All set for the penultimate round, the solo Indian racing team from Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) arrives in Malaysia for Round 4 of the Asia Road Racing Championship 2022.
This weekend will see the duo of Indian riders Rajiv Sethu and Senthil Kumar fight against 19 riders from 6 countries (Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam) in a battle to clinch top laurels in the Asia Production 250cc (AP250) class of Asia’s toughest motorcycle racing championship.
Leading the ARRC charge for Honda Racing India is the experienced Rajiv Sethu for whom 2022 is his 4th season in ARRC. Round 3 of the championship held at the Sportsland SUGO International Circuit (Japan) saw ace rider Rajiv Sethu creating history by securing the 5th spot in the championship on Day 1 – best ever finish by an Indian rider in AP250 class. However, on Day 2, he could not recover from the mistake in the initial laps and finished the race in 17th position. Whereas his teammate Senthil Kumar managed to bounce back from a DNF of Day 1 to claiming 1 point for the team by securing 15th position in the category.
Commenting on the upcoming round 4, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj, Operating Officer – Brand & Communication, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India said, “The 2022 ARRC season has been a good season for the team. We are excited to be back in Malaysia for the penultimate round of championship. The Sepang International Circuit is a familiar track for our boys and we are optimistic of good results here. Both Rajiv and Senthil have been gaining a lot of track time and exposure on the home soil and with their exposure, experience and support from the team the riders are all set to battle the challenges of this track once again. We are hopeful and looking forward to make the most out of it this weekend.”
Rajiv Sethu enters the round 4 with 24 points. His teammate Senthil Kumar has also proved his mettle by gaining a total of 7 points in the season so far. Thus, the Honda Racing India team stands at the 10th place in the overall team standings.
Looking forward to round 4 of the championship, Rajiv Sethu said, “It is always a great feeling to come back to race with some of the best riders here at ARRC. I am feeling confident in this round as Sepang Circuit is a familiar track for me. With the recent learnings from the domestic track, I will try to get as many points as possible and be on the top five list.”
Sharing his thoughts, Senthil Kumar said, “The last round truly tested my potential and I am happy that in the end I was able to gain that valuable point for my team. Stepping once again on Sepang for the fourth round, the aim is to be in control of my machine and performances so that I can clock even better finishes for my country and team.”
About 2022 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship:
The 25th edition of FIM Asia Road Racing Championship is Asia’s most competitive motorcycle road racing championship, held since 1996. The 2022 season has now reduced from total of six rounds to five rounds. After the official test and season opener at the Chang International Circuit (Thailand) on 22 March 2022 and second & third rounds at the Sepang International Circuit (Malaysia) and the Sports land Sugo International Circuit (Japan), the battle returns to Sepang International Circuit (Malaysia) for the penultimate round. The season will wrap up again at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand in the month of November this year.
