–20 November, 2022 | Chang International Circuit | Thailand |
Source: MCNews.com.au
The provisional entry list for the 2022 running of the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup has broken cover with a strong contingent of Australian riders in the ranks. 20 full-time riders will race, hailing from seven countries throughout Asia and Oceania, including Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
There are six returning riders in 2022 – four riders from the class of 2020 and two from 2021. There are 14 new riders, two of whom have already made wildcard appearances at Mandalika International Street Circuit: Reykat Fadillah and Veda Pratama.
Many of the new faces on the grid are competitors from or promoted by the FIM MiniGP Malaysia Series, the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup, Motorcycle Federation of Japan, Suzuka Racing School, Honda, and more, with many already having begun their Road to MotoGP.
Representing Australia will be Carter Thompson, Marianos Nikolis and Cameron Swain. Thompson is a 2020 entrant, with Nikolis 2021, while Swain is a new entrant in 2022.
| Entry | N. | RIDER NAME | NAT. | AGE* |
| 2020 | 2 | REI WAKAMATSU | JPN | 15 |
| New | 3 | AAN RISWANTO | INA | 15 |
| 2020 | 5 | GUN MIE | JPN | 15 |
| 2020 | 6 | CARTER THOMPSON | AUS | 14 |
| New | 7 | VEDA EGA PRATAMA | INA | 13 |
| New | 8 | FARRES PUTRA | MAL | 13 |
| 2020 | 9 | THANAKORN LAKHARN | THA | 18 |
| New | 10 | KAVIN QUINTAL | IND | 16 |
| New | 11 | THANAT LAOONGPLIO | THA | 14 |
| 2021 | 12 | MARIANOS NIKOLIS | AUS | 14 |
| 2021 | 13 | HAKIM DANISH | MAL | 14 |
| New | 14 | AMON ODAKI | JPN | 13 |
| New | 15 | REYKAT YUSUF FADILLAH | INA | 13 |
| New | 16 | NGUYEN TRAN DUC TAI | VIE | 18 |
| New | 17 | EMIL IZDHAR | MAL | 14 |
| New | 18 | CAMERON SWAIN | AUS | 13 |
| New | 19 | FARISH HAFIY | MAL | 13 |
| New | 20 | JAKKREEPHAT PHUETTISAN | THA | 14 |
| New | 21 | SHINYA EZAWA | JPN | 16 |
| New | 22 | DIANDRA TRIHARDIKA | INA | 13 |
Source: MCNews.com.au
A provisional 2022 Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup calendar has now been revealed, with the championship set to race across six rounds and 12 races, alongside MotoGP and WorldSBK.
A pre-season test at Losail International Circuit on the 25th and 26th of February will kick off the season, before the first round takes place alongside the Qatar GP in early March.
From there, the ATC returns to Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit for Round 2 as the MotoGP paddock visits the Indonesian venue for the first time.
After a summer break, the ATC returns to action with back-to-back rounds alongside the Japanese and Thailand Grands Prix, taking on the Twin Ring Motegi and Chang International Circuit.
Two weeks later Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia hosts Round 5, before Mandalika beckons once more for the season finale. There, the ATC will round out 2022 alongside WorldSBK.
| Date | Round | Alongside | Circuit/Country |
| 25–26 February | Test | None | Losail International Circuit, Qatar |
| 4–6 March | Round 1 | MotoGP | Losail International Circuit, Qatar |
| 18–20 March | Round 2 | MotoGP | Mandalika International Street Circuit, Indonesia** |
| 23–25 September | Round 3 | MotoGP | Twin Ring Motegi, Japan |
| 30 Sept–2 Oct | Round 4 | MotoGP | Chang International Circuit, Thailand |
| 21–23 October | Round 5 | MotoGP | Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia |
| 11–13 November | Round 6 | WorldSBK | Mandalika International Street Circuit, Indonesia |
Source: MCNews.com.au
The Asia Talent Cup visited Mandalika International Street Circuit over the weekend, for a four-race round, split between Friday, Saturday and Sunday, offering maximum track time and 100 championship points, with Danial Sharil the most likely contender to reign in Taiyo Furusato.
The grids for Races 1 and 2 were set from qualifying last weekend when the subsequent races were postponed until this weekend, so it was Danial Sharil on pole, Carter Thompson second – the Australian within a tenth of Danial Sharil – and Masaya Hongo completing the front row.
