Only two rounds into the 2016 season of the PETRONAS AAM Malaysian Cub Prix Championship and the CP130cc senior riders are already tired of the ongoing spat between rookies Kasma Daniel Kasmayuddin and Hafiz Nor Azman. The rivalry began in Round 1 when pole-sitter Kasma (PETRONAS Yamaha Maju Motor Racing) dove into Hafiz’s path at the start of the CP130 Final, causing the Harian Metro SCK Honda Racing rider to crash at the starting line. Kasma went on to win the season opener but bitter blood quickly developed between the two CP130 rookies.
Hafiz then retaliated with the same move in Round 2 at Batu Kawan when he lunged into Kasma while starting from pole. Concerned that this unsportsmanlike behaviour will continue for the remaining season, the senior team mates of both riders have spoken up. “This eye-for-an-eye type of racing needs to be stopped. Immediately! It endangers themselves as well as the other riders. In Batu Kawan, I was almost an unwitting victim to their race start shenanigans. Both Kasma and Hafiz are really talented and there is absolutely no reason for them to resort to such unsporting starts. As senior riders, we can understand that young blood can often be irrational. After all, we were young once too. But now both Kasma and Hafiz must learn to race in a disciplined fashion. Only then will they gain the respect of the grid. I hope that we won’t see this type of aggressive start in Kangar and the other coming races,” said Ahmad Fazli Sham of PETRONAS Yamaha Maju Motor.
Meanwhile, Harian Metro SCK Honda Racing’s Norizman Ismail is calling for sterner actions to nip this potential problem in the bud. “We hope that the AAM stewards will step in to diffuse the situation. If necessary, both riders should be fined for endangering others on the grid.” Round 3 of the 2016 PETRONAS AAM Malaysian Cub Prix Championship will take place in Kangar, Perlis on April 30 and May 1, 2016. Spectator entry is free.
Malaysian Riders 