Bintang meningkat naik, Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin meraih keyakinan untuk membuat penampilan pertama di pentas Kejuaraan Moto3 Remaja Dunia setelah meraih kemenangan kedua dalam kelas CP150 pada Pusingan 2 Kejuaraan Cub Prix AAM Malaysia PETRONAS yang berakhir di Litar Lumba Tangkak, Johor, hari ini.
Pelumba PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha Maju Motor berusia 17 tahun itu mudah melepasi garisan penamat dengan masa keseluruhan 15’14.809s, tujuh saat dihadapan pemenang tempat kedua, Md Adib Rosley (Motul Zeneos Yamaha YY Pang) yang menamatkan 20 pusingan perlumbaan dengan masa 15’20.996s.
Sementara itu, Norizman Ismail (Onexox TKKR Racing) meraih podium pertama buat pasukan yang beraksi buat kali pertama dalam kelas perdana dengan masa 15’24.089s setelah bersaing sengit sehingga ke garisan penamat bersama Ahmad Afif Amran (PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha-CKJ dan rakan sepasukan Kasma Daniel, Abd Muhaimin Roslan.
“Perlumbaan hari ini tidak semudah yang disangka. Wlaaupun selesa di hadapan, saya terpaksa bekerja keras uuntuk mengawal tayar disebabkan permukaan litar yang licin dan cuaca yang panas. Tayar tidak begitu mencengkam menyebabkan dan agak mencabar untuk saya mengekalkan kelajuan,” jelas Kasma.
Sementara itu, Adib yang berada di tempat kedua mengakui agak sukar untuknya mengejar Kasma yang jauh dihadapan. “Saya tidak berani untuk cuba merapatkan jurang dengan Kasma kerana terdapat permukaan litar yang sudah rosak dan keadaannya semakin lama semakin teruk. Menyedari pelumba lain jauh di belakang, saya hanya mengekalkan kedudukan sehingga ke garisan penamat,” jelas Adib.
Pasukan PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha Maju Motor meneruskan penguasaan dalam saingan CP115 apabila Mohd Akid Aziz turut meraih kemenangan kedua berturut-turut manakala Mohd Haziq Fairues menamatkan perlumbaan di kedudukan ketiga.
Akid mempamerkan aksi menakjubkan apabila muncul juara dengan masa keseluruhan 11’54.345s sekalipun sedikit ketinggalan pada peringkat awal perlumbaan setelah terjatuh pada pusingan kedua.
Ahmad Syukran Aizat (PETRONAS SPrinta Yamaha-CKJ) muncul naib juara dengan masa 11’56.690s manakala Haziq dengan masa 11’56.787s.
Perlumbaan kelas Wira menjadi milik duo PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha-AFB Tech, Md Aiman Tahiruddin yang muncul sebagai pemenang setelah menamatkan 15 pusingan perlumbaan dengan masa 9’40.633s, diikuti Md Khairi Asyraf Mahmood, 9’42.552s dan Md Syarifuddin Azman (Idemitsu Kozi Yam Honda Racing) ketiga, 9’46.410s.
Sebahagian pelumba kebangsaan akan beraksi dalam saingan Kejuaraan Motosikal Asia FIM di Pasir Gudang, Johor, 1 dan 2 April ini manakala Pusingan 3 Kejuaraan Cub Prix AAM Malaysia PETRONAS 2017 akan berlangsung di Kemaman, Terengganu pada 5 dan 6 Mei 2017.
