HAFIZH HELD OFF KEITO FOR SEVEN
The ASB1000 category of the LFN FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026 delivered an absolute masterclass during Race 1 at the Mandalika International Circuit, Indonesia. Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah of JDT RACING TEAM extended his perfect winning streak, claiming his seventh consecutive victory of the season after an intense duel.
In Qualifying, Hafizh secured pole position with a stellar 1’35.154s. He was joined on the front row by Keito Abe of SDG HARC-PRO. HONDA PHILIPPINES and Lachlan Epis of SWIFT GROW RACING TEAM. As the race started, the initial launch saw Lachlan jump forward, but he was quickly flagged for a jump start. This left Keito to seize the early advantage, slotting into the lead ahead of Hafizh, with NakarinAtiratphuvapat of HONDA RACING THAILAND settling into third.
Keito dictated the pace in the opening stages, pushing hard at the front. However, by lap three, the Hafizh set a fastest lap of 1’36.205s to close the gap to a mere 0.361s. The pressure culminated on lap five when Hafizh clocked a blistering 1’35.778s to decisively overtake Keito for the lead. Behind the leading duo, Nakarin comfortably held third, while Rocco Sessler of FORTY FORGED ASIA RACING TEAM consistently maintained fourth place after passing Mohammad Adenanta Putra of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM.
Once in front, Hafizh attempted to break away, dropping his lap times down to a 1’35.573s on lap six. Keito, however, refused to yield. The Japanese rider responded with his own string of fast laps, including a 1’35.558s on lap nine, keeping the gap at just 0.174s. The final third of the 15-lap race became a tense standoff. Every time Hafizh tried to stretch his advantage, posting a 1’35.401s on lap eleven, Keito matched his rhythm, ensuring the race would go down to the wire. Further back, Muhammad Zaqhwan Zaidi of IDEMITSU HONDA RACING MALAYSIA made a crucial move on lap 12 to secure fifth place.
On the final lap, Keito pushed his machine to the absolute limit, shadowing Hafizh through the corners and lining up a final attack. Exiting the final turn, Keito managed to briefly pull alongside, setting up a drag race to the checkered flag. Displaying composure, Hafizh held his line to cross the finish first at 23’57.218s, edging out Keito by 0.130s. Nakarincrossed the line in a lonely but solid third place at 24’05.941s, completing the podium.
Hafizh shared, “At the beginning of the race, I saw that Keito was pushing incredibly hard and setting a very fast pace. Honestly, my heart was racing a bit, but I forced myself to remain completely calm because I knew my true race pace, and I was highly confident that my speed in Sectors 1 and 4 was very strong. I made the tactical decision to let him lead for the first few laps to study his lines. But after a while, I realized that if I waited any longer, Nakarin would close the gap and catch up to the front group. I knew I had to make my move, take the lead, and start dictating the pace myself.”
“I fully expected Keito to be right on my tail because he was exceptionally fast at this track last year. He was definitely the main rival I was keeping my eye on, so I knew I couldn’t make a single mistake. I focused entirely on managing the race perfectly. I adjusted my riding style, closing my knee angle tightly through the corners to protect my lines and maintain my own rhythm while Keito was breathing down my neck. I am not sure who ultimately recorded the fastest lap of the race, but crossing the line side-by-side to secure P1 again, making it seven wins in a row, is an absolutely incredible, overwhelming feeling.”
“Even with this victory, we are not relaxing. I already know a few specific areas where we can improve the bike’s edge grip, so we will work tirelessly on that for tomorrow’s race. Finally, this victory carries a lot of emotional weight for me. I want to dedicate this win from the bottom of my heart to my amazing team, and as a special birthday gift to both my father and my mechanic. I also want to dedicate this to Andi. He has been training so hard, but unfortunately had an unlucky crash in a local race here. We are all thinking of you, brother. And lastly, a massive thank you to my boss for his endless support, and to everyone out there who continues to believe in me.”
TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1
1. HAFIZH SYAHRIN ABDULLAH – JDT RACING TEAM (23:57.218s)
2. KEITO ABE – SDG HARC-PRO. HONDA PHILIPPINES (23’57.348s)
3. NAKARIN ATIRATPHUVAPAT – HONDA RACING THAILAND (24’05.941s)
4. ROCCO SESSLER – FORTY FORGED ASIA RACING TEAM (24’06.946s)
5. MUHAMMAD ZAQHWAN ZAIDI – IDEMITSU HONDA RACING MALAYSIA (24’12.450s)
WAHYU’S MAIDEN VICTORY ON HOME SOIL
Race 1 in Round 4 of LFN FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026 at the Mandalika International Circuit in Indonesia saw hometown hero Wahyu Nugroho of YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA secure a brilliant and composed victory, marking his maiden win in the SS600 category right in front of his local fans.
Following the Qualifying session, Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin of HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING claimed pole position with a time of 1’37.091s. He narrowly edged out Herjun Atna Firdaus of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM and Wahyu Nugroho, with the three riders successfully locking out the front row.
As the race started, Kasma made a strong initial start, but Herjun executed a precise move at Turn 1 to take the early lead. Anupab Sarmoon of YAMAHA THAILAND RACING TEAM slotted into third, closely followed by Muhammad Faerozi Toreqottullah of YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA.
By lap 2, Wahyu found his optimal racing line and made a decisive move to take over the lead. Herjun dropped to second, while Thanat Laoongplio of HONDA RACING THAILAND began an incredibly impressive charge, moving up to fourth after starting from the eighth position on the grid.
Wahyu maintained his lead through lap 3 to 5, carefully managing his pace ahead of Anupab and Thanat. The chasing pack continually pushed the limits, resulting in a continuous exchange of fastest lap times. Herjun clocked a 1’37.706s on lap six, only for Thanatvto respond with a 1’37.680s on lap 7. The pace continued to quicken as Herjun posted a 1’37.635s on lap eight.
The immense pressure at the front finally took its toll during the closing stages of the race. On lap ten, while Anupab set the fastest lap of the race at 1’37.458s in pursuit of the leader, Herjun suffered a sudden crash, abruptly ending his podium hopes. The drama escalated further on lap eleven when Anupab running in a strong second place, also fell from contention.
These late-stage incidents cleared the path for Wahyu. Navigating the final lap with total composure, he crossed the finish line to claim his first SS600 victory with a total time of 19’35.596s. Kasma capitalized on the late-race attrition to take second place at 19’35.971s, while Thanat’s excellent recovery ride earned him third place at 19’36.308s.
The top three riders had established a massive seven-second gap over the second group. Further back, a final-lap crash for Faerozi promoted McKinley Kyle Paz of HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING to fourth place, with Arai Agaska DibaniLaksana of YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA rounding out the top five.
Wahyu expressed, “Alhamdulillah, I am so incredibly grateful to Allah for blessing me with this beautiful result today. Crossing that finish line and hearing the home crowd cheering, I honestly felt overwhelmed with emotion. This achievement is truly the reward of a massive collective effort. My team has worked relentlessly behind the scenes, pouring their hearts out, staying up late, and giving absolutely everything to provide me with a perfectly set-up machine. I simply could not have achieved this without their dedication and hard work in the garage.”
“On a personal note, this weekend is exceptionally special for me and my family. I want to dedicate this performance to my sister and wish her a very happy birthday! Even more exciting, I can officially share that I am now a very proud uncle! Being able to bring this maiden victory home to celebrate these beautiful family milestones makes this moment even sweeter and more meaningful than I could have ever imagined.”
“As for the race itself, I managed to get a fantastic launch off the line, which gave me a very strong start and positioned me perfectly with the front group right away. From that moment on, I just kept my head down, focused on maintaining my rhythm, and made sure to ride smartly while managing my tires. It was a tough and demanding race mentally, especially seeing the crashes happening closely behind me in the final laps. My heart rate spiked, but my confidence in the bike was high, and I kept telling myself to stay calm. Everything just clicked for us today.”
TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1
1. WAHYU NUGROHO – YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA (19:35.596s)
2. KASMA DANIEL KASMAYUDIN – HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING (19’35.971ss)
3. THANAT LAOONGPLIO – HONDA RACING THAILAND (19’36.308s)
4. MCKINLEY KYLE PAZ – HONG LEONG YAMAHA RACING (19’48.829s)
5. ARAI AGASKA DIBANI LAKSANA – YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA (19’51.586s)
HARD EARNED VICTORY FOR KRITTAPAT
Round 4 of the LFN FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026 happened today at the Mandalika International Circuit, Indonesia. In Race 1 of the AP250 category, KrittapatKeankum of YAMAHA THAILAND RACING TEAM secured a victory after a demanding ten-lap race.
