Round 8 of the PETRONAS Malaysian Cub Prix Championship will be heading to Bandar Medini Iskandar, Iskandar Puteri for the first time in history. Watch the riders of the PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha – CKJ Racing as they go on to fight for the championship title in the CP150 race category.
With the win that Afif took in round 7 two weeks ago, the Terengganu rider who was sitting at the third spot in the overall standings has now moved up to the second spot with only a 7-point difference with his teammate Akid Aziz.
During the race at Terengganu, Akid was seen dominant on the circuit for the first 19 laps before Afif maximised his strengths and his experience on his home-ground circuit to take over the lead position from his teammate.
Throughout the race, both the riders were impeccable in their moves on the circuit. Akid finished the race in second place but retained his position at the top spot overall with a total of 121 points.
Commenting on the season, Akid said, “For me, my contenders are Afif, Azroy and Kasma. Of course, the other riders are equally good with their own strengths. For the coming round, I expect an increased challenge mainly because the circuit is a new one.
“If we look at the layout of the circuit, it seems pretty easy. Nevertheless, it is too soon to speak as we do not know what it holds for us, physically. We will only know it when we race on that day.”
“For me, the setup on handling is the most important element in the race because the right setup will provide consistency in the lap time. It would also increase my confidence during the race. For this season, I am quite lucky because I have been given a great machine.
“However, I still need more time when it comes to finding the right setup because I still haven’t completely understood the machine and I have also not found comfort on the machine. I will strive hard in maintaining my positions. I know it is not easy because Afif is not very far off from me.
“He is also highly competitive which means I have to work harder. My team has been very helpful this season in helping us prepare the machine and they have never given up in working towards my needs.”
According to Afif, “My contenders are the Honda rider, Azroy and Yamaha rider, Kasma because all this while, throughout the season, they have been consistent with their rhythm.
“For the upcoming race, it will be a very challenging one because no one knows what it will be like to race on that circuit. We do not have any data for analysis. Although the track looks pretty straightforward and simple, we will never know until we get there.
“What’s important on a new circuit would be the setup of the suspension for the machine. My weakness at the moment would be my weight that has increased. I am one of the heaviest riders in the CP150 race category and that has definitely taken a toll on my performance especially when it comes to top speed.
“My strengths would be my experience gained from years of riding which helps overcome my weakness especially on a smaller track. My goal this season would be to achieve the top three positions overall.
“If I am lucky, then I would move forward and work harder to achieve my target. The team has been extremely helpful especially in the preparation of machines that are highly competitive. They have also been very supportive when it comes to physical and mental development of each rider. Therefore, I am truly thankful for them.”
