The moment Cao Viet Nam (number 65) prepares to cross the finish line and leads the top 4 riders in Race 2 of the AP250 category.
“I am really happy to be able to race against the top riders from last season. Being in the top 4 is close to the podium and I hope in the upcoming races myself and the team will strive for even better results,” Cao Viet Nam excitedly shared after completing the opening race of ARRC 2023.
“With this new project, the technical aspects have been greatly improved and I am satisfied with what the team has done. We will continue to move forward to be able to compete with the top teams in Asia,” the number 65 rider added.
Official results Race 2, Cao Viet Nam finished 4th overall.
Returning to the developments of Race 1 ARRC 2023 at the Chang circuit (Buriram, Thailand). The opening race carried the team’s expectations to compete for the top positions, even a podium finish in the AP250 category with rider Cao Viet Nam, as the results during practice have shown.
“Practice results, Nam has always been in the top 5. Along with the fully upgraded CBR250RR, we set high goals for this race,” said Mr. Do Thai Son, Team Manager of Honda Racing Vietnam.
However, the team’s goals seemed to be “shocked” during qualifying, Cao Viet Nam only started 13th, a challenging position to go above. The result in Race 1 confirmed this as “The Madman” finished 8th, a position that was not too bad but not enough to satisfy the whole team. The atmosphere in the pit became gloomy, with few smiles and avoiding questions from the media.
“Tomorrow will be different, for sure!” Nam said in the changing area of the rider. At that time, even though his face couldn’t fully relax, his determination was clearly shown.
Cao Viet Nam and the whole team achieved the set goals in the opening race.
In Race 2, right after the first turn, Cao Viet Nam climbed into the top 10 positions and Race 2 was considered a “mental battle” of number 65 as he did not push the RPM above 14,000, avoiding the endurance threshold of the CBR250RR, actively giving way to opponents in the first corners and overtaking them in the final corners.
“Cao Viet Nam is already in the top 6, oh no, now it’s the top 5!” we cheered with joy when we stood in the corner, an indescribable feeling. The overall result was even better than expected as the rider was penalized and had his result canceled, so Nam was promoted to 4th place. At that moment, the atmosphere in the pit area of Honda Racing Vietnam was truly jubilant, with laughter filling the air. Both “The Madman” and the whole team seemed to have released the pressure that had built up for so long. More importantly, this achievement showed significant progress in both technical and racing skills, earning respect from other teams.
Meanwhile, “younger brother” Nguyen Duc Thanh (number 193) in his first appearance in the AP250 category struggled against the speed of his opponents and finished in 20th position in Race 1 without completing Race 2.
Nguyen Duc Thanh in his first race in the AP250 category. Rider number 193 will need more time to catch up with his opponents.
In the UB150 category, Nguyen Anh Tuan (number 178) also did not achieve the desired results with 20th position in Race 1 and 21st position in Race 2. The positive point in the UB150 category was the debut of 15-year-old rider Nguyen Huu Tri. Although unable to race in Race 1, completing Race 2 safely was considered a necessary and important experience for Huu Tri.
Nguyen Anh Tuan (number 178) did not achieve the desired results in the UB150 category.
Only 15 years old, but Nguyen Huu Tri has made his debut in ARRC.
Also at the Chang circuit, the young team lineup of Honda Racing Vietnam gained valuable experience and international racing experience at the opening race of Thailand Talent Cup 2023. Not only that, Nguyen Anh Phu (number 19) scored 13 points, while Nguyen Vu Phuong (number 10) also claimed 6 points in their first appearance in the continental arena.
Nguyen Anh Phu (number 19) scored 13 points in the opening race of Thailand Talent Cup 2023.
Nguyen Vu Phuong (number 10) also claimed 6 points in his first continental race.
Thus, the opening race of the ARRC 2023 Asian motorcycle racing season ended well for Honda Racing Vietnam with the team earning 21 points in the AP250 category with rider Cao Viet Nam, completing the set goals.
See you all at Race 2 of the ARRC 2023 at the Sepang circuit in May.
Hoang Tuan (forum.autodaily.vn)
