BIG guns Yamaha and Honda could find themselves with some serious competition in a few years with the debut of Benelli in the Petronas Malaysian Cub Prix premier class this season.
Onexox TKKR have confirmed that they will be running machinery from the Italian brand for one of their two teams in the CP150 category this year.
Team principal Bobie Farid Shamsudin disclosed that their senior team will continue with Yamaha bikes while their development squad will ride the Benelli RFS150i bikes.
"After 27 seasons, Cub Prix is still dominated by Honda and Yamaha," said Bobie. "We intend to add more interest and colour into the series with the addition of a new make (Benelli).
"Our junior team will use Benelli bikes this year.
"We have not set any targets for them this year as we have yet to record track data on the bike.
"It will take some time before we can expect big results."
TKKR's CP150 development squad will comprise Syafieq Aiman Fauzi and Faiz Zekri Sabri. Both riders had competed in the intermediate CP125 class last season.
Yamaha teams have been dominant in the CP150 class, which incepted in 2017, triumphing in every season except for last year, won by Hi-Rev SCK Honda Racing's Helmi Azman.
The new Club Prix season scheduled in March, however, could be postponed due to the recent spike in Covid-19 cases.