A Malaysian-led team, Satu Hati.Honda Team Asia, will be competing in the 40th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race (Suzuka 8 Hours) which runs from July 28 to 30 in Japan. The team will be led by Zulhelmi Ahmad, Muhammad Zarul Sirat and Mohamad Redzuan Kamis as team manager, chief mechanic and chief data engineer, respectively.
The team will be fielding Malaysian rider Zaqhwan Zaidi (22), who will be partnered by FIM CEV Moto2 rider Indonesian Dimas Ekky Pratama (25), and Asia Road Racing Championship rider Ratthapong Wilairot (29), from Thailand. In last year’s Suzuka 8 Hours, Satu Hati.Honda Team Asia came in eighth, the highest placed Honda team.
Team principal Makato Tamada, a former MotoGP rider, formed Honda Team Asia in 2012, with the intention of forming an all-Asian team to compete in superbike endurance racing. The team started with one Malaysian rider, Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman, and two Japanese riders.
In 2014, Mohamad Zamri Baba joined the team for the Suzuka 8 Hours, with a seventh place result. In 2015, Azlan returned to the fold, but technical issues forced the team to finish in 18th place.
After 2016’s eighth place finish, Tamada decided to retain the same line-up, and allow Zulhelmi to helm Honda Team Asia’s race effort at the Suzuka 8 Hours. Zulhelmi started his career in the Malaysian Cub Prix in 2002 and retired as a professional rider for Boon Siew Honda in 2007, joining Boon Siew Honda in 2010 as team coordinator for Musashi Boon Siew Honda Racing and promoted as team manager in 2016.
Among the riders Zulhelmi has guided to success are Khairul Idham Pawi (SuperKIP), Zaqhwan, and Azlan. “It is truly an honour for Tamada-san to appoint me as the team manager for Honda Team Asia. We have faith in Tamada’s decision as well as the riders, hence we will do our best to bring victory for Malaysia,” he said.
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Kipidap Honda Malaysia! Rempits orso got future.
All the best Zaqhan Zaidi!
Wanna race, do it on the track like pro, don’t do it on Jln Tun Razak like Mat Rempit.
Does the pictures background above looks like Jln Tun Razak, bodo?
Dekat senang mah.
Gudluck MY team! Dun let them bashers take u down. Aspire to be the Azizul of bike race.