Supermoto anyone?

MALAYSIA TO HOST A ROUND OF THE FIM ASIA SUPERMOTO CHAMPIONSHIP AND INTRODUCES THE 2012 MALAYSIAN SUPERMOTO SERIES.

Malaysia today joins the FIM Asia Supermoto Championship with a round to be contested in December this year, and officially launched the 2012 Malaysian Supermoto Series which will consist of three races in its inaugural season.

Both the Malaysian round of the FIM Asia Supermoto Championship and 2012 Malaysian Supermoto Series was officially launched by Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme ASIA (FIM Asia) President Stephan “Mackey” P. Carapiet.

Also present at the event were Chairman of the Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM) YM Tunku Datuk Mudzaffar Tunku Mustapha, MAXASIA Co Ltd Chief Executive Officer Noriyuki Kawai as promoter for the FIM Asia Supermoto Championship, the Motorcycle Federation of Japan (MFJ) General Manager Akira Goto, the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of Thailand (FMSCT) President Thongchai Wongsawan, and Bike Nation Motorsports Director Dato’ Eric Loo.

Promoted by Bike Nation Motorsports, the Malaysian round of the FIM Asia Supermoto Championship is scheduled to be held in December at the PLUS Speedway Circuit in USJ Subang, while the first of three planned races in the 2012 Malaysian Supermoto Series is expected to kick off in September also at the PLUS Speedway Circuit.

“With the hosting of the Malaysian round of the FIM Asia Supermoto Championship and the organizing of this new local series, the very best of Malaysian riders will now have the opportunity to compete alongside their compatriots from within the region and this ultimately, will significantly contribute towards enhancing not only the competitiveness of local riders, but also go a long way in raising the profile of the FIM Asia Supermoto Championship as a whole,” said FIM Asia President Stephan “Mackey” P. Carapiet.

This sentiment was shared by AAM Chairman YM Tunku Datuk Mudzaffar Tunku Mustapha who said that events such as the FIM Asia Supermoto Championship and the 2012 Malaysian Supermoto Series, will be another important platform in the long term efforts to produce a greater pool of Malaysian as well as Asian riders capable of not only moving up from domestic to compete in regional events but in creating greater presence in the international arena.

Meanwhile, Bike Nation Motorsports Director Dato’ Eric Loo reiterated that the hosting of such a prestigious event not only underlines Malaysia’s capability and reputation for hosting numerous regional and international events, but it is with the objective of providing a platform for talented Malaysian riders to be able to compete at an international level.

“While we have incredibly competitive Malaysians competing in the various disciplines of motorcycle racing domestically, very few have the opportunity to benchmark their true talent and ability against the region or world’s best.

In hosting a round of the FIM Asia Supermoto Championship, it is our hope that Malaysians will be able to benefit from the valuable racing experience and exposure an event of this magnitude offers…The introduction of the 2012 Malaysian Supermoto Series on the other hand, is to help establish greater presence and recognition for the sport domestically, and more importantly, to create a platform in which talented riders can then be identified, developed and groomed to compete regionally and internationally,” said Dato’ Eric.

Promoted by MAXASIA Co Ltd, the FIM Asia Supermoto Championship opens with round 1 in Indonesia, before moving on to Thailand in November, Malaysia in December and the Philippines in February 2013.

The 2012 Malaysian Supermoto Series meanwhile, is promoted by Bike Nation Motorsports, organised by Comma Motorsports and sanctioned by the Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM), and will feature two races in September and the third and final round in November.

SUPERMOTO IN BRIEF

Supermoto or also known as Supermotard, is motorcycle racing on a closed circuit that alternates between three types of track: flat track, motocross and road racing, using motorcycles designed for that purpose or generally modified off-road, motocross and dirt bikes.

Supermoto was originally conceived as something like an all-star game, in which the best riders from the three separate genres of motorcycle racing could temporarily leave their normal race class to come together and compete for the title of best all around racer.

Today supermoto is a distinct genre of its own. Races are commonly held on road racing or medium sized go-kart tracks with an off-road section in the infield. Most supermoto race tracks have a tarmac size of 50-75% and the remaining percentage of the course is off-road.

The dirt sections are usually constructed of packed clay and feature motocross style obstacles like bermed corners and jumps. The motorcycles used run on road-racing wheels and tyres, while the riders wear a combination of road race and off-road equipment, normally road racing leathers and motocross helmets and boots. Racing speeds are generally less than 160km/h on short and technical tracks where rider skill is more important than just machine performance.

2012 FIM ASIA SUPERMOTO CHAMPIONSHIP
Round 1 22 September Indonesia
Round 2 10 November Thailand
Round 3 9 December Malaysia
Round 4 February (2013)
Philippines (to be confirmed)

2012 MALAYSIAN SUPERMOTO SERIES

Round 1 9 September Speedway PLUS Circuit
Round 2 30 September Speedway PLUS Circuit
Round 3 4 November Speedway PLUS Circui
 Event Categories: • Open 250 – Unlimited until 250cc • Open 450 – Unlimited until 700cc • Open Veteran – Unlimited until 700cc (for rider age 45 and above) • Production unlimited up to 200cc • Production unlimited KLX 150cc