Hafizh ready to hunt for more MotoGP points after break

PETALING JAYA: Rookie MotoGP rider Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah (pic), fresh from a three-week summer break, can’t wait to hit the track in Brno, the Czech Republic, for the second half of the MotoGP world championship this weekend.

Hafizh hopes to keep his lead in the Rookie of the Year classification. The 24-year-old Monster Yamaha Tech3 rider is currently 16th in the overall standings with 22 points.

2017 Moto2 world champion Franco Morbidelli of Italy is the next best placed rookie just behind Hafizh, on 19 points.

Hafizh was placed 11th in the previous round in Sachsenring, Germany, earlier this month.

“The Brno track is very good for me, so I’ll try my best again. I want to fight for the Rookie of the Year award, therefore my main target is to bring home as many points as possible in order to open a gap to my fellow rookies, especially to Franco Morbidelli,” said Hafizh.

“I am ready to come back after the summer break, physically and mentally I feel well prepared.

“I am just focused on the rookie challenge, first in the Czech Republic and then also for the remaining nine rounds.

“I hope the weather in Brno will be nice and not as tricky as last year,” he added.

Team manager Herve Poncharal is looking forward to the second half of the season.

“Although it was a short summer break, I believe that everybody enjoyed it a lot and it was really useful in order to be ready for August that will be very busy because we will have three races in one month.

“To start the second part of the championship in Brno is always a pleasure because the paddock is huge, the atmosphere is always very friendly and therefore, the Czech Republic is a good place to come back from vacation to exchange experiences.

“Of course, it’s also a very beautiful race track for spectators and riders, but at the same time very technical and demanding,” said the Spaniard.