SIC Racing Team Compete In 2015 MotoGP World Championship For The First Time

photo: Sepang Circuit facebook

SEPANG, Oct 23 (Bernama) -- Sepang International Circuit (SIC) for the first time will be competing in the MotoGP world championship next year with a team named as SIC Racing Team, said SIC's Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Razlan Razali.

Razlan said SIC decided to sign up Zulfahmi Khairuddin to become the first rider for the team in the Moto3 category. Zulfahmi, 23, most recently from the Ongetta-Air Asia team, will be competing on a 2015 KTM Moto3 250 GPR motorcycle. The bike is fitted with the KTM 250cc engine.

"This registration by SIC brings our commitment to growing the two-wheel racing ecosystem in Malaysia to the next level, a step up from our initiatives in the last five years, since 2010.

"This move marks the next phase for our investment into developing motorsports in the nation. We can now test extensively at the circuit in November this year and February, March next year ahead of the 2015 season's opening race in Qatar," he told to reporters here Thursday.

Razlan said the testing phase was the ideal time to build a strong supporting team of skilled talents including race engineers, mechanics and crew which would SIC added advantages of an experienced team that worked seamlessly as a single entity for better performances during the season.

"The entries also pave the way for our own brand rider development, team management, long term talent development, sponsorship and brand assets management. "Currently, we are starting by creating value opportunities for other Malaysian companies to associate with our team," he said.

Razlan said Zulfahmi is still relevant to Malaysian motorsports and MotoGP, particularly having held on to his record as the fastest Southeast Asian Rider in the Moto3 category.

"We believe in the importance of starting a new competitive season in our first year with a target of breaking into the top 10 (next year), if not the top five," he said. However, Razlan urged Zulfahmi to strive for greater success with the new team, next season.
-bernama.