Malaysia has come a long way in motorcycle racing since the running of modern MotoGP championship in Sepang International Circuit in 1999.
The enthusiasm of the racing fans has been steadily increasing year by year. The first motorsports hero for Malaysia is none other than Shahrol Yuzy Ahmad Zaini, who has competed in 250cc category in World MotoGP Championship from 1996 to 2002. Mr. Yuzy has opened the path for younger generations of riders to compete at the highest level, namely Zulfahmi Khairuddin (Moto3 & SuperSport WSBK), Adam Norrodin (Moto3), Azlan Shah (Moto2), Zaqhwan Zaidi (Moto2), Khairul Idham Pawi (Moto3 & Moto2) and Hafizh Syahrin (Moto2).
After retiring, Shahrol Yuzy has created Yuzy Racing Team to compete at the grassroot level and nurturing even more young talents in the Malaysian Cub Prix & Asia Road Racing Championship.
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
We had the opportunity to talk with the Team in this brief interview, read on and enjoy
| Can you please give us more information about the two series you are racing? The Malaysian Cub Prix is a local level series created with the intention to nurture young talents in motorcycle racing. This year the series has entered into the 24th season. All of the riders mentioned above initially started from this series. The series is a national-level championship for “Underbone” motorcycles with displacements from 100 to 150cc. To date, Cub Prix is still the only touring motorsports event that brings the excitement of motorcycle racing to its fans throughout the Country. Along the years, the Cub Prix championship has visited every major town and city in Malaysia. A typical season for Cub Prix consists of 10 rounds beginning in late March and ending in December with a one-month break in between for the Ramadan fasting celebrations. The Asia Road Racing Championship is the regional motorcycle road racing championship for Asia, held since 1996. This championship is part of the production-based category of racing, similar to the SuperSport World Championship, British SuperSport Championship and AMA SuperSport Championship. Modified versions of street legal motorcycles, available to the public, are featured in the race. The championship is currently divided into three open-make classes and a mono-brand developmental class, Suzuki Asian Challenge. The open-make categories are the SuperSport 600cc, Asia Production 250cc and Underbone 150cc. What is the commercial impact of this kind of racing in everyday Asian markets? Two Underbone bike models that are competing in the series, the Honda RS150R and the Yamaha Y15ZR, are hugely popular and best sellers on the market, especially in South East Asia. Many accessory manufacturers have jumped into creating aftermarket products to equip these two models. Therefore, accessory and motorcycle manufacturers see these racing series as the best platform in getting their brand and products promoted. Back to racing, tell us more about the Yuzy Racing Team and their lineup. Yuzy Racing Team quietly debuted in 2006 and has since gained a lot of fans. Along the way they have achieved numerous achievements:
Yuzy Racing Team (YRT) fields four (4) Malaysians and two (2) Vietnamese riders for both series. Below are their profiles:
As part of the continuous effort by Honda Vietnam to spread racing awareness in a Country with low level of motorsports penetration, Yuzy Racing Team has been entrusted with development of Vietnamese riders. In the Asia Road Racing series, the Team’s riders are getting maximum exposure and a lot of competition from their fellow Asian riders.
Exactly, what is the involvement of GIVI in all this? This year marks the fifth season after GIVI has become the title sponsor for GIVI Honda Yuzy Racing Team. From only branding logos on the bikes, paddock and leathers, GIVI has increased the involvement by supplying the racing helmets to be used by all the racers. Modelled after the full-face carbon fiber HPS X40.5 X-Carbon, the custom painted helmets proved to be very useful and effective at the races, which normally take place in the highly humid Asian weather. Apart from being involved directly on track with the racers, GIVI is also present with a promotional booth in the vendor area at each round. Here, apart from the usual branding initiatives, GIVI and Yuzy Racing Team are able to meet and greet the fans. Mr. Yuzy also wears the GIVI logo during all of CSR initiatives, where he is the featured speaker for safety riding sessions at each round of Cub Prix. Why GIVI? Why did Mr. Yuzy selected our brand to support his racing effort? Being one of the largest motorcycle accessories manufacturers in the World, GIVI’s strong name have made Yuzy Racing one of the most ‘sought after’ and notable teams. As Mr. Yuzy says: “We are very honored that GIVI has chosen to stick with us this long. We are sure that our collaboration has been beneficial for both parties. We hope to continue even more” Finally, what are the plans for the future, what developments are expected for the Team? “It is a dream of any racing Team to be competing at the highest level. We hope to be one day competing with support of GIVI in the Moto3 category in the World Championship and progress from there. Who knows, maybe like a ‘mini LCR’ team”, Mr. Yuzy concludes. |