Following the qualifying session, Krittapat Keankum claimed pole position with a time of 1’45.328s. He was joined on the front row by Hiroki Ono of HONDA RACING VIETNAM with his lap time of 1’45.668s and Candra H of YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA at 1’45.837s.
As the race began, Hiroki Ono surged forward to take the initial advantage. However, Krittapat Keankum quickly responded, overtaking him to reclaim the top spot before the end of the lap. Behind the leaders, Gerry Salim of MsGlowForMen Racing Team settled into third, followed closely by Riichi Takahira of Tian yu Asia Racing MFZ and Muhammad Fadhil Musyavi of YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA.
The race dynamics shifted notably on the third lap. Irfan Ardiansyah of ASTRA HONDA RACING TEAM found his rhythm, setting a fast lap of 1’46.996s. He moved up to challenge for the lead and successfully overtook Krittapat. Meanwhile, an unfortunate incident further back in the field saw Zhong Wen Ze of Tian yu Asia Racing MFZ and Galang Hendra Pratama of YAMAHA BAF YAMALUBE AKAI JAYA collide, resulting in both riders crashing out of the competition.
The fight for the lead remained fluid as the laps progressed. On lap 4, Candra pushed past Irfan to take control of the race. Krittapat then fought his way back to the front on lap 5, with Reykat Yusuf Fadilah of YAMAHA LFN HP969 INDONESIA RACING TEAM moving up into third. During this phase, Hiroki Ono experienced a fall but managed to quickly pick up his bike and rejoin the race.
By lap six, Irfan was back in the lead, followed by Reykat and Krittapat. The leading pack stayed tightly grouped. On lap 8, Gerry set a new fastest lap of 1’46.683s to stay well in contention. The penultimate lap saw Reykat overtake Krittapat, while Gerry and Riichi also battled firmly for the front positions.
The tenth and final lap saw Fadhil briefly held the lead as the front-runners constantly traded places through the circuit’s corners. Ultimately, Krittapat Keankum navigated the busy field effectively, making a clean and decisive move to cross the finish line first with a total time of 17’43.380s. Fahmi Basam of YAMAHA LFN HP969 INDONESIA RACING TEAM finished second at 17’44.445s, while Gerry secured the final podium spot at 17’44.667s.
Krittapat commented, “Going into that final lap, my heart was racing, and I knew I had to give it absolutely everything I had left in the tank to secure the best possible position. I wanted this win so badly for the team, and I ended up pushing the bike just a little bit too hard, riding right on the absolute limit of what the tires could handle. Because of that, the rear started to lose its grip, and I was dealing with a lot of sliding through those critical final few corners. It was definitely a tense, nerve-wracking moment where I thought I might lose it all, but thankfully, I managed to keep the bike under control, hold my breath, and safely bring it home to the finish line. Crossing that line was a feeling of pure relief and joy.”
“Despite that heart-stopping end to the race, I am so incredibly grateful and emotional about this result today. Standing on the top step of the podium is a dream realized. I want to say a massive, heartfelt thank you to my entire team. They worked tirelessly, late into the night and from the early morning sessions, to give me such a highly competitive machine. This achievement is a true reward for all their sweat and hard work in the garage, I couldn’t have done it without them. Finally, I want to send my deepest appreciation and love to all the Thai fans cheering for me back home, as well as to all of our amazing sponsors. Hearing your cheers and knowing you have my back gives me the strength and motivation to keep fighting at the very front of the pack, no matter how tough the race gets. Thank you so much to everyone who believes in us!”
TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1
1. KRITTAPAT KEANKUM – YAMAHA THAILAND RACING TEAM (17’43.380s)
2. FAHMI BASAM – YAMAHA LFN HP969 INDONESIA RACING TEAM (17’44.445s)
3. GERRY SALIM – MsGlowForMen Racing Team (17’44.667s)
4. CANDRA H – YAMAHA RACING INDONESIA (17’44.820s)
5. REYKAT YUSUF FADILAH – YAMAHA LFN HP969 INDONESIA RACING TEAM (17’44.935s)
HUSNI STOOD TALL IN MANDALIKA
The UB150 category at the Round 4 of LFN FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026 delivered an incredibly close and unpredictable Race 1 at the Mandalika International Circuit in Indonesia. Husni Zainul Fuadzy of ZIEAR LFN HP969 ADELIN MCR RBT34 held his nerve, navigating the chaos to cross the finish line victorious.
As the race started, Md Shafiq Rasol of AEON CREDIT JQK ZYNERGYS CARDINALS made a solid start off the line to take the early lead. Husni closely followed in second position, while Muhammad Adib Arsyad Mohd Hisam of UMA RACING YAMAHA MAJU MOTOR TEAM slotted into third. Akbar Abud Afdalah of SAE RACING TEAM and Hafid Pratamaditya Nursandi of ABEN RACING rounded out the initial top five. However, the slipstreaming nature of the UB150 class quickly took over, forming a large, inseparable leading group.
By the lap 2, Dimas Juli Atmoko of HJS YOUNGSTAR KAWAHARA RCTH SIXTY navigated his way to the front, followed by Adib and Rendi Odding of 4S1M EVO YAMAHA Racing Team. Ahmad Darwisy Ahmad Sahir of YUZY ASIA TEAM and M. Syirat Sauki of YAMAHA LFN HP969 INDONESIA RACING TEAM also joined the front-runners. No single rider was able to break away from the pack, resulting in continuous position changes at nearly every turn on the circuit.
The middle phase of the seven-lap sprint saw a revolving door of race leaders. On lap three, Md Silmi Helsinky pushed his way to the front, ahead of Dimas and John Emerson Inguito of 4S1M EVO YAMAHA Racing Team. The order shuffled entirely again on lap 4 as Adytya Fauzi of ONE FOR ALL took the lead, with Wahyu Aji Trilaksana of HJS YOUNGSTAR KAWAHARA RCTH SIXTY and Husni close behind. Fadli Rigani of YAMAHA LFN HP969 INDONESIA RACING TEAM sat tightly in fourth. The fierce competition was evident when Nazirul Izzat Muhammad Bahauddin of UMA RACING YAMAHA MAJU MOTOR TEAM made a brilliant charge to fourth, only to drop back to tenth, before surging all the way back to the lead on lap 5. Nazirul’s time at the front was short-lived, however, as he was quickly overtaken by Fadli and Wahyu.
Heading into lap 6, the lead continued to change hands relentlessly. Amidst the continuous swapping, Husni and Akbar stood out for their ability to maintain their positions within the front group, avoiding the mid-pack turbulence. The tension finally boiled over on the seventh and final lap. With all riders pushing aggressively for a podium finish, the tight racing resulted in incidents. Dimas and Syirat crashed out of contention, and shortly after, Silmi also went down.
Staying clear of the late-stage incidents and holding his racing line, Husni crossed the finish line to claim a well-deserved victory with a time of 15:40.296s. Rendi seized the opportunity on the final stretch to finish second at 15:40.938s, while Wahyu secured third place just fractions of a second behind at 15:40.974s.
Husni said, “Alhamdulillah, I am overflowing with gratitude today. My heart is still racing from that final lap! First and foremost, I want to say a massive thank you to my entire team for working tirelessly and providing me with such a great bike, and to my family for their endless support, love, and prayers. This result means the world to all of us. The race out there today was incredibly fierce from the very moment the lights went out. The pack was so tight, you could physically feel the pressure from the riders around you. The battles were absolutely relentless, meaning you couldn’t afford to lose focus or make a mistake for even a fraction of a second.”
“Going into the race, we had a very clear game plan, and Alhamdulillah, the blessings were truly on my side today. I managed to stay completely calm amidst all the shuffling and chaos, managed my tires well in the heat, and executed our strategy perfectly right up to the final corner. I am so deeply thankful to finish such a tough, unpredictable race with a strong victory. Now, our focus immediately shifts to tomorrow. We will sit down and review the data tonight, and I pray that I can carry this exact same momentum and fighting spirit into Race 2 to step foot onto that top step of the podium once again.”
TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 1
1. HUSNI ZAINUL FUADZY – ZIEAR LFN HP969 ADELIN MCR RBT34 (15:40.296s)
2. RENDI ODDING – 4S1M EVO YAMAHA Racing Team (15:40.938s)
3. WAHYU AJI TRILAKSANA – HJS YOUNGSTAR KAWAHARA RCTH SIXTY (15:40.974s)
4. FADLI RIGANI – YAMAHA LFN HP969 INDONESIA RACING TEAM (15:40.977s)
5. AQSHAL ILHAM SAFATULAH – ONE FOR ALL (15:41.001s)
VICENTE CONQUERED MANDALIKA
Round 4 of the LFN FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026 got underway in Indonesia got underway at the Mandalika International Circuit, Indonesia. In Race 1 of the TVS Racing International Championship, Spain’s Vicente Perez Selfa converted his pole position into a hard-earned victory.
In Qualifying session, Vicente clocked a 1’44.975s to secure pole, narrowly edging out Portugal’s Pedrinho Matos at 1’45.028s and fellow Spaniard Luis Miguel at 1’45.079s. Malaysia’s Mohd Ramdan Rosli and India’s Chiranth Vishwanath completed the top five on the grid.
The beginning of the race saw Pedrinho capitalized with a strong launch to take the initial lead. However, the order quickly shuffled. Luis aggressively overtook for the top position, while Chiranth and South Africa’s Oratilwe Phiri slotted into second and third. By the second lap, Luis Miguel maintained his lead, with Ramdan moving into second. Vicente found himself pushed back to fourth, right behind Oratilwe, forcing the polesitter to recalculate his strategy early on.
Vicente did not wait long to respond. On lap three, he surged to the front, bringing Pedrinho and Luis with him. The lead continued to exchange hands. Pedrinho moved back to the front on lap 4, but Vicente reclaimed the advantage on lap 5, with Ramdan staying firmly in the mix. India’s Sarthak Chavan also made his presence known, battling firmly within the top five during the middle portion of the race.
As the race progressed into its closing stages, the tension mounted. Vicente held his lead through lap 6 and lap 7, but the margins were incredibly thin. Pedrinho trailed by a mere 0.126s, ready to strike. Meanwhile, Japan’s Jean Kento Turner began a quiet but crucial charge, picking off Chiranth Vishwanath before overtaking Mohd Ramdan Rosli to claim fourth place just before the final lap.
On lap 8, Luis made an early move to steal the lead, sparking a fierce, aggressive battle among the top five. Vicente, Pedrinho, Luis, Jean, and Ramdan traded positions through the final sectors. Relying on his precise braking and superior line choices, Vicente successfully navigated the chaos to cross the finish line first with a time of 14’19.984s. Pedrinho secured second place at 14’20.112s, while Luis rounded out the podium at 14’20.232s.
Vicente stated, “The race was absolutely amazing, a true battle from the very first lap right down to the checkered flag. Going into the race, I had a very clear strategy in my mind. My plan was to manage the pace and make sure I was staying at the front to control the flow on that crucial last lap. However, racing is unpredictable, and Luis made a strong move to overtake me early on, which forced me to completely adapt my game plan on the fly.”
“Going into that final lap, I pushed the bike to the absolute limit. I was giving it every ounce of energy I had to reclaim the lead, but Luis was right there, fighting side-by-side with me. Pedrinho also had a great rhythm and closed in on us, turning the end of the race into a massive, tense battle between the pack. It all came down to the final corner. I knew I had to make a decisive move, so I shot into the gap and really went for it on the brakes. Crossing that finish line first, seeing the checkered flag, it was an overwhelming rush of relief and joy. I am incredibly proud of this victory. The fight was so intense, and it was just a fantastic race to be a part of.”
TOP 5 – RACE 1
1. VICENTE PEREZ SELFA – SPAIN (14’19.984s)
2. PEDRINHO MATOS – PORTUGAL (14’20.112s)
3. LUIS MIGUEL – SPAIN (14’20.232s)
4. JEAN KENTO TURNER – JAPAN (14’20.235s)
5. MOHD RAMDAN ROSLI – MALAYSIA (14’20.342s)
RACE 1 WINNERS | DAY 2 | ROUND 4 SEASON 2026
