The opening round of the Malaysia Superbike Championship delivered a spectacular weekend of unpredictable weather, emotional comeback victories and intense last-lap battles as riders battled treacherous wet conditions at Sepang International Circuit.
Across every category, the rain transformed the season opener into a true test of composure and adaptability, separating the fearless from the rest.
MSBK1000 A: ZAQHWAN STRIKES BEFORE ADENANTA’S REDEMPTION
Race 1 belonged to Muhd Zaqhwan Zaidi, who produced a dramatic late-race comeback after initially struggling to stay with the leading group.
“Actually, in the first lap I didn’t feel confident. I was 50-50 and thought maybe I could only finish around fifth because it was hard to reach the front group,” he said.
However, the experienced Malaysian gradually built momentum in the closing stages before making his decisive move on the final lap.
“But in the last four laps, things got better. I caught up step by step, and I believed I could fight for the podium. I stayed patient, watched for their mistakes, and in the final lap, I took the opportunity.”
Race 2 saw redemption for Mohammad Adenanta Putra of Astra Honda Racing Team after crashing out while leading on the final lap a day earlier.
“This weekend both races were wet, and it’s my first experience in these conditions in this category,” said Adenanta.
“Yesterday I had good pace but crashed on the last lap. I learned from that—today I stayed calm, improved lap by lap, and managed the tyres better.”
The Indonesian rider showed maturity and restraint throughout Race 2 before pushing hard in the closing laps to secure victory.
MSBK1000 B: DREAM DEBUT FOR SANTHIRAN
One of the biggest stories of the weekend came from Santhiran A/L Naga Raju, who stunned the paddock with a sensational debut performance in MSBK1000 B.
Entering the championship with no prior wet-tyre racing experience, the Malaysian admitted he initially felt overwhelmed by the conditions.
“This is my first time racing in MSBK, to be honest, it was stressful and tense because everyone here is very experienced,” he explained.
“The sighting lap was actually my first ever experience using wet tyres in my life.”
Despite the steep learning curve, Santhiran adapted quickly and exceeded expectations by winning Race 1 before backing it up with another controlled performance in Race 2 to seal the Weekend Champion title.
“The conditions were really tricky after the rain, so I focused on staying consistent and avoiding mistakes,” he said.
“I’m really happy to take two wins this weekend and become the Weekend Champion.”
MSBK600: THANAT UNTOUCHABLE IN THE WET
Wet-weather mastery defined the weekend of Thanat Laoongplio, who dominated both MSBK600 races for Honda Racing Thailand.
The Thai rider controlled Race 1 with consistent lap times before overcoming difficult wind conditions in Race 2 to complete a perfect double.
“The wind was very strong, especially in Sectors 2 and 3, so it was difficult to push because the bike could slide,” said Thanat.
“But I felt confident, and I’m ready for Round 2 of ARRC.”
His composed riding in constantly changing conditions firmly established him as one of the standout performers of the weekend.
MSBK250 A: IRFAN PERFECT UNDER PRESSURE
In MSBK250 A, Irfan Ardiansyah emerged unbeaten after delivering two high-pressure victories for NWN CZ1 SCK Racing Team.
Race 1 saw the Indonesian rider locked in a fierce duel with Haykhal before timing a decisive final-lap attack to perfection.
“Actually, me and Haykhal had a similar pace, so I was just waiting to get a good moment to attack,” he said.
Race 2 required a more defensive approach as Irfan pushed relentlessly to maintain track position and complete a perfect weekend sweep.
“On the last lap, I just went full gas. I didn’t know if someone would overtake me, so I pushed as hard as I could until the end.”
MSBK250 B: GRIT AND RECOVERY DEFINE THE WEEKEND
MSBK250 B produced two very different victory stories.
Race 1 belonged to Kabilesh Rajini Krishnan, who battled through pain after suffering a high-speed crash that injured his fingers.
“Another rider’s bike ran over my left-hand fingers,” he revealed.
“After that, I wasn’t able to brake properly or manage the throttle well, but I stayed focused and managed to take the win.”
Race 2, meanwhile, saw Carlsen Jacob Solis bounce back strongly after a difficult opener to secure the Weekend Champion honours for FCC-Honda Philippines Inc Racing Team.
“We changed some settings on the bike, so thanks to the team for that,” said Solis.
“Yesterday was a difficult race, but they worked on the setup and handlebars to help me regain confidence.”
BERJAYA SOMPO YAMAHA R15M RACE ELITES: SMART RIDING WINS
The Berjaya Sompo Yamaha R15M Race Elites category delivered more late-race drama across both races.
Race 1 saw Muhd Ali Imran Mohd Dzul Hijri capitalise on a slipstream opportunity after running wide at the final corner.