Race 1 turned out to be another classic, with a victory for Taiyo Furusato. It all came down to a duel against Danial Sharil and the last two corners, with Furusato sweeping round the outside to take back the lead and then defend to the flag. It was another 25 points for the 16-year-old Japanese rider and his five victories in a row put him 46 points clear ahead of Race 2, meaning he could wrap up the crown on Saturday. Gun Mie completed the rostrum after only just losing touch with the lead duo on the last couple of laps.
Furusato then made it six on the trot in Saturday’s Race 2, the rider claiming the 2021 Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup title with the result. He was pushed all the way by Danial Sharil as the two put on another spectacular duel, and once again Gun Mie completed the podium as he proved the only rider able to go with the two at the front.
After a cancelled Race 3 on Saturday, Furusato made it a clean sweep on Sunday with another win. It was another duel against Danial Sharil, however, with the Malaysian incredibly close over the line but not quite able to take to the top step. After a huge group battle for the rostrum just behind the two, it was once again Gun Mie coming out on top for third – but the number 5 had his work cut out on Sunday.
The Mandalika round saw Furusato crowned champion ahead of Sharil and Mie, with 14-year-old Aussie Carter Thompson fourth overall in the standings.
Carter Thompson – P4 (Championship)
“Fourth overall in the championship, unfortunately didn’t end the way I would like with a DNF in the last race, but happy to end the championship with fourth overall. What an amazing two weeks we had in Indonesia. As the 2021 ATC season ends and my bike is packed away, I would like to thank everyone involved in this championship. The work everyone puts in to get us there and on track is unbelievable. What an amazing experience it is and one I am extremely grateful to be a part of. Thank you for a great season.”
Fellow Aussie Marianos Nikolis finished the season 11th, while Tom Drane was 14th.
Tom Drane – P14 (Championship)
“Finishing 14th in the Asia Talent Cup championship for 2021. I am extremely grateful for the experience and opportunity. It has been a great two weeks, finishing the last race in P12 and doing a PB. Well done to my Aussie team mates on their placings and Furusato for taking out the championship. See you all back in the land of Oz.”
At lights out it was Danial Sharil who took the holeshot from pole, the Malaysian quick off the line ahead of Masaya Hongo and Carter Thompson.
There was a close shuffle just behind, including for Furusato, but everyone got away cleanly and soon enough, there was a lead group forming: Danial Sharil, Hongo, Thompson, Furusato, Hakim Danish, Azryan Dheyo, Gun Mie and Herjun Firdaus.
Early drama for Kanta Hamada then saw one experienced runner out of the race, with the Japanese rider suffering contact at Turn 10 and going down. Back at the front, it was now a six rider train too as Firdaus and Dheyo lost touch with the leaders.
Drama for Danial Sharil then saw the Malaysian suffer a moment and run wide, slotting back in at the back of that group and two seconds off the lead – just as Furusato remained steadfast at the front, shadowed by Gun Mie.
The group lost another frontrunner not long after though as Hongo crashed out, making it five riders in contention for three spots on the podium and one victory.
By five to go, Danial Sharil was back with Furusato and Mie at the front as Thompson and Danish ended up in a lonelier fight for fourth. By three to go though, Furusato was pulling the pin. The Japanese rider was pushing on in his quest for a fifth win from five, but Danial Sharil was able to go with him – setting up another classic duel between the duo.
Furusato led onto the last lap as Danial Sharil shadowed, and the Malaysian waited patiently for the right time to strike: Turn 13. Slicing up the inside and taking over, all he had to do was defend – but Furusato was ready to attack.
Sailing around the outside of Turn 16, the Japanese rider hit back in some serious style, then able to close the door at the final corner and keep it pinned to the line. That’s five races, five wins, and a 46-point lead.
Danial Sharil takes another podium in second and will be looking to hit back on Saturday, with Mie also back on the rostrum despite losing touch in the latter stages. Thompson takes fourth after duelling Danish, the Malaysian crashing out from behind the Australian on the penultimate lap.
Wildcard Reykat Fadillah took fifth a little ahead of a group battle, with Firdaus taking P6 ahead of Sharul Sharil and another home hero and wildcard in Veda Pratama. Tetsuta Fujita took P9 in some clear air, with Thurakij Buapa, who beat Rei Wakamatsu on the drag to the line, completing the top ten.
Aussies Drane and Nikolis came home in 13th and 14th respectively.
Dheyo and Fadillah Aditama crashed out from the second group late on, with Herlian Dandi and Watcharin Tubtimon also suffering DNFs.
