SEPANG International Circuit (SIC) recently launched the 2014 Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix with the announcement of a wildcard rider.
Muhammad Hafiza Rofa, 18, from Kuala Terengganu was named as the wildcard entry for the Malaysian round. He is currently competing in his debut Spanish CEV Repsol championship season with the SIC-Ajo Team.
“We are delighted to name Hafiza as the wildcard for this year’s Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcyle Grand Prix. He is a young and exciting talent and will benefit immensely by racing amongst the best in the world,” said SIC CEO, Datuk Razlan Razali.
Four other Malaysians will join Hafiza that weekend. Leading the Malaysian riders will be none other than Zulfahmi Khairuddin and Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah. Both riders finished podium in the 2012 race in Sepang. The two other riders who will feature in the penultimate round are Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman and Amirul Hafiq Azmi, in the Moto2 and Moto3 categories respectively.
Also present at the launch was Datuk Dr Ong Hong Peng, the secretary general of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia. Held at the Sepang Circuit this year from Oct 24 to 26, local racing fans will also be able to catch Malaysia’s future stars in action in the supporting race. Round five and six of the Malaysian Super Series will showcase a line-up of strong contestants on track, while seven Malaysians will be competing in the Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup, racing against leading Southeast Asian and Asian youngsters, including several Japanese riders.
The seven young riders are Shafiq Rasol (18 years), Shafiq Ezzariq (15 years), Fakhrusy Rostam (18 years), Nazrul Bahauddin (14 years), Ibrahim Norrodin (14 years), Adam Norrodin (16 years) and Helmi Azman (15 years).
The Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup will be contested over two rounds – Race 8 and Race 9 on the same weekend.
“These riders are being developed by DORNA and SIC to someday take over from the current batch of competitors. Given the right exposure, these boys will go very far,” Razlan said.
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