Harith Farhan Baharin berazam untuk terus mencatat kemenangan sekaligus mempertahankan kedudukan selaku pendahulu kategori Wira pada Kejuaraan Cub Prix AAM Malaysia PETRONAS yang memasuki pusingan kelapan di Teluk Intan, Perak, minggu ini.
Pelumba Kozi Yam Honda Racing itu telah memperaga aksi cemerlang sejak kejuaraan membuka tirai Mac lepas dengan menjuarai kesemua perlumbaan selain pusingan pembukaan di Temerloh.
Pencapaian mengkagumkan itu menyaksikan dia kini selesa mendahului kedudukan keseluruhan dengan mengumpul 145 mata, 52 mata mengatasi pencabar terdekat, Saiful Izman Ahmad Zamani (Felda AFB Tech Cardinals Racing) dan 75 mata mengatasi Khairul Ikhwan Ajis (Espada William Racing) yang berada di kedudukan ketiga.
“Saya berharap dapat sekali lagi meraih kemenangan pada perlumbaan minggu ini. Saya tidak mahu kejadian pusingan lepas di Kangar berulang. Meskipun berjaya memenangi perlumbaan, namun keadaan agak sukar apabila saya sekadar memulakan perlumbaan dari barisan belakang setelah terjatuh pada aksi kelayakan. Mujurlah keadaan litar yang basah memberi sedikit kelebihan untuk saya merapatkan jurang dengan kelompok di hadapan sebelum berjaya menjuarai perlumbaan. Jika keadaan litar kering, mungkin agak sukar untuk melakukannya,” jelas Harith.
“Saya mahu mengelak kejadian serupa berulang. Kami juga perlu fokus untuk menghadapi baki empat pusingan terakhir ini bagi mempertahankan kedudukan pendahulu kategori Wira. Kami perlu berada pada tahap terbaik sehingga ke penghujung musim,” tambah Harith.
Bercakap tentang perlumbaan minggu ini, Harith berkata, “Rekod saya agak baik di sini di mana saya menaiki podium di tempat ketiga pada musim lepas. Keadaan litar juga agak baik namun tetap mencabar.
“Pada masa sama saya perlu memberi perhatian terhadap pencabar lain terutama Saiful Izman. Dia semakin hari semakin pantas jika dibandingkan dengan awal musim. Saya perlu lebih berhati-hati jika bersaing dengannya kerana perlu memikirkan strategi untuk mempertahankan kedudukan pendahulu. Paling penting saya perlu merebut petak mula yang baik dan mengekalkan kepantasan seperti yang dipamerkan sepanjang pusingan lepas. Saya mahu menjuarai perlumbaan untuk mengutip mata maksimum dam melebarkan kedudukan selaku pendahulu.”
HARITH EAGER TO KEEP WINNING WAYS
Harith Farhan Baharin hopes to carry his winning momentum through this weekend’s PETRONAS AAM Malaysian Cub Prix Championship at Teluk Intan, Perak in his bid to defend his WIRA championship lead.
Harith has been on fire since the national championship commenced in March, winning every race except for the opening round in Temerloh.
His brutal consistency puts him in on top of the overall standings with a 145 points, a whopping 52 points advantage over closest competitor, Saiful Izman Ahmad Zamani (Felda AFB Tech Cardinals Racing) and 75 points ahead of Khairul Ikhwan Ajis (Espada Williams Racing).
“I hope to keep winning after a difficult outing in Kangar last month. The previous race was a close call for the team when I crashed in the qualifying and had to start further down the grid. Fortunately, the wet conditions played to our advantage and I was able to close the gap with the leaders and win. But I doubt that would have been possible without the rain,” said Harith.
“Therefore for Teluk Intan, the goal is to avoid from repeating the same mistakes. We need to focus on the end-game, that is to win the WIRA title and it is crucial that we perform in the remaining races this season,” he added.
Speaking about his expectations for the race at Teluk Intan, the Kozi Yam Honda Racing rider commented, “My record in Teluk Intan is not too bad, as I’ve stood on the podium in third place last year. It’s a nice track to ride but tricky too.
“However, I need to keep an eye on Saiful Izman because he has increased his speed significantly from the first half of the season, so in case of a close battle with him I will have to be very careful and ready to defend my position.
“The most important thing for us will be a good qualifying and start as our race pace has been good everywhere so far. My target is to win again, collect maximum points and retain my position in the standings.”
