Pelumba SuperSports 600cc negara, Mohd Zaqhwan Zaidi menjangkakan saingan lebih sengit dengan kepulangan dua bekas juara, Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman dan Yuki Takahashi pada saingan Pusingan 5 Kejuaraan Motosikal Asia FIM (ARRC) di Litar Antarabangsa Buddh, New Delhi, India minggu ini. Pendahulu keseluruhan SuperSports 600cc dari pasukan Musashi Boon Siew Honda Racing itu kini berkongsi kedudukan pendahulu bersama Tomoyoshi Koyama (T. Pro Yuzy Honda NTS with Wow) dengan 131 mata di mana Azlan dan juara bertahan, Yuki Takahashi kehilangan mata setelah tidak dapat beraksi pada pusingan lepas di Indonesia akibat kecederaan.
Dengan kehadiran semula Azlan dan Takahashi pada perlumbaan minggu ini, Zaqhwan akui tugasnya lebih mencabar memandangkan keadaan fizikalnya juga masih belum 100 peratus cergas setelah menjalani pembedahan di bahu bulan lepas.
“Perlumbaan minggu ini pasti sangat sengit. Saya perlu mengatasi mereka untuk kekal menjadi pendahulu keseluruhan terutama berada di depan Koyama. Ini merupakan kali pertama kami beraksi di litar Buddh ini. Daripada apa yang saya lihat, litar ini agak luas dan panjang, jadi pasti kelajuan jentera banyak memainkan peranan. Malah saya jangkakan sekurang-kurangnya 10 pelumba akan bersaing di kelompok utama,” jelas Zaqhwan.
Pada masa sama Zaqhwan turut bimbang mengenai keadaan bahunya yang masih belum 100 peratus pulih untuk mengendalikan jentera Honda CBR600RR di litar Buddh.
“Bahu saya dalam keadaan baik sewaktu perlumbaan Cub Prix minggu lepas namun perlumbaan 600cc adalah berbeza. Perlumbaannya lebih panjang, jentera juga lebih berat dan laju. Sebagai persediaan, saya telah melakukan latihan fizikal dan persediaan secukupnya untuk kembali cergas seperti dahulu. Mudah-mudahan semuanya berjalan dengan baik pada minggu ini.”
Zaqhwan anxious as big names return in time for India
Malaysian SuperSports 600cc rider Mohd Zaqhwan Zaidi estimates that he is only 90% fit as he braces for a tough weekend in the penultimate round of the 2016 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC). Scheduled for the Buddh International Circuit in India, Zaqhwan who is co-leader in the Asian series alongside Tomoyoshi Koyama is anticipating a tough battle on his hands as the big names in SuperSports 600cc racing make their comeback.
The premiere class of the ARRC was hit by a scourge of injuries during Round 4 in Sentul. Among the names missing from the grid were title contender Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman and defending champion Yuki Takahashi. Both pulled out before the commencement of Round 4 due to injuries sustained in previous races. This allowed MUSASHI Boon Siew Honda’s Zaqhwan and T.Pro Yuzy Honda NTS with Wow’s Koyama to turn the title chase around. Both riders currently share the top spot with 131 points apiece.
“The race is bound to be mayhem this weekend. To maintain my position at the top of the table, I have to place ahead of everyone. Of course, the first target would be to get in front of Koyama. This is our first time racing at the Buddh International Circuit. From my research, the track look big and machine capacity will play a big role in determining the outcome of the race. Given the width of the track, it wouldn’t surprise me to find myself fighting for the win with as many as 10 riders in the lead group,” said Zaqhwan.
At the same time, the MUSASHi Boon Siew Honda rider is also worried that his recovering shoulder may not be up to the strain of hauling the Honda CBR600 around the track. “The shoulder was working fine during last weekend’s Cub Prix but the 600cc race is a different ball game all together. The races are longer, the bikes are heavier and faster. I have done my best to train up and get my old strength back. So now I can only pray for the best.”
