Qabil Irfan ends Malaysia’s podium drought in Thailand

Qabil Irfan kicked off his 2026 campaign on a positive note by ending the Malaysia podium drought in the opening round of the Moto4 Asia Talent Cup in Thailand.

After a rather disappointing performance in Race 1 at the Chang International Circuit yesterday, Qabil returned with a different approach in Race 2 today, showing aggressive riding to secure an impressive second-place finish.

The most dramatic moment came midway through the race when the Terengganu-born rider was put under intense pressure by the leading group, forcing him off track and nearly causing him to lose control of his machine.

However, drawing on his previous experience and remarkable composure, Qabil managed to regain control, rejoined the track strongly and accelerated away from his rivals to secure a well-deserved podium finish.

This sweet success ends Malaysia’s long wait to see the Jalur Gemilang flying on the podium in this championship, last achieved by Farish Hafiy Farid Sezli in the 2024 season.

Starting the race determined to redeem himself after finishing sixth yesterday, Qabil crossed the line with a time of 26 minutes 56.174 seconds, just 2.2 seconds behind race winner Hayato Chishiki of Japan.

He also managed to hold off another Japanese rider, Kotaro Togashi, who settled for third place in a very close finish.

Meanwhile, Hayato Chishiki continued his dominance in Moto4 by securing victories in both races this weekend.

Qabil’s team-mate, Muhammad Naqib Rifqi Zulhelmi, also showed positive progress in Race 2. After a challenging start yesterday, Naqib bounced back to finish 12th and collected four valuable championship points.

However, it was a tougher outing for another Malaysian rider, Qayyim Razin Razali, who is still finding his rhythm and finished 16th, the same position as in yesterday’s race.

Following the encouraging results in Thailand, Qabil Irfan now positions himself as a serious title contender, climbing to third overall in the championship standings with 30 points.

Japanese rider Hayato Chishiki leads the standings with 50 points, while Waku Kunitate sits second on 33 points, just three points ahead of Qabil in third place.

The success in Thailand is not only a personal milestone for Qabil but also a source of inspiration for other Malaysian riders to continue challenging at the front ahead of Round 2 in Qatar on 12 April.

Qabil Irfan:

During Saturday’s qualifying session, I pushed to set my best lap time and managed to secure second on the grid (P2), even though we had a slight issue with the bike at that time.

“In Race 1, as it was my first experience competing at this level in the Moto4 Asia series, I took the approach of observing how the other riders performed. I tried to challenge them, but I could only finish in sixth place.

“For Race 2 today (Sunday), I decided to fight from the xtart. My mission was to stay with the front group from the opening lap until the chequered flag. I learned a lot from yesterday’s race and I’m very happy to finally achieve second place today.”

Qayyim Razin:

“For Race 1 yesterday, I made a small mistake at the starting grid which made it difficult for me to stay with the front group. Although I managed to catch up, I made another mistake. I realise I need to improve my performance and be more focused during training.

“For Race 2 today, my start was much better and I was able to stay with the leading group. Unfortunately, at Turn 5, another rider hit me, which forced me off the track and I nearly crashed. I tried to fight my way back, but luck was not on my side this time. I will put this disappointment behind me, continue working hard in training, and come back stronger in Qatar.”

Naqib Rifqi:

“For Race 1 yesterday, a mistake at the start meant I dropped further down the order. In the first three laps, I was already three seconds behind the leading group. I tried to fight back and managed to catch them, but I nearly crashed at Turn 5. In the remaining laps, I battled closely with other riders and eventually finished in 16th position.

“In Race 2, I was quite satisfied as I managed to stay with the front group. However, unfortunately in the final two laps, a rider crashed in front of me. The situation caused me to lose ground and created a gap between myself and the leading group.”

Zulfahmi Khairuddin, Team Manager:

“To be honest, in the Asia Talent Cup, I was quite surprised by the performance of some of the other competitors because we know Qabil’s potential. After Race 1 yesterday, it was a bit of a wake-up call for us and a reminder that we need to work even harder once we leave Thailand. Of course, we can be pleased with second place and the podium from Qabil in Race 2, but I believe we should be aiming higher than this. Our targets for this season are very ambitious.

“I would like to congratulate Qabil on his result and his hard work throughout the week. I’m also confident that for Qoyyim and Naqib, there is still plenty for us to learn — not only in terms of technical aspects, but also in riding technique on the NSF machine.

“I believe both riders have strong potential. Before Qatar, we will work harder to address our weaknesses so that we arrive there in a more competitive position.”