Azroy Claims Victory After Final-Lap Chaos

Dramatic last-lap chaos sees Azroy seize victory for Idemitsu Honda Racing Malaysia in Round 5 of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship.

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Round 5 of the IDEMITSU FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) at the Sepang International Circuit delivered high drama in the ASB1000 class, as Azroy Hakeem Anuar of Idemitsu Honda Racing Malaysia claimed a sensational victory after a chaotic final lap showdown.

The race began with Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah of JDT Racing Team taking an early lead, but he was immediately challenged by Azroy at Turn 1. The opening laps saw a thrilling battle among Hafizh, Azroy, and Muhammad Zaqhwan Zaidi who is also from Idemitsu Honda Racing Malaysia, alongside Keito Abe (SDG HARC-PRO. Honda Philippines) and Nakarin Atiratphuvapat (Honda Racing Thailand).

By Lap 3, Zaqhwan snatched the lead and recorded the fastest lap of 2’06.362s. Meanwhile, Azroy began mounting his charge, consistently improving his pace with a series of rapid laps from Lap 6 to Lap 10, narrowing the gap to the leaders.

The intensity peaked on Lap 11, when Hafizh reclaimed the lead, setting up a dramatic finale. However, in a heartbreaking twist on the final lap, Zaqhwan made a bold attempt to overtake Hafizh, resulting in both riders crashing out. Seizing the opportunity, Azroy powered through to take the chequered flag in 25’26.719s, earning his first win in a long while and a crucial boost for Honda Malaysia.

Nakarin Atiratphuvapat crossed the line second at 25’29.682s, while Andi Farid Izdihar of Astra Honda Racing Team completed the podium in 25’29.750s. The result also elevated Nakarin to the championship lead, giving him a strong advantage heading into the final round at Buriram’s Chang International Circuit.

After the race, a delighted Azroy shared, “Alhamdulillah, after a very tough race yesterday, today I managed to get back to number one after a long time. It’s been a challenging weekend, but I’m thankful to my team for their hard work. There were some crashes in front of me — that’s racing — and I just focused on maintaining my pace and confidence lap by lap. I want to thank the fans for their amazing support here in Sepang. Now, let’s see what happens in the final round at Buriram.”

ASB1000 Race 2 – Top 5 Results

1. Azroy Hakeem Anuar – Idemitsu Honda Racing Malaysia (25’26.719s)
2. Nakarin Atiratphuvapat – Honda Racing Thailand (25’29.682s)
3. Andi Farid Izdihar – Astra Honda Racing Team (25’29.750s)
4. Keito Abe – SDG HARC-PRO. Honda Philippines (25’30.101s)
5. Lachlan Epis – Savitar Racing Asia (25’44.709s)

With the season finale just around the corner, the ARRC will be heading to Buriram, where Nakarin, Azroy, and the rest of the ASB1000 grid will battle it out one last time to decide the 2025 ARRC champion.