KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian riders, Mohd Farid Badrul Hisham and Hazlanshah Mohd Noor are all set for their debut in the Suzuka 8-Hour Endurance Road Race with Team Nozuka & Bike ART at the Suzuka Circuit, Japan from July 23 to 26.
The BikeART Kawasaki Racing duo earned the right to compete in the prestigious event based on their strong performance in the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship in the Supersports 600cc category.
Farid will compete in the 8-hour category and ride alongside Taketo Harada who recently bagged victory in the Suzuka Road Race Championship while Naoyuki Yamaguchi filled the third seat.
“I am looking forward to challenge myself at the iconic 8-hour race and I would like to extend my thanks to Kawasaki and BikeART for providing this rare opportunity and believing in me.
This will be an unforgettable chapter in my career and I think we can do a good job,” Farid said in a statement today.
Meanwhile, Hazlanshah will partner with 19-year old Katsuya Matsuzaki to contest in the 4-Hour event.
The 8-hour is traditionally the biggest race on the international calendar for all of Japan’s big motorcycle companies where high-level international and Japanese riders return for the race annually as it is regarded as one of the biggest motorsport events on the calendar.
As the Suzuka 8 hours is part of the FIM World Endurance Racing Championship, its priority on the international calendar, along with the off-weeks in the FIM calendar, makes this race one of the most crucial on the schedule.
Other Malaysians who have competed in this event before include Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman, Mohd Zamri Baba, Zaqhwan Zaidi, Mohd Emir Firdaus Hasan, Sasitharen Sukumaran and Ahmad Afif Amran. --Bernama