The final leg of the ARRC 2019 season holds great significance for Vietnam’s sole representative. First and foremost, this race marks the first season that Honda Racing Vietnam operates independently. Second, the race takes place at the Chang International Circuit, which is where Honda Vietnam made its first foray into international racing. Lastly, this is the final leg of the ARRC 2019 season, and the last chance for the riders and the entire Honda Racing Vietnam team to improve their results.
Despite being a newcomer to the league, Tuan’s performances in the country and during training sessions have instilled hope for a positive outcome.
Honda enters the final leg with the greatest spiritual support from the outstanding “Madman” Cao Viet Nam. In the 6th leg at Sepang, he earned 12 points, bringing his total to 44 and placing him 14th out of 40 in the AP250 category. This achievement also helped Honda Racing Vietnam secure the 7th out of 20 spots in this category.
In this final leg, the UB150 category pair “Song Thanh” Nguyen Vu Thanh and Nguyen Duc Thanh will no longer race side by side. To substitute for VDV Nguyen Vu Thanh, VDV Nguyen Anh Tuan, who is known as the champion of the VMRC 2018 season and currently leading in the VMRC 2019 rankings after 4 rounds in the Winner 150 category, will take part in this leg. With his calm and wise playing style, combined with the advantage of playing in the Winner 150 category, he is expected to adapt easily to the UB150 category.
VDV Nguyen Duc