Tyres let down Hafiz

PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha CKJ rider Hafiz Nor Azman hopes his switch to Yamaha machinery this year will give him a fighting chance among the front-runners in the CP150 class.

Hafiz, who struggled for form in his CP150 debut season last year, said he has set himself a top-three overall target this season and believes it is achievable based on the decent pace he has shown so far.

The 22-year-old was close to the podium at the MAEPS circuit yesterday but was forced to settle for fourth due to tyre degradation late in the race.

He finished third at the seasonopening round in Johor in April.

“I am a bit disappointed today but I could feel the tyres losing grip and felt it was better to secure the points rather than risk it,” said the Ipoh-born.

“I was riding a Honda last season and it (bike model) was still new so there was quite a steep learning curve for me and my team at the time.

“There was not much data on the bike yet, so we had to do a lot of development in a number of aspects which made it tough for me.

“It has been easier for me this season as the Yamaha has been around a bit longer and we already know what to do come race weekend. It is just a matter of finding the best setup for the track.

“It is still early in the season to really say but my goal is to finish in the top three this year. I have a chance as we have shown some good pace so far.”

Hafiz, who had competed with SCK Rapido Hi-Rev Honda Racing last year, added that he has settled in well with Petronas Sprinta Yamaha CKJ who have done their best to welcome him.

He hopes to one day make the step up to racing at the European or world championship level either in the Spain-based CEV series or Moto3.