Hafizh sets new target innew season of MotoGP

PETALING JAYA: After a good start in his rookie year, Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah (pic) now wants to move up the standings in the MotoGP.

The 24-year-old is looking forward to a great start when he takes his bike out for the first race of the new season at the Qatar Grand Prix at the Losail International Circuit this weekend.

Hafizh, astride a Yamaha YZR-M1 last season, finished 16th in the standings last season to become the second best rookie behind Italy’s Franco Morbidelli.

Hafizh struggled with the KTM bike during pre-season where he finished behind the top 20 riders in four official tests in Valencia, Jerez, Sepang and Qatar.

Despite his troubles, Hafizh is keeping his fingers crossed.

“I’m looking forward to the first race very much. We had some tough pre-season tests where we tried to adapt to the bike,” said Hafizh.

“After the initial difficulties, I felt better and better with the bike although we were still quite slow. But we believe we can be at the top one day with this amazing group.

“We kept on working hard, to try and understand everything and to keep our minds fresh and ready for race day. Let’s see what we can do, I hope to move further up in the standings than last season.”

Team manager Herve Poncheral believes that the target for Hafizh and his Portuguese teammate Miguel Oliveira is to reduce the gap between them and the frontrunners.

“We are very eager and impatient to see what is going to happen in the first race. Currently, we are not in a position where we can challenge at the top but the mission this season is to reduce the gap to the fastest riders,” said Poncheral.