KUALA LUMPUR: The new season of the Petronas AAM Malaysia Cub Prix Championships which starts in Tangkak, Johor on Saturday is set to feature an interesting contrast of both young and experienced riders.
Seasoned riders such as Ahmad Fazli Sham will continue to feature this season where he will look to make an impact with his new team, OneXOX TKKR in the CP150 class.
The 36-year-old, who made a name for himself with Petronas Sprinta Yamaha Maju Motor over the past decade, will be banking heavily on his vast experience.
"I admit, my (physical) ability may not be same as in the past but I believe I can still be competitive among the front group with the experience I have," said Fazli.
"My focus now is also different as I am also looking to help the team in terms of bike setup and also to guide the younger riders.
"I have been able to ride with all the various generations of riders which have competed in Cub Prix since it was introduced 25 years ago and now I must pass on my knowledge to the younger generation."
Fazli, Expert category champion in 2007 and 2008, is considered to be among the championships’ second generation of stars alongside Zamri Baba, Ahmad Fuad Baharudin and Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman, among others.
On the other end of the age spectrum, the promising Md Akid Aziz hopes to give the more experienced riders a run for their money on his debut season in the CP150 class.
The 19-year-old, however, is no stranger to the category as he won the 150cc category at the Asia Road Racing Championships last season.
Akid, who won the CP115 class in 2016 and 2017, will compete alongside Kasma Daniel and Ramdan Rosli for Maju Motor.
"It is a challenging situation but also a very exciting one. In addition to competing with the others, I will also be racing against my teammates," said Akid.
"Although, I am a rookie I do not feel pressured as I am used to racing 150cc at the Asia level. The difference is that the circuits used in Cub Prix are shorter and narrower so it will be more challenging.”
The Cub Prix Championships will feature 10 rounds this season in Johor, Pahang, Selangor, Melaka, Terengganu, Kelantan, Perak, Penang, Negri Sembilan with the season ender in Bandar Penawar on Dec 15-16.