Pasukan Musashi Boon Siew Honda Racing mempunyai tugas getir dalam usaha untuk mempertahankan gelaran juara individu dan berpasukan buat tahun keenam berturut-turut kategori SuperSports 600cc menjelang pusingan pembukaan Kejuaraan Motosikal Asia FIM (ARRC) 2017 di Litar Johor, Pasir Gudang, Johor, bermula 31 Mac hingga 2 April ini.
Bagi meningkatkan kekuatan pasukan, Musashi Boon Siew Honda turut menjalin kerjasama bersama pengeluar sistem suspensi antarabangsa, Showa dimana kerjasama ini menyaksikan pelumba utama pasukan yang juga juara keseluruhan 2016, Mohd Zaqhwan Zaidi akan mendapat kepakaran dan talaan daripada jurutera Showa dalam usaha untuk meraih gelaran ketiga peribadi di pentas Asia.
Menurut pengurus pasukan, Zulhelmi Ahmad, “Data yang diperoleh sepanjang sesi ujian pra-musim menunjukkan keputusan positif. Kami melakukan persediaan lebih awal pada tahun ini berbanding musim-musim lepas. Kami berdepan tugas mencabar kerana bukan sahaja untuk membantu Zaqhwan memenangi gelaran ketiga, sebaliknya turut mempunyai misi untuk mempertahankan gelaran pasukan terbaik buat musim keenam berturut-turut,” jelas Zulhelmi.
Berbeza dengan beberapa musim lepas dimana pasukan Musashi Boon Siew Honda menampilkan dua pelumba berpengalaman, saingan musim 2017 menyaksikan mereka menyenaraikan dua pelumba muda iaitu Zaqhwan selaku pelumba utama dan digandingkan bersama pelumba rookie dari Jepun, Teppei Nagoe.
“Saingan baru bermula dan sukar untuk membuat sebarang jangkaan. Meskipun menggandingkan pelumba muda, kami optimis dengan kemampuan Zaqhwan sambil dibantu oleh Nagoe.”
Mengulas tentang pencabar utama musim 2017, Zulhelmi berkata, “Pasukan Yamaha Thailand Racing dan Manual Tech Kawasaki memiliki gandingan yang mantap berdasarkan keputusan sewaktu ujian pra-musim.
“Yamaha Thailand menyenaraikan dua pelumba cukup berpengalaman, Decha Kraisart dan Chalermpol Polamai manakala Manual Tech pada tahun ini menyenaraikan Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman dan Ahmad Yudhistira. Tiga daripada empat pelumba itu pernah memenangi gelaran ARRC. Pada masa sama, kami perlu memberi perhatian kepada pasukan-pasukan lain seperti pasukan Yamaha Racing dimana Yuki Ito yang dilihat lebih bersedia untuk menghadapi musim 2017.”
Team of Suspension Specialist Just for Zaqhwan Zaidi
Malaysian racing outfit MUSASHi Boon Siew Honda has partnered suspensions systems maker Showa for the 2017 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC). As part of the collaboration, defending champion Mohd Zaqhwan Zaidi will benefit from the services of a dedicated team of suspensions experts as he chases after his third SuperSports 600cc Asian title.
This latest development was revealed by MUSASHi Boon Siew Honda manager, Zulhelmi Ahmad as the team races against the clock to prepare for the opening leg of the 2017 season at the Johor Circuit this weekend.
“Data from the pre-season test had shown that we are on the right path for the first round. The team had started our preparations much earlier this year. In addition to supporting Zaqhwan’s ambition to defend his 600cc title, team MUSASHi Boon Siew Honda has also set our eyes on winning the Team Award trophy for the sixth consecutive year,” he said.
However, the team had made some changes to its rider line-up this season. Instead of the usual power duo that characterized the team’s entry in previous seasons, this year, team MUSASHi Boon Siew Honda will be represented by Zaqhwan and rookie rider Teppei Nagoe.
“It’s a little too early to predict the outcome of the team award title chase. So far, Nagoe had tested well and we are optimistic that he will be a good supporting partner for Zaqhwan.”
Zulhelmi named team Yamaha Thailand Racing and Indonesian team Manual Tech Kawasaki as their main competitors for 2017.
“The Yamaha Thailand outfit had revived the winning combination of Decha Kraisart and Chalermpol Polamai while the Manual Tech team from the Kawasaki camp had opted to put Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman and Ahmad Yudhistira together. On paper, these two teams are the most threatening. However, we cannot afford to discount upcoming teams like the factory outfit Yamaha Racing. Yuki Ito looked really prepared and motivated during the pre-season.”