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Gap |
| 1 | T. FURUSATO | JPN | – |
| 2 | D. SHARIL | MAS | 0.218 |
| 3 | G. MIE | JPN | 1.453 |
| 4 | C. THOMPSON | AUS | 8.465 |
| 5 | R. FADILLAH | INA | 20.456 |
| 6 | H. FIRDAUS | INA | 21.323 |
| 7 | S. SHARIL | MAS | 21.533 |
| 8 | V. PRATAMA | INA | 21.858 |
| 9 | T. FUJITA | JPN | 31.180 |
| 10 | T. BUAPA | THA | 37.716 |
| 11 | R. WAKAMATSU | JPN | 37.865 |
| 12 | T. LAKHARN | THA | 39.660 |
| 13 | T. DRANE | AUS | 46.897 |
| 14 | M. NIKOLIS | AUS | 1’19.376 |
At lights out, Danial Sharil held the hole shot and it was another clean getaway for the field, but the breakaway began early: the Malaysian put the pedal to the metal to start making a gap, with only Furusato and Mie able to tag on and hunt him down. That left a huge group fight behind and a trio in the lead.
At one point Danial Sharil had nearly a second in hand, but the two on the chase were able to reel the Malaysian back in to create another as-you-were. Mie was hanging in there too, the Japanese rider still close as the final lap began.
Onto that last lap, Furusato led Danial Sharil and forced the Malaysian to take to the outside, the number 15 holding firm and the number 21 suffering a small twitch too.
They stayed glued together until the next key chance, Turn 10, and this time Danial Sharil chose the outside, looking for the switchback. But he couldn’t quite make it stick, instead lining up another attack through 12 and 13 and making it through – briefly.
But Furusato answered straight back and sliced up the inside, the number 15 then able to keep the door firmly shut and stay ahead on the drag to the line, taking win six of six.
Danial Sharil was forced to settle for second and will be gunning to convert race his last chance at the top step on Sunday, with Mie losing some ground on the final lap after a big wobble behind the leading duo.
The huge group fight behind split into some different battles by the flag, with Masaya Hongo beating Carter Thompson and Herjun Firduas in a three-way fight for fourth.
Tetsuya Fujita had a lonelier finish in P7, ahead of another close trio completing the top ten: wildcard Reykat Fadillah, Rei Wakamatsu and Herlian Dandi, with Sharul Sharil just missing out in P11.
Drane finished 15th, with Nikolis nine-seconds further in arrears in 16th.
Fadillah Aditama crashed out, as did wildcard Veda Pratama, riders ok.
The third race of the weekend was due to be held Saturday afternoon, however severe weather conditions caused the cancellation of Race 3. The ATC therefore gets back on track on Sunday for their third and final race of the weekend. The grid will be set by the results of the qualifying session that took place earlier on Saturday.
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Gap |
| 1 | T. FURUSATO | JPN | – |
| 2 | D. SHARIL | MAS | 0.146 |
| 3 | G. MIE | JPN | 2.039 |
| 4 | M. HONGO | JPN | 10.648 |
| 5 | C. THOMPSON | AUS | 10.957 |
| 6 | H. FIRDAUS | INA | 10.986 |
| 7 | T. FUJITA | JPN | 12.480 |
| 8 | R. FADILLAH | INA | 13.582 |
| 9 | R. WAKAMATSU | JPN | 13.600 |
| 10 | H. DANDI | INA | 13.782 |
| 11 | S. SHARIL | MAS | 14.165 |
| 12 | T. BUAPA | THA | 23.541 |
| 13 | A. DHEYO | INA | 23.808 |
| 14 | W. TUBTIMON | THA | 24.019 |
| 15 | T. DRANE | AUS | 24.108 |
| 16 | M. NIKOLIS | AUS | 33.731 |
| 17 | T. LAKHARN | THA | 34.326 |
Danial Sharil got the holeshot from second on the grid, with Furusato slotting into second and a small gap opening up for the Malaysian in the lead. That only got bigger as the number 21 got the hammer down, with Furusato leading the chase.
Carter Thompson and Tetsuya Fujita were early crashers, and that left the group a little smaller but with Furusato at the front of it as Danial Sharil continued his breakaway. Bit by bit, the gaps got bigger in the freight train though, and soon enough it was that familiar duel at the front.
It stayed that way as Furusato was able to tag onto the back of the number 21 machine in the lead, and this time the fireworks started a little earlier as the two traded positions.
