Malaysia's own young and talented Moto3 rider, Muhammad Zulfahmi Khairuddin, isn't short of confidence this year for the upcoming season as he displayed his 2-wheel skills at Jerez and Valencia last month by recording 10 impressive and personal best laps there.
<!--more-->The AirAsia-SIC-Ajo rider displayed his maturity and composure during the two tests as he*consistently*posted five top 10 positions in six sessions, only missing out on day two in Jerez due to a crash.
Fahmi, 20, bonced back on the final day to record a best lap time of 1min 48.4s, following an impressive performance on day one which saw him clock a time of 1min 49.5s during the three day tests on the 16th and 18th February 2012.
The first three sessions in Valencia from the 8th to 10th march also saw him placed in the top 1, setting a best lap time of 1min 41.4s, 1min 43s and ending the day with 1min 42s.
Many still predict he is faced with a massive uphill*struggle*before him as he switches his 2-stoke bike for a 4-stroke bike this season, but his laps times seem to indicate the contrary.
"There are people who doubted my abilities to ride the four-stroke machine, but these tests have given me the opportunity to prove to everyone that i can handle the new challenges for the upcoming season. Although my lap times have been impressive so far, that does't mean that i can take my foot off the pedal. There's still a long way to go before the season begins and I have to keep working hard to maintain my performance," said Fahmi.
Based on the encouraging tests on his new bike, Fahmi is aiming for an ambitious top 10 position by the end of the season while he*familiarizes*himself with his new machine, courtesy of Austrian manufacturers, KTM.
"It is a dream come true for me to finally get my hands on a full factory bike. It is an honour for me to be one of five riders to be given the opportunity to be in the*saddle*of a KTM. I was able to improve my time continuously after each lap and after each day. I believe that we will have a good season and my target is to be regularly in the top 10," said Fahmi.
Team principle, Aki Ajo took pride in Fahmi's outstanding improvement since the young lad first came under his wing in 2011.
"Fahmi has shown great improvement since he first came to us last year. You can see it in his latest test results where he was consistently placed in the top 10 for all the sessions. I am proud of our involvement in Fahmi's career and delighted to have played a part in providing a full factory KTM bike for him this season. our expectations on him have risen day by day and we hope he will continue to make Ajo Motorsports proud this season," added Ajo.
Ending last season in 18th place with 30 points under his belt in the now defunct 125cc category has made Fahmi more confident in making his step up tot the 4-stroke engine from the 2-stroke category he has been handling for the past 2 years.
Born in Banting, he managed to finish in 7th place during the Malaysian MotoGP race last year, his best result for 2011 and also ending his points drought.
"Even though i failed to finish in the top 15, I am still satisfied with my overall results in 18th position. This year, i will be facing a different set of challenges. The 4-stroke engine has a different character compared to the 2-stroke engine. Riding the 250cc bike is a gradual learning curve for me, but before, the 2-stroke engine is harder to ride because the its just harder to setup compared to the 4-stroke. There's not much setup on the 4-stroke machine because everything is done at the factory," added Fahmi.
Sepang International Circuit Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Razlan Razali was obviously delighted with Fahmi's encouraging test results, the real test for Fahmi is when the season starts in April.
"No doubt *that Fahmi has performed*admirably during the tests, but it's still a long way to go and I hope that Fahmi will keep focusing and pushing himself towards the goals we have set for him this season. We want to express our gratitude to co-sponsor AirAsia for being with us from day one and providing SIC with the assistance in realizing**this dream. Both SIC and AirAsia believe that Fahmi has what it takes to be a potential title contender. This year, we have provided Fahmi with one of the best machines on the grid in Moto3. Thus, in 2012, only skills and experience separates Fahmi from the rest of the field. For a young Malaysian talent to succeed in the international sports arena, we must strive to provide him with the best equipment and team to compete at the highest possible level. We believe this is the year for Fahmi to really show what he is made of. It is now up to him to deliver the goods and make himself, his family and all Malaysians Proud," said Razlan.
AirAsia Group Chief Executive officer, Tan Sri Tony Fernades said, "Fahmi has*definitely*developed and improved tremendously since we started with him in 2009. From a shy teen, Fahmi is now a more confident and matured young man who is focused on delivering great results in MotoGP. Although the Qatar race will only be held in April; his test outcomes are definitely a clear indicator that he is able to compete with the best in his class."
Distributor for the Dainese brand here in Malaysia, JR Racing, has graciously provided Fahmi with the the*necessary*safety equipment of riding leathers, boots and gloves.
Dainese has been synonymous with the likes of top MotoGP riders such as Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden.
*
Also not forgetting other sponsors who have gladly come on board to provide Fahmi with the use of a Shoei helmet as well as the best*eye-wear protection from the sun; Oakley!
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PICTURES
Attachments
Last edited:
