Zaqhwan all out for ARRC 2020 ASB1000 title

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 20  -- The announcement by Honda Asia-Dream Racing with SHOWA (HADR) that it is aiming for the Asia Superbike 1000cc class (ASB1000) championship title at the 2020 Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) has not left Malaysian motorcycle racer Md Zaqhwan Zaidi in jitters.

On the contrary the 24-year-old rider is motivated to take this as his personal target to ensure that the team achieves its dream. 

"I take it as a personal challenge though it will be under a new category. I will try to win the title next season and with a new motorbike it will even be more competitive.

"I am confident I will be able to face the challenge as well as give the other riders a run for their money,” he said when met by Bernama recently.

Md Zaqhwan, a two-time Supersport 600 class’ champion, will be riding the Honda CBR1000RR-R, a racing engine of the CBR series recently introduced at the 2019 Milan Motorcycle Show (EICMA).

Former ARRC AP250 class champion from Astra Honda Racing Team, Gerry Salim (Indonesia) will be joining Md Zaqhwan in realising HADR’s dream.

Apart from setting the target for (ARRC) ASB1000 class, the HADR team also wants to deliver top performance in the Japan Superbike 1000cc class (JSB1000) and the Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance World Championship (EWC).

This season, Md Zaqhwan finished third at the ARRC in the ASB1000 category, 12th in JSB1000 and managed 11th placing in the Suzuka 8 Hours.

"My performance had been quite remarkable this year. Though I had put up a good fight until the final lap, luck was not on my side as my motorcycle broke down and in one of the laps, I fell.

"That had cost me dearly and if not for these blunders I could have won the title this year," he said.

-- BERNAMA