Over the line to start the last lap it was Furusato back into the lead though, and at Turn 1 Danial Sharil held off and held station, planning a different attack on take three…
The plan was forced to change, however, as the Malaysian headed well wide at Turn 10, and it looked like it could be over then and there. But he dug deep for the rest of the lap to get back on terms with Furusato, and coming out of the final corner on the drag to the line it was incredibly close.
Not quite close enough though, and once more he was forced to settle for second as Furusato took the flag for a magnificent seventh win.
As they duelled at the front, the smaller groups behind had become one big fight for third, and it was Mie who came out on top, seeing off an early attack from Masaya Hongo and then able to make a little breathing space over the line.
Home hero Herjun Firdaus made some moves on the last lap to take fourth too, with less than a tenth in hand over Hongo. Fadillah Aditama was within a tenth too, and it stayed close in the freight train as Herlian Dandi, Reykat Fadillah and Veda Pratama took seventh, eighth and ninth, respectively.
Drane had his best result of the weekend in 12th, but unfortunately Thompson was a DNF.
Rei Wakamatsu completed the top ten, getting the better of Sharul Sharil in that duel.
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Gap |
| 1 | T. FURUSATO | JPN | – |
| 2 | D. SHARIL | MAS | 0.061 |
| 3 | G. MIE | JPN | 5.946 |
| 4 | H. FIRDAUS | INA | 6.328 |
| 5 | M. HONGO | JPN | 6.404 |
| 6 | F. ADITAMA | INA | 6.478 |
| 7 | H. DANDI | INA | 6.612 |
| 8 | R. FADILLAH | INA | 6.735 |
| 9 | V. PRATAMA | INA | 6.924 |
| 10 | R. WAKAMATSU | JPN | 14.830 |
| 11 | S. SHARIL | MAS | 14.921 |
| 12 | T. DRANE | AUS | 21.205 |
| 13 | M. NIKOLIS | AUS | 23.677 |
| 14 | A. DHEYO | INA | 24.132 |
| 15 | T. BUAPA | THA | 24.197 |
| 16 | W. TUBTIMON | THA | 24.445 |
| 17 | T. LAKHARN | THA | 31.491 |
| RET | 6 C. THOMPSON | AUS | – |
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Points |
| 1 | FURUSATO, Taiyo | (JPN) | 175 |
| 2 | SHARIL, Danial | (MAS) | 119 |
| 3 | MIE, Gun | (JPN) | 105 |
| 4 | THOMPSON, Carter | (AUS) | 70 |
| 5 | DANISH, Hakin | (MAS) | 57 |
| 6 | HAMADA, Kanta | (JPN) | 49 |
| 7 | HONGO, Masaya | (JPN) | 45 |
| 8 | SHARIL, Sharul | (MAS) | 45 |
| 9 | WAKAMATSU, Rei | (JPN) | 44 |
| 10 | FUJITA, Tetsuya | (JPN) | 37 |
| 11 | NIKOLIS, Marianos | (AUS) | 35 |
| 12 | FIRDAUS, Herjun | (INA) | 33 |
| 13 | DANDI, Herlian | (INA) | 29 |
| 14 | DRANE, Tom | (AUS) | 28 |
| 15 | FADILLAH, Reykat | (INA) | 27 |
| 16 | ADITAMA, Fadillah | (INA) | 18 |
| 17 | PRATAMA, Veda | (INA) | 15 |
| 18 | LAKHARN, Thanakorn | (THA) | 15 |
| 19 | BUAPA, Thurakij | (THA) | 15 |
Source: MCNews.com.au
The Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup was to race at Indonesia’s Mandalika International Street Circuit last weekend but proceedings were put on hold after safety concerns were raised on Saturday. The first ATC round at Mandalika had been planned to allow the new circuit to test its facilities and track services, and they came up short.
It appears many of the track marshals simply failed to attend their posts, or even show up at all, thus it was deemed too dangerous for the race to be held. We believe there was also power failure issues.
Organisers are promising that these teething issues will be rectified ahead of this weekend’s schedule World Superbike finale at the 4.31 kilometre circuit. The Asia Talent Cup races have also been pushed back and added to the WorldSBK schedule.
Young Aussie star Carter Thompson had qualified on the front row but just before racing was set to get underway, officials cancelled the races.
Source: MCNews.com.au
With the challenges of Covid continuing, the 2021 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship has been called off, with racing teams facing many difficulties with travel, alongside the varying local regulations in force.
