ARRC 2026: Hafizh Syahrin Storms Triple Victory in ASB1000

Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah delivered a masterclass ride to secure a stunning victory in Race 1 of the ASB1000 category at the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026 Round 2 held at Chang International Circuit on Saturday.

Representing JDT Racing Team aboard the Ducati Panigale V4R, the former MotoGP rider once again demonstrated his elite racing pedigree with a composed and dominant performance across the 15-lap contest.

Starting from fifth on the grid following qualifying, Hafizh faced an early setback after being required to serve a long-lap penalty stemming from an incident during Round 1 Race 2 in Sepang last month.

The Malaysian star initially dropped into the midfield battle and was running in fifth position during the opening stages. However, once the penalty was completed, Hafizh immediately began carving his way through the field with relentless pace and precision.

By Lap 8, Hafizh had already surged into the lead after executing a decisive overtaking move before pulling away from the chasing pack with authority.

From that moment onward, the race firmly belonged to the Malaysian ace. Hafizh controlled the tempo brilliantly until the chequered flag, eventually crossing the finish line in a winning time of 24:06.445 to seal one of his most impressive victories of the season so far.

To further underline his superiority at the Thai circuit, Hafizh also recorded the fastest lap of the race with a blistering 1:35.715.

Fellow Malaysian Azroy Hakeem Anuar continued his strong weekend form by finishing second for Idemitsu Honda Racing Malaysia. Azroy maintained excellent race pace throughout and crossed the line 2.626 seconds behind Hafizh aboard the Honda CBR1000RR-R.

Japanese rider Keito Abe completed the podium for SDG HARC-PRO Honda Philippines after ending the race just 2.876 seconds adrift of the winner.

Malaysia’s strong outing was further strengthened by Muhammad Zaqhwan Zaidi, who secured fourth place, while Indonesian rider Andi Farid Izdihar rounded out the top five for JDT Racing Team.

The victory served as another major statement in Hafizh’s pursuit of the 2026 ASB1000 championship crown. After topping the combined practice sessions earlier in the weekend, the 31-year-old continued to showcase the consistency, race intelligence and outright speed that have made him one of Asia’s premier superbike riders.

Thai rider Nakarin Atiratphuvapat delighted local supporters with a sixth-place finish, while Australia’s Lachlan Epis and Germany’s Rocco Sessler finished seventh and eighth respectively.

Indonesia’s Mohammad Adenanta Putra claimed ninth place, with Australian rider Olly Simpson completing the top 10.

With Race 2 still to come in Buriram, Hafizh now carries tremendous momentum and confidence as he aims to complete a perfect weekend for JDT Racing Team in Thailand.