Keputusan Perlumbaan Akhir:
CP150
1. Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin (JHR) Yamaha 15’14.809s
2. Mohd Adib Rosley (SGR) Yamaha 15’20.996ss
3. Norizman Ismail (SGR) Yamaha 15’24.089s
4. Ahmad Afif Amran (TRG) Yamaha 15’24.427s
5. Abd Muhaimin Roslan (SGR) Yamaha 15’25.214s
Kedudukan Keseluruhan
1. Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin (JHR) Yamaha 50 mata
2. Mohd Adib Rosley (SGR) Yamaha 29 mata
3. Norizman Ismail (SGR) Yamaha 26 mata
4. Ahmad Afif Amran (TRG) Yamaha 26 mata
5. Abd Muhaimin Roslan (SGR) Yamaha 25 mata
CP115
1. Mohd Akid Aziz (KUL) Yamaha 11’54.345s
2. Syukran Aizat (TRG) Yamaha 11’56.690s
3. Mohd Haziq Fairues (SGR) Yamaha 11’56.787s
4. Md Fareez Afeez (JHR) Yamaha 11’59.374s
5. Nazirul Izzat Md Bahauddin (NSN) Yamaha 11’59.996s
Kedudukan Keseluruhan
1. Mohd Akid Aziz (KUL) Yamaha 50 mata
2. Mohd Haziq Fairues (SGR) Yamaha 36 mata
3. Ahmad Syukran Aizat (TRG) Yamaha 31 mata
4. Tengku Amirul Haffirudin (TRG) Yamaha 26 mata
5. Nazirul Izzat Md Bahauddin (NSN) Yamaha 20 mata
WIRA
1. Md Aiman Tahiruddin (KUL) Yamaha 9’40.633ss
2. Md Khairi Asyraf Mahmood (JHR) Yamaha 9’42.552s
3. Md Syarifuddin Azman (SGR) Honda 9’46.410s
4. Md Syafieq Aiman (JHR) Yamaha 9’50.405s
5. Md Daniel Syahmi (TRG) Yamaha 9’50.613s
Kedudukan Keseluruhan
1. Md Aiman Tahiruddin (KUL) Yamaha 41 mata
2. Saiful Azhary Muhamad (JHR) Honda 33 mata
3. Md Danial Syahmi (TRG) Yamaha 31 mata
4. Md Khairi Asyraf Mahmood (JHR) Yamaha 28 mata
5. Md Syafieq Aiman (JHR) Yamaha 26 mata
CONFIDENCE BOOSTER FOR KASMA
Upcoming racing star, Kasma Daniel Kasmayuddin received a confidence booster ahead of his upcoming debut in the Moto3 Junior World Championship. Racing at the Tangkak Racing Track for Round 2 of the 2017 PETRONAS AAM Malaysian Cub Prix Championship, the 17-year-old rider scored his second consecutive win with a time of 15’14.809s.
The PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha Maju Motor protege started the CP150 race on pole position. A slow start as the lights went off gave the holeshot to Motul Zeneos Yamaha YY Pang rider Mohd Adib Rosley. However, Adib was unable to hold back the charging Kasma as soon as the Maju rider got into his racing rhythm. Kasma took the lead at the end of Lap 1 and was consistently the fastest rider on the track.
“Today was a challenge against myself. The tyres were losing grip due to the extreme heat. I had to focus hard to maintain my pace,” said Kasma who cruised unchallenged to the finish line with a 6-second margin between him and Adib.
Meanwhile, second placed Adib added that he was unable to match Kasma’s pace. “The tarmac was breaking up at certain spots and the condition was getting worse with every lap. I didn’t dare to push too hard, which was why I opted to remain in second place.”
While Kasma and Adib raced solo at the front, a five-rider battle for P3 provided much of the racing thrills. Honda’s top performing rider of 2017, Mohd Zaqhwan Zaidi, clearly struggled against a weight disadvantage. Despite his best efforts, Zaqhwan lost ground to his nimbler Yamaha rivals. The race for third place was finally won by Norizman Ismail of team Onexox TKKR Racing with a time of 15’24.089s.
Team PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha Maju Motor had thrown up a seemingly insurmountable wall of defence not only in the CP150 category, but also in the CP115 class. The team’s CP115 duo, Mohd Akid Aziz and Mohd Haziq Fairues, picked up another double podium in Tangkak.
19-year-old Akid Aziz was particularly impressive. He put up a gritty and determined performance when he fought his way back up to the front despite crashing out on Lap 2. Akid picked up his second win with a time of 11’54.345s. Team PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha-CKJ’s Ahmad Syukran Aizat finished second with 11’56.690s. Haziq Fairues was third with 11’56.787s.
Finally, Md Aiman Tahiruddin won the Wira Final with a time of 9’40.633s, followed by his team PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha-AFB team mate Md Khairi Asyraf Mahmood in second place with 9’42.552s and Md Syarifuddin Azman in third place with 9’46.410s.
Round 3 of the 2017 PETRONAS AAM Malaysian Cub Prix Championship will take place in Kemaman, Terengganu in May. But before that, many of the Cub Prix regulars are expected to make a showing at Round 1 of the 2017 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship that will be held at the Johor Circuit from March 31 to April 2, 2017.