Differing quarantine procedures, lack of flights, and many other roadblocks have made it impossible for the Asian grid to re-assemble for 2021. As such it’s just been officially confirmed that the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship will not be held in 2021.
The ARRC season had been planned as a six-round competition, kicking off in Malaysia with two rounds in June, before moving to China’s Zhuhai International Circuit in August, The Bend Motorsport Park in Australia in September and finishing off the year with two rounds at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand.
In June both Chinese and Australian rounds were cancelled due to Covid, while the season opener in Sepang had originally been delayed.
Ron Hogg – Two Wheels Motor Racing Director
“I would like to start off by expressing our gratitude to the Thai government and especially to the Chang International Circuit. Working together, we have left no stones unturned in our bid to bring the grid together in 2021. We especially want to thank the Chang International Circuit , the Sports Authority of Thailand and the Federation Motor Sports Club of Thailand. With the help of these agencies, we can confirm that we were trying as hard as possible up to the last moment. We worked hard to make it happen. However, not everything is within our control. Restrictions among the Asian countries are more stringent as compared to the other regions like Europe. Bringing the grid together will be a very costly affair, especially with the required quarantine procedures when teams return home to their respective countries. Therefore, we believe that it would be better to consolidate all our resources to kick start the 2022 season. Rest assured, plans for 2022 will be announced in due time. In the meantime we would also like to say thank you to all our partners, teams, riders and our fans. Stay strong, stay safe, let’s get ready to roar next year!”
Stephan Carapiet – FIM Asia President
“The FIM Asia supports the decision of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship to call off the 2021 season. Asia is a more populous region as compared to the other parts of the world. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Asian governments are imposing stricter restrictions with regards to international sporting events. Matters were made worse with regulations that seem to be constantly in flux. I am just as disappointed as everyone else about this inevitable decision. However, let’s look forward to a great year in 2022.”
Source: MCNews.com.au
Over 400 riders from 22 countries applied for an opportunity to earn a spot in the 2022 Asia Talent Cup, with the championship now revealing the rider shortlist, as well as the planned selection event.
Applications were analysed by the Selection Committee and 100 riders from 10 countries have been invited to the 2022 Selection Event. Comprising six female candidates and 94 male, they hail from Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Taiwan and Vietnam.
11 riders from Australia were selected, including Taiyo Aksu, Varis Fleming, Angus Grenfell, William Hunt, Toby James, Ryan Larkin, Jayden Martin, Jai Russo, Levi Russo, Cameron Swain and Jordan White.
Subject to the evolution of the pandemic and approval from the necessary authorities, the Selection Event is set to take place on the 26th and 27th of October at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia.
There, the shortlisted riders must demonstrate their skills and riding ability around Sepang Karting Circuit. The Selection Committee will then meet to analyse all the data and determine the final riders chosen to participate in the 2022 Cup, as well as a list of reserve riders.
The shortlist of candidates who are invited to the Selection Event can be found attached below. Riders attending the event will be required to comply with the health protocols in place in order to attend.
Each candidate will get an e-mail explaining these, and is urged to read the information carefully and make sure to comply with each deadline.
| Name | Surname | Age | Nat. | Gender |
| Taiyo | Aksu | 14 | AUSTRALIA | M |
| Varis | Fleming | 14 | AUSTRALIA | M |
| Angus | Grenfell | 14 | AUSTRALIA | M |
| William | Hunt | 11 | AUSTRALIA | M |
| Toby | James | 13 | AUSTRALIA | M |
| Ryan | Larkin | 14 | AUSTRALIA | M |
| Jayden | Martin | 13 | AUSTRALIA | M |
| Jai | Russo | 14 | AUSTRALIA | M |
| Levi | Russo | 13 | AUSTRALIA | M |
| Cameron | Swain | 12 | AUSTRALIA | M |
| Jordan | White | 15 | AUSTRALIA | M |
| Shyam | Babu | 17 | INDIA | M |
| Sarthak | Chavan | 14 | INDIA | M |
| Rakshith | Dave | 12 | INDIA | M |
| Rakshitha | Dave | 12 | INDIA | F |
| Geoffrey | Emmanuel | 16 | INDIA | M |
| Kavin | Quintal | 16 | INDIA | M |
| Varoon | S | 18 | INDIA | M |
| Hendri | Yansah | 12 | INDONESIA | M |
