HAFIZH CROWNED ASB1000 CHAMPION AS SEPANG PRODUCES A WEEKEND OF TITLE DRAMA
PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit delivered a memorable Round 5 of the 2026 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship, with championship battles reaching their climax across the ASB1000, SS600, AP250 and UB150 categories.
For Malaysian fans, the biggest moment came in ASB1000, where local favourite Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah of JDT Racing Team secured the 2026 Overall Riders’ Championship with a round to spare after producing a calculated second-place finish in Race 2.
It was the perfect conclusion to an emotional home weekend for Hafizh, who had already taken a spectacular ninth consecutive victory in Race 1.
Starting fourth on the grid in Race 1, Hafizh made an exceptional launch and immediately moved into the lead heading into Turn 1. After a fierce battle involving Keito Abe, Muhammad Zaqhwan Zaidi and Kaito Toba, Hafizh reclaimed the lead on lap four and began to build his advantage.
Kaito Toba had earlier set the race’s fastest lap before his machine suffered a mechanical failure on lap 10, leaving Hafizh with a clear path to victory.
The Malaysian crossed the finish line in 29’36.868s, 6.188 seconds ahead of Zaqhwan, with Keito completing the podium.
The victory was Hafizh’s ninth consecutive win of the season and also secured the ASB1000 Team Championship for JDT Racing Team.
But the championship was not decided until Race 2.
Kaito bounced back to dominate the second race, setting the fastest lap at 2’06.128s and controlling the contest from the front. Hafizh, meanwhile, resisted the temptation to fight for another victory, instead focusing on finishing ahead of his principal title rival, Keito.
Kaito took the chequered flag in 29’37.223s, with Hafizh second at 29’40.108s and Keito third.
That calculated ride was enough for Hafizh to officially seal the ASB1000 Riders’ Championship on home soil.
“We rode a smart, calculated race, and we pulled it off,” Hafizh said after Race 2.
The Malaysian champion dedicated his achievement to his late brother Farres, saying he raced every lap for him during an emotionally overwhelming weekend.
SS600: THANAT STRIKES FIRST, WAHYU FINISHES THE JOB
The SS600 category delivered two contrasting races.
Race 1 went the way of Honda Racing Thailand’s Thanat Laoongplio, who capitalised on championship leader Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin’s double long-lap penalty.
Kasma had initially charged into the lead and set the fastest lap, but after serving two consecutive long-lap penalties, he dropped to seventh.
Thanat immediately took advantage, moving into first and holding off a relentless challenge from teammate Anupab Sarmoon.
The Thai rider survived a late attack to win by just 0.103 seconds, while Wahyu Nugroho completed the podium.
Race 2 produced an even tighter finish.
Wahyu Nugroho of Yamaha Racing Indonesia timed his final attack perfectly, moving into second before exploiting Kasma’s wide entry at the final corner.
The Indonesian rider then out-dragged Kasma to the line to win by just 0.078 seconds, recording 22’03.535s against Kasma’s 22’03.613s.
Anupab completed the podium.
KRITTAPAT COMPLETES AP250 DOUBLE AND CLAIMS THE TITLE
Krittapat Keankum turned Round 5 into a championship-defining weekend in AP250.
The Yamaha Thailand Racing Team rider won Race 1 after a tense final-lap battle with Rheza Danica Ahrens and Muhammad Fadhil Musyavi.
Rheza briefly grabbed the lead late in the race, but Krittapat responded immediately to regain control and take victory in 19’29.168s.
Race 2 was equally hard fought, with Krittapat battling Irfan Ardiansyah and the Yamaha Racing Indonesia riders throughout the race.
Rheza mounted a final-lap challenge but crashed while attempting a move at the final turn.
Krittapat kept his composure to cross the line first in 19’22.647s, completing a weekend double and sealing the 2026 AP250 Overall Championship with one round remaining.
HUSNI DEFENDS UB150 CROWN
The UB150 category also produced a champion at Sepang.
Husni Zainul Fuadzy of ZIEAR LFN HP969 Adelin MCR RBT34 won Race 1 in a breathtaking three-way finish, beating Fadli Rigani by just 0.032 seconds.
The victory was even more significant after Husni had suffered a heavy crash the previous day.
Despite the incident, he was cleared to race and returned to win — securing his second consecutive UB150 championship.
Race 2 delivered another spectacular finale.
Fadli Rigani survived a chaotic final corner in which several leading riders were caught up in a multi-rider collision.
While Wahyu Aji Trilaksana, Dimas Juli Atmoko, Adytya Fauzi, M. Syirat Sauki and newly crowned champion Husni were eliminated from the immediate fight, Fadli positioned himself perfectly on the outside line and powered onto the main straight to claim victory.
Ahmad Darwisy Ahmad Sahir and Shahrol Syazras Shahrol Yuzy completed the MOTUL Honda Asia Team double podium.
Fadli’s winning time was 15’52.680s, just 0.053 seconds ahead of Shahrol and 0.053 seconds ahead of Darwisy in the recorded classification.
Round 5 therefore ended with multiple championship stories written at Sepang — a home-grown ASB1000 champion in Hafizh, a dominant AP250 title campaign from Krittapat, and a successful UB150 title defence from Husni.
For the championship contenders still fighting for honours, attention now turns to the final round.
