Hafizh Syahrin all set for first ever MotoGp race

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian rider Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah performed remarkably well during the qualifying for the 2018 World Motorcycle Grand Prix at Losail Circuit in Doha, Qatar on Saturday despite it being his first ever premier class challenge.

The MotoGP rookie who rides for Monster Yamaha Tech3 team, clocked his fastest lap time of one minute and 55.258s to start his first race from the fifth row on the grid.

“I felt really good today. I think I could have done even better, because in turn nine I went a little bit wide. Without this, I’m sure I would have been able to be a tenth of a second faster.

“But anyway, the 15th position to start my first ever MotoGP race is really great for me. Apart from that, I’m also very happy about the great work inside the team. Now, I fully focus on the race and hope that I won’t do any mistake during the 22 laps,” said Hafizh Syahrin as quoted in the team’s official website.

Meanwhile his team-mate, Johann Zarco of France claimed the pole position after posting the fastest lap time of 1:53.680s.

In the Moto2 class, Khairul Idham Pawi of Idemitsu Honda Team Asia settled for 25th place with a time of 2:02.433s during the qualifying, while Malaysia’s Moto2 rookie, Zulfahmi Khairuddin of SIC Racing Team finished last with his best lap time of 2:04.780s.

Malaysia’s Adam Norrodin of Petronas Sprinta Racing set the 17th fastest lap time of 2:07.758s in the Moto3 class and will start the season opener race from the sixth row on the grid.

His team-mate Ayumu Sasaki of Japan will begin from the second row after posting his fastest lap time of 2:07.043s during the qualifying.

The Moto3 and Moto2 race at Losail Circuit will start at 9pm and 10.20pm respectively, while the MotoGP class starts at midnight (Malaysian time).