| Muhamad Zachry | Akbar | 13 | INDONESIA | M |
| Decksa | Almer Alfarezel | 13 | INDONESIA | M |
| Aurellia | Anjani Permata Wangi | 14 | INDONESIA | F |
| Bintang | Arya Siswanto | 16 | INDONESIA | M |
| Davin | Christian Putera | 13 | INDONESIA | M |
| Muhammad | Diandra Trihardika | 13 | INDONESIA | M |
| Arai Agaska | Dibani Laksana | 13 | INDONESIA | M |
| Adiyatma | Dinis Putra | 15 | INDONESIA | M |
| Veda | Ega Pratama | 12 | INDONESIA | M |
| Mohammad | Firdaus | 15 | INDONESIA | M |
| Chessy | Meilandri | 12 | INDONESIA | M |
| Aurellia Anjanie | Permata Wangi | 14 | INDONESIA | F |
| Alfa | Reza Abqori | 14 | INDONESIA | M |
| Aan | Riswanto | 15 | INDONESIA | M |
| Muhammad | Syauqi | 14 | INDONESIA | M |
| Rendy | Triyugo | 12 | INDONESIA | M |
| Bayu | Widhana | 14 | INDONESIA | M |
| Kevin | Xavier | 16 | INDONESIA | M |
| Reykat | Yusuf Fadilah | 13 | INDONESIA | M |
| Shinya | Ezawa | 15 | JAPAN | M |
| Raiku | Hasegawa | 12 | JAPAN | M |
| Sota | Horii | 16 | JAPAN | M |
| Yosuke | Hosaka | 15 | JAPAN | M |
| Riku | Matsushima | 14 | JAPAN | M |
| Zen | Mitani | 14 | JAPAN | M |
| Hina | Nagayama | 13 | JAPAN | F |
| Goyu | Nakagawa | 13 | JAPAN | M |
| Amon | Odaki | 13 | JAPAN | M |
| Ryota | Ogiwara | 12 | JAPAN | M |
| Hinata | Okada | 13 | JAPAN | M |
| Taiyo | Saito | 12 | JAPAN | M |
| Hiroto | Takahata | 11 | JAPAN | M |
| Keisuke | Tanaka | 13 | JAPAN | M |
| Ryu | Tsukamoto | 13 | JAPAN | M |
| Jean | Turner | 12 | JAPAN | M |
| Aoi | Uezu | 15 | JAPAN | M |
| Haruki | Yahiro | 12 | JAPAN | M |
| Kou | Yamamoto | 16 | JAPAN | M |
| Shoma | Yamane | 14 | JAPAN | M |
| Seiryu | Ikegami | 12 | JAPAN | M |
| Alif Imran | Ahmad Husni | 15 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Ahmad Darwisy | Ahmad Sahir | 12 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Ezuan | Baharuddin | 14 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Muhamad Akif | Bin Abdullah | 12 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Aisy Izz Hafiy | Bin Hairul Hafiz | 15 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Raiyan Khardanee | Bin Mohamad Sanusi | 12 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Muhammad Azam Adli | Bin Mohd Isnaini | 14 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Mohamad Danish Zarif | Bin Mohd Khairil Zakery | 15 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Muhammad Farid Hakimi | Farid Sezli | 15 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Muhammad Farish Hafiy | Farid Sezli | 13 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Aisy Izz Hafiy | Hairul Hafiz | 15 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Mohamad | Haziq | 15 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Adib Hareez | Hazwat | 14 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Amirun Haziq | Johan | 14 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Muhammad Farish Iqmal | Khayrul Elyas | 15 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Muhammad Fareeq | Mohamad Faizal | 12 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Farres Putra | Mohd Fadhill | 13 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Muhammad Adib Arsyad | Mohd Hisam | 12 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Muhammad Arzhan Hakim | Mohd Johan | 13 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Muhammad Syahmi Aiman | Mohd Shafie | 11 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Haidar Nur Akmal | Mohd Zaki | 13 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Muhammad Zakir | Naqiuddin | 16 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Muhammad Sharf Muhriz | Noor Mohd Farhan | 11 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Adi Putra B Anahar | Putra | 12 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Muhammad Adie Putra | Sukarno | 12 | MALAYSIA | M |
| Saidatul Zakirah | Zairin | 13 | MALAYSIA | F |
| Alfonsi Rei | Daquigan | 11 | PHILIPPINES | M |
| Alexander | Enriquez | 13 | PHILIPPINES | M |
| Bostin | Lim | 15 | PHILIPPINES | M |
| Mohammed Abdalaziz | Binladin | 13 | SAUDI ARABIA | M |
| Ying-Yi (Nana) | Yao | 14 | TAIWAN | F |
| Kondanai | Kerdkaew | 15 | THAILAND | M |
| Thanaphat | Kusuwan | 17 | THAILAND | M |
| Thanat | Laoongplio | 14 | THAILAND | M |
| Jakkreephat | Phruetisan | 14 | THAILAND | M |
| Kiattisak | Singhapong | 15 | THAILAND | M |
| Vatican | Sukkum | 15 | THAILAND | M |
| Burapa | Wanmoon | 12 | THAILAND | M |
| Kantapat | Yabkanthai | 17 | THAILAND | M |
| Nguyen | Ton Anh Phu | 17 | VIETNAM | M |
| Nguyen | Tran Duc Tai | 18 | VIETNAM | M |
Source: MCNews.com.au
The FIM Asia Road Racing Championship has confirmed that the Round 1 opener, scheduled to be held at Sepang International Circuit from June 4 to 6, will be postponed to a later date due to the rise in Covid-19 cases in Asia over the past month.
