Malaysia’s veteran rider Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah capped off a sensational weekend at the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2026 Round 2 after storming to victory in Race 2 of the ASB1000 category at the Chang International Circuit, Buriram.
Representing JDT Racing Team, Hafizh once again proved his class aboard the Ducati Panigale V4R by producing another commanding ride to secure his second win of the weekend.
The Malaysian completed 15 laps with a total race time of 24:01.995s while also recording the fastest lap of the race at 1:35.679s. It marked a perfect response from Hafizh after the drama that followed Race 1, where he was later fined USD500 by race direction for his post-race celebration.
Japanese rider Keito Abe from SDG HARC-PRO Honda Philippines finished second, 2.748 seconds behind the race winner, while Thailand’s Nakarin Atiratphuvapat completed the podium in third place for Honda Racing Thailand.
Australian rider Lachlan Epis impressed with a solid fourth-place finish for SWIFT GROW Racing Team, ahead of Germany’s Rocco Sessler in fifth.
Another strong performance came from Indonesian rider Andi Farid Izdihar, who guided the second JDT Racing Team machine to sixth place, underlining the squad’s competitiveness throughout the weekend.
However, the race brought heartbreak for Malaysian contender Azroy Hakeem Anuar. After finishing runner-up in Race 1, the Idemitsu Honda Racing Malaysia rider suffered a DNF after completing only seven laps despite setting an impressive fastest lap of 1:35.644s before retiring.
His teammate Muhammad Zaqhwan Zaidi also endured a difficult outing. Although he managed to finish the race, he dropped down the order and ended the race in 11th position after losing significant time.
The victory strengthens Hafizh’s momentum in the 2026 ASB1000 title fight and further cements his reputation as one of Southeast Asia’s elite superbike riders. Racing in front of passionate regional fans at Buriram, the former MotoGP rider showcased experience, consistency and pace throughout the weekend.
With two victories from two races in Thailand, Hafizh and JDT Racing Team now leave Buriram as the biggest winners of Round 2 and strong contenders heading into the next round of the championship.
Credit Photo : ARRC
