Cloud cover provided cooler conditions and faster lap times on Saturday afternoon at Chang International Circuit – and delivered a very different race to the previous day. This time, the two fastest qualifiers, Sakchai Khonduangdee and wildcard Teeranai Tubtim, set a pace that, by the end, almost put them in a different post code to the rest of the 20-rider field.
Sakchai got a perfect launch from pole to lead from Thai compatriot Teeranai. The pair immediately began to put daylight between themselves and the chasing group, which consisted of Ryan Larkin, Race 1 winner Haydn Fordyce, Tanakit Pratumtong, Theppitak Kryafai and Kakeru Okunuki. That five-way battle for third soon broke away from another group comprising Moses Reyes, Ing Asavanund, Chayakorn Saeong and Natthakorn Kammayee.
Sakchai and Teeranai worked together to extend their advantage at the front, with Teeranai having an occasional look up the inside under braking, but otherwise appearing happy to follow. There was rather less collaboration in the group battling for third, which helped the leaders to extend their advantage by an average of more than one second a lap. Further back, there was a decent battle for eighth between Moses and Chayakorn. On lap 11, Teeranai lit the blue touch paper and moved ahead of Sakchai into turn 5. Sakchai regained the lead under braking for turn 12 and kept Teeranai at bay on the last lap. Inevitably, the score was settled at that last corner. Teeranai took the inside line, held it well, and got to the flag 0.365s in front of his rival. It was a 15 second wait before the skirmish over the final spot on the podium was decided. As all five fanned out for the final corner, Larkin looked as though he might make it, but didn’t get the drive he needed and Fordyce made it to the line two hundredths in front of Tanakit. Another tenth of a second covered Kakeru, Theppitak and Larkin, who finished seventh. A further seven seconds back, Chayakorn edged eighth from Moses, and Natthakorn completed the top ten.
Despite recovering from injury, Kakeru Okunuki had a good weekend to keep himself at the top of the standings with 78 points. Haydn Fordyce’s first and third places raise him to second, with 64.5 points, just one ahead of Theppitak. In fact, 23 points separate the top seven, with three rounds and therefore six races remaining.
The Yamaha R3 bLU cRU Asia Pacific Championship moves on to Sportland Sugo in Japan for Round 4 over the weekend of 2-4 August.
Comments