This was in accordance with requests from the majority of the participating teams and riders. Even though the season-opener had been given the green-light to proceed from the Malaysian government, the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship stands together with the teams and riders in that the health and well-being of our respective communities is of utmost importance.
A new calendar for 2021 will be released as soon as possible.
Ron Hogg – Two Wheels Motor Racing Director
“I would like to start off by expressing our gratitude to the Malaysian government, especially the officials in the Malaysian Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS), the National Security Council and the Malaysian Ministry of Health. Working hand-in-hand with these officials, the season opener had actually been given the green light to proceed.”
“However, in view of the rising number of Covid-19 cases in the region, we as the promoters, concur with the views of our participating teams and riders, in that it would be more prudent to postpone instead of pushing through with the first round. The health and well-being of our teams and participants will always be our top priority. At the same time, international travel within the Asian region is also becoming increasingly difficult. The tightening of national borders in response to the rise in cases have restricted air travel to and from certain countries, making it hard for the teams to plan their travel schedule.
“We would like to apologize to the fans of Asian motorsports who have been waiting eagerly for the action to start. On behalf of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship, I would like to assure everyone that Season 2021 is merely postponed, and will certainly take off by the latter half of the year. Meanwhile, we hope that everyone will continue to stay safe. Let’s do our part to keep the Covid-19 pandemic under control so that sports can get back into action as soon as possible.”
Stephan Carapiet – FIM Asia President
“The FIM Asia supports the decision of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship to defer the start of the 2021 season. While it is certainly disappointing, it is always preferable to err on the side of caution. Please look forward to the release of a new 2021 calendar soon.”
Source: MCNews.com.au
20 full-time riders are set to race in the six-round, 12-race 2021 Cup, with four competitors chosen as reserves. The 24 riders hail from seven countries across Asia and Oceania: Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Turkey.
As the Covid-19 pandemic obliged the cancellation of the 2020 Cup following the opening round in Qatar, including the 2021 Selection Event, every rider who was set to compete in the Cup this season automatically had a spot available on the 2021 grid.
The majority of the 2021 Entry List therefore comprises familiar faces, with any remaining places filled by riders from national championships or racing schools across Asia and Oceania, chosen by the ATC Selection Committee.
As previously announced, young Aussie Harrison Voight will not return to compete in the IATC as he was chosen to compete in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. Voight will also compete in the 2021 FIM Moto3 Junior World Championship, as will 2018 Asia Talent Cup Champion Billy van Eerde. Compatriot Max Gibbons also leaves the IATC.
Malaysian Syarifuddin Azman will leave the IATC, instead focusing on the Moto3 JWCh in 2021. Shoki Igarashi has also decided to not return to the grid in 2021.
Joining the IATC for 2021 are Australian Oceania Junior Cup alumni Marianos Nikolis and Tom Drane.
Nikolis from Royalla, NSW, and Drane from Forbes, NSW, who finished 1st and 2nd respectively in this year’s OJC, as part of the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul (ASBK), are the newest OJC riders to be selected to race in the highly competitive Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup (IATC).
MA and the the FIM Oceania Junior Cup Management Team selected Nikolis and Drane, both highly skilled riders not only for their results and natural talent on track but their maturity and professionalism off track.
Both riders have come from a dirt track background, with Nikolis a 2-time Motostars Junior Champion who finished 5th in last year’s OJC and convincingly won the Championship this year.
Drane who finished 3rd in the OJC last year and runner-up this year is a 15-time Australian Dirt Track Champion, 20-time State Dirt Track Champion, and 3-time American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Dirt Track Champion.
