Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup, Round 4. Sepang

Starting from Pole position of Race 2, Kazuki Masaki of Japan was pushed to 4th behind country man Ryusei Yamanaka, Ai Ogura and Thai Somkiat Chantra.  Positions were changing furiously at every lap and half way through this 13 lap race, the front runners fighting for the top spot were Ogura, Chantra, Yamanaka, Masaki, and points leader Gerry Salim of Indonesia.

Masaki who earlier in the race made a mistake went further down the ranks and eventually finished the race in 12th spot. Salim who was in 5th unfortunately fell on the last lap at the last turn.

The race is won by Somkiat Chantra who will move up to the first spot in the championship standings.

1. (18) Somkiat Chantra. (Tha)
2.  (12) Ryusei Yamanaka (Jpn)
3.  (23) Andi Izdihar (Ina)
4.  (5) Yuri Kunii (Jpn)
5.  (19) Riku Sugawara (Jpn)
6.  (13) Idham Khairuddin (Mas)
7.  (15) Shogo Kawasaki (Jpn)
8.  (6) Irfan Ardiansyah (Ina)
9.  (8) Tom Edwards (Aus)
10.  (11) Izam Ikmal (Mas)
11.  (21) Woraphod Niamsakhonsakul (Tha)
12.  (2) Kazuki Masaki (Jpn)
13.  (14) Bahattin Sofuoglu (Tur)
14.  (7) Deniz Oncu (Tur)
15.  (22) Ahamed Yanseen (Ind)
16.  (20) Law Kit Chun (Chn)

About the Series:

The Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup is run by Dorna, the organizers of the MotoGP World Championship and the eni FIM Superbike World Championship, as well as co-organizer of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, the competition provides a spotlight for the most talented young riders in Asia and Oceania. The organization provides all-encompassing support to riders with a full, professional infrastructure meeting international racing standards but also managing all the logistics involved in running a pan-Asian series.

Beyond nurturing their talents, the support provided to the riders also includes insurance coverage, flight tickets and travel arrangements for each round, so they can focus on the job at hand: developing their potential as motorcycle racers.

The 2009 250cc World Champion Hiroshi Aoyama, who at the end of 2014 retired from competition and become an HRC test rider also collaborates with Dorna and Alberto Puig since 2015. He helps uncovering and developing the careers of talented young Asian riders. Aoyama combines his role as an HRC test rider with closely supporting his young compatriots Ayumu Sasaki, Kaito Toba, Kazuki Masaki and Ai Ogura in all the series they compete in, such as the Moto3 Junior World Championship, the Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup and the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.

The first sprouts of the Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup are beginning to emerge. In 2016, 6 of the top riders of the 2015 and 2014 season will continue their careers into the Moto3 Junior Cup World Championship & the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. Five of these six riders will be competing in the two competitions during 2016 including the Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup.

Credits : Photos and content Motorbugs

Unfortunately we did not get the support from Dorna and SIC for media access into the circuit for actions shots for you loyal readers. @Dorna @SIC

So much for trying to promote this series!