Kaito Toba Wins at Sepang as Hafizh Syahrin Clinches 2026 ASB1000 Championship

Japanese rider Kaito Toba dominates Race 2 at Sepang, while Malaysia’s Hafizh Syahrin secures the 2026 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship ASB1000.

Subscribe to our Instagram channel for the latest info and news!

The fifth round of the 2026 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) delivered a memorable weekend at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit, with Kaito Toba taking a commanding victory in the ASB1000 category while Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah officially secured the 2026 ASB1000 riders’ championship after finishing second on home soil.

Although Hafizh’s streak of nine consecutive victories came to an end, his calculated ride was enough to seal the championship with one round still left in the season.

Kaito Toba Takes Control Early at Sepang

The race got off to a thrilling start as Keito Abe of SDG HARC-PRO. Honda Philippines launched perfectly off the line to claim the holeshot. However, his lead was short-lived after Nakarin Atiratphuvapat from Honda Racing Thailand overtook him before the opening lap ended.

Behind the leading duo, Malaysia’s Azroy Hakeem Anuar settled into third place while championship leader Hafizh Syahrin stayed close in fourth, carefully managing the early stages of the race.

The battle intensified on Lap 2 when Hafizh briefly moved into second, only for Keito Abe and Kaito Toba to immediately respond.

Kaito Toba Sets the Pace

By Lap 3, Kaito Toba of FORTY FORGED ASIA RACING TEAM produced the fastest lap at the time with a 2’06.509s, taking over the race lead from Nakarin.

The Japanese rider continued to raise the pace, improving the benchmark to 2’06.179s on Lap 4 as he steadily pulled away from the chasing pack.

The race also saw early drama when Adam Norrodin of AMI Suzuki Motorsport crashed out, while Mohammad Adenanta Putra from Astra Honda Racing Team was forced to retire due to mechanical issues.

Hafizh Syahrin Rides Smart to Secure the Championship

While Kaito extended his advantage, Hafizh found himself locked in an intense battle with Keito Abe.

The Malaysian finally made a decisive move on Lap 5 to move into the podium positions before overtaking Nakarin one lap later to claim second place, trailing Kaito by just under two seconds.

Kaito continued his impressive pace by recording the fastest lap of the race with a 2’06.128s on Lap 7, stretching his lead to around two seconds.

Instead of risking everything in pursuit of victory, Hafizh chose to focus on the bigger picture. With his closest championship rival Keito Abe behind him, the JDT Racing Team rider maintained a comfortable margin and avoided unnecessary risks that could jeopardise his title hopes.

Championship Secured on Home Ground

Kaito Toba maintained flawless consistency throughout the remaining laps to cross the finish line first in 29’37.223s, claiming an impressive victory at Sepang.

Hafizh Syahrin finished second in 29’40.108s, securing enough championship points to officially become the 2026 ASB1000 Overall Champion with one round remaining.

Keito Abe completed the podium in third with a time of 29’44.452s, while Idemitsu Honda Racing Malaysia teammates Azroy Hakeem Anuar and Muhammad Zaqhwan Zaidi finished fourth and fifth respectively.

Hafizh Syahrin: The Championship Was the Priority

After securing the title, Hafizh thanked everyone who had supported the project throughout the season.

“I really want to thank everyone involved in this project. Most of all, thank you to our boss, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, the Crown Prince of Johor, who has trusted me for three years now.”

Reflecting on the race, Hafizh admitted the battle with Keito Abe was extremely demanding and influenced his race strategy.

“The race was so tough out there. Battling Keito mid-race was intense. Every time I tried to pass him in the corners, he fought back hard, and that allowed Kaito to pull a gap ahead.”

The Malaysian rider explained that, midway through the race, he shifted his focus entirely to securing the championship rather than chasing victory.

“I knew I had the speed to catch Kaito, but I didn’t need an all-out battle with him. The real mission was to finish in front of Keito. If we could win, we would, but if not, staying ahead of Keito was enough. We rode a smart, calculated race, and we pulled it off.”

Hafizh also expressed his appreciation to Team Principal Steven Tan, Team Manager Razmin, the entire JDT Racing Team, and fans across Malaysia before dedicating the championship to his late brother, Farres.

“This championship is dedicated to my late brother, Farres. We never forget you.”

TOP 5 FASTEST – RACE 2

1. Kaito Toba (FORTY FORGED ASIA RACING TEAM) – 29’37.223s
2. Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah (JDT RACING TEAM) – 29’40.108s
3. Keito Abe (SDG HARC-PRO. Honda Philippines) – 29’44.452s
4. Azroy Hakeem Anuar (Idemitsu Honda Racing Malaysia) – 29’48.355s
5. Muhammad Zaqhwan Zaidi (Idemitsu Honda Racing Malaysia) – 29’51.749s