Singing praises of Malaysian racer Hafizh Syahrin’s performance during the MotoGP Winter Test in Buriram, Thailand, Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team manager Herve Poncharal says he wants Hafizh on the team roster for 2018. Finishing in 22nd position on combined timesheets, Hafizh, also known as “Pescao 55”, was only 1.7 seconds away from the fastest time set by Dani Pedrosa of Repsol Honda Team.
While other rookies in this year’s MotoGP have had three sessions on the bike, Buriram was Hafizh’s first encounter with top-flight machinery, and he is the first Malaysian to compete in MotoGP. “It was a good surprise,” says Poncharal of his most recent debutant.
“You have to keep in mind that Hafizh was absolutely unprepared, that he was heading for his Moto2 project…But Razlan Razali agreed to trust us with his rider for these three days of testing. I also want to thank him. Getting to MotoGP is every rider’s dream,” Poncharal said.
With the next test in Qatar happening on March 1, Poncharal is pushing hard for team partners to come to an agreement about hiring Hafizh. “I want to keep him for the 2018 season, but I have to first convince all my partners. Right now there’s nothing decided, but I won’t hide the fact that I’d be very disappointed if we can’t come to an agreement,” he said.
23-year old Hafizh, who hails from Ampang, stepped into the slot left vacant by the injury-caused departure of Jonas Folger. Hafizh made a surprise departure from SIC Racing Team recently, where he was supposed to compete in Moto2, with his position taken by Zulfahmi Khairuddin.
All the best Hafizh. We know you work hard and that is why you will succeed. One of the few that don’t ask for bantuan.
All the best brother!
Dun ask for bantuan? Then what r those sponsor stickers on his bike & suit?
Those sponsors are there not because of him, it was already there with the team before he rode them. Hafizh previous sponsor, Petronas left him high and dry end of last year (shame on you petronas!) so he has no big sponsors behind him right now. He is there right now mostly because of his talents and potential.
Shockers! U mean even the team gets bantuan from those sponsors?! Then how to compete others?
Already confirmed. He rides in Motogp 2018!!!!
“I’m really happy to announce that Hafizh Syahrin will be the second Monster Yamaha Tech3 rider alongside Johann Zarco,” says team boss Herve Poncharal
Need to differentiate between private company business sponsor and rakyat’s money handout.
Kurang membaca ko nie john…
Ke korang buat cerita dia mintak bantuan tu?
You sir contradict yourself in just two statement. You question the bantuan, and you asked about the sponsor’s stickers.
Did you know the difference(s) between those two words. Just googled that dude, don’t just read the latest news. Dig deep and figure out how he started, where he have been and he have won.
He have won more than a mere 15 words that you used to question his abilities.
So u mean he achieved all that without a single sponsor from start until now? Sure kah?
Don’t ever dilute his performance and succesful with degrading comment as mintak bantuan.
He is one of the talented charm that despite all odds coming from European rider even from his countrymen watering down his caliber, he proved them wrong. Give him an average bike to ride on, he will tail your superior European driven bike to the end and make their fan miserable on grandstand. He just need a better bike and crew to topple them. Now, Europe fans are in mixed emotion about his performance. Those who live on the bike like Mr Poncharal know the talent when he saw one. Some really love to give Syahrin a shot, while some want him to groom a bit more on moto2.
Italian great Rossi, the nine-times world champion who turned 39 last week, was 12th in the combined timesheets after the latest test in Thailand while his Spanish team mate was eighth. Vinales had been seventh and Rossi ninth at the previous three-day test in Malaysia.
“It was a difficult test,” MotoGP.com quoted Rossi as saying after the sessions at Thailand’s new Buriram circuit. “We struggled and we have to improve because we didn’t improve a lot compared to last year – especially with the electronics, so I think we have a lot of work to do.”
Vinales, who finished third overall in 2017, said the factory Yamaha team needed to improve in all areas with rivals Honda and Ducati setting the pace so far in 2018 after also battling for the title last year.
4pm today at SIC official announcement will be made
We can tell that when Jonas comes back for his seat, Zarco had actually left to join Yamaha factory team.
When Rossi retires by end of this season after 9 straight years not winning the championship.
go hafizh go…we are praying for u to get the contract with monster yamaha tech 3 motogp team very soon.
we know u are a very talented rider, with an average motorbike provide to u in moto2 last year, but u still can manage it and 3 times on the podium !!!…..
good luck to u hafizh syharin….u make me proud to be a malaysian…