AFTER what has been a nightmare season so far, a downbeat Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah is hesitant to promise anything special to his fans for the Shell Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Sepang on Nov 1-3.
The Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider has collected only seven points after 15 races.
“It’s hard for me to talk about expectations (for the Sepang race). I don’t have the power (bike) to say that I will be able to finish in the top 10 or even top 15,” said Hafizh, who will switch to Moto2 outfit Angel Nieto next season.
“I feel disappointed (with the situation) and it brings me down but with the support of my family, personal sponsors and fans, I will give it everything I have for them.
Hafizh has, until now, kept relatively quiet about the challenges he has been facing in the Tech3 garage this season.
“The (bike) package I received was very different from what Miguel Oliveira (Tech3 teammate) got. I did not get what I was promised.
“I was forced to use the same engine (specification) from the start of the year. There were no changes in terms of engine power or electronics.
“This made it hard for me to challenge my teammate.
“I had trouble with turning the bike and also its power delivery. I tried all sorts of setups and different riding styles but the improvements have been very small.
Hafizh is now determined to finish the job and move on.
“I don’t expect any (technical) changes for the rest of the year. The team have already planned out their future.
“I will have to cope with what I have, try and finish the season safely and then focus on next season.”
Hafizh will next head to Motegi for the Japan GP on Oct 18-20, followed by Phillip Island for the Australian GP (Oct 25-27).
Sepang is the penultimate race while Valencia will host the season-ender on Nov 15-17.