For both Nikolis and Drane the unexpected news has turn out to be the ultimate Christmas surprise.
“I’m very excited it’s been a big dream of mine since I started racing,” said Nikolis.
“I’ve looked up to Billy Van Eerde for a while so it’s an exciting opportunity and definitely a great Christmas present, what more could you ask for.
“I wouldn’t be able to do it if it wasn’t for the Oceania Junior Cup and I can’t thank the OJC and all the staff enough for how they have helped me.
“Winning the Oceania Junior Cup Championship and hearing the good news about the Asia Talent Cup it just couldn’t make my year any better.”
Young Malaysian Hakim Danish, who was put forward by Sepang International Circuit, will also join the grid, as will Tetsuya Fujita, a rider from the All Japan Championship chosen by Honda.
Another key headline sees the return of Danial Sharil. The Malaysian suffered leg injuries in the final round of the 2018 IATC and has since been on a long but successful road to recovery, ready to take his place back on the grid next season.
Australia’s entrants are the youngest in the competition with both Carter Thompson and Marianos Nikolis both only 13, while countryman Tom Drane is 14.
Competition is set to begin alongside MotoGP in Qatar, before making a first visit to Sepang International Circuit with the Malaysia Superbike Championship.
From there the Cup is back with the Grand Prix paddock at the Twin Ring Motegi, Buriram and Sepang, before rounding out the season alongside WorldSBK at Mandalika Street Circuit in Indonesia.
All dates, events, and the eventual attendance of spectators are subject to the evolution of the pandemic and the approval of corresponding governments and authorities.
2021 Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup Entry List| No | Rider | Nat | Age | Height | Weight |
| 2 | Rei Wakamatsu | JPN | 14 | 146cm | 36kg |
| 3 | Fadillah Aditama | INA | 15 | 170cm | 48kg |
| 5 | Gun Mie | JPN | 14 | 151cm | 41kg |
| 6 | Carter Thompson | AUS | 13 | 143cm | 35kg |
| 7 | Mohamed Mikail | IND | 16 | 164cm | 48kg |
| 8 | Kanta Hamada | JPN | 16 | 174cm | 52kg |
| 9 | Thanakorn Lakharn | THA | 16 | 168cm | 49kg |
| 10 | Herjun Firdaus | INA | 16 | 170cm | 50kg |
| 11 | Herlian Dandi | INA | 19 | 159cm | 43kg |
| 12 | Marianos Nikolis | AUS | 13 | 144cm | 37kg |
| 13 | Hakim Danish | MAL | 13 | 150cm | 43kg |
| 14 | Tetsuya Fujita | JPN | 17 | 169cm | 57kg |
| 15 | Taiyo Furusato | JPN | 15 | 158cm | 48kg |
| 16 | Watcharin Tubtimon | THA | 17 | 163cm | 53kg |
| 17 | Masaya Hongo | JPN | 16 | 160cm | 40kg |
| 18 | Tom Drane | AUS | 14 | 159cm | 40kg |
| 19 | Azryan Dheyo | INA | 15 | 165cm | 50kg |
| 20 | Sharul Sharil | MAL | 16 | 163cm | 50kg |
| 21 | Danial Sharil | MAL | 18 | 167cm | 53kg |
| 22 | Thurakij Buapa | THA | 16 | 160cm | 55kg |
| 2021 Reserve Riders | |||||
| No | Rider | Nat | Age | Height | Weight |
| 12 | Allain Harriis Bin Herman | MAL | 15 | 163cm | 55kg |
| 62 | Kantapat Yabkanthal | THA | 15 | 157m | 50kg |
| 77 | Keleb Satici | TUR | 15 | 169m | 69kg |
| 114 | Tsubasa Hosoya | JPN | 16 | 165m | 54kg |
| Date | Event | Coinciding Event | Track |
| 19-20 Mar | TEST | None | LOSAIL |
| 26-28 Mar | R1-R2 | MotoGP | LOSAIL |
| 20-22 Aug | R2-R4 | Malaysian Superbike Championship | SEPANG |
| 1-3 Oct | R5-R6 | MotoGP | MOTEGI |
| 8-10th Oct | R7-R8 | MotoGP | BURIRAM |
| 29-31 Oct | R9-R10 | MotoGP | SEPANG |
| 12-14 Nov | R11-R12 | WorldSBK | MANDALIKA |
Source: MCNews.com.au