Malaysia Trio Ready for Moto4 Thailand Opener

Malaysia’s young riders Qabil Irfan Azlan, Muhammad Naqib Rifqi and Qayyim Razin Razali are set to begin their 2026 Idemitsu Moto4 Asia Cup campaign at the Thailand season opener in Buriram.

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Malaysia’s rising stars Qabil Irfan Azlan, Muhammad Naqib Rifqi and Qayyim Razin Razali will launch their 2026 Idemitsu Moto4 Asia Cup campaign at the season opener at Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand, from 27 February to 1 March.

Held alongside the FIM MotoGP World Championship during the Thailand Grand Prix weekend, the event will feature 20 riders from six nations competing on the grid. Their arrival will ignite a fierce fight for early dominance.

Leading Malaysia’s charge is Qabil Irfan Azlan, widely regarded as a strong front-running contender following an impressive showing at the recent official test at Sepang International Circuit, where he clocked the second fastest overall time. The result underlined his pace, confidence and race readiness ahead of Round 1.

“The test session in Sepang gave me a very positive indication. I feel fully prepared and determined to give my very best for Malaysia. I expect strong challenges from Japan, Indonesia and Australia, but we will see how the race unfolds this week,” said Qabil.

Muhammad Naqib Rifqi brings valuable experience to Buriram, having previously competed at the circuit in the Thailand Talent Cup (TTC). He will use that familiarity to fine-tune his machine’s setup and sharpen his race strategy as he targets a place among the front runners from the very start.

“The two-day Sepang test helped me find my rhythm and improve significantly. With my prior mileage at Buriram, I’m targeting a position within the front group for Round 1,” Naqib shared.

Completing the Malaysian line-up is rookie Qayyim Razin Razali, who will make his Asian-level debut. Despite being new to the championship, Qayyim has set ambitious goals for his first race weekend.

“I’m very excited to begin my debut at this level. The Sepang test showed strong improvement, and I’ve adapted well to the machine. My target is a top-five finish and, God willing, a podium challenge,” he said.

After Thailand, the championship heads to Qatar (10–12 April) before returning to Malaysia for Round 3 at Sepang (31 July–2 August). The decisive final stretch will see riders compete in Japan (2–4 October) and Indonesia (9–11 October). The season will conclude in Malaysia from 30 October to 1 November.

With strong preparation and growing confidence, Malaysia’s young trio are ready to make their mark on the Asian stage as the lights go out in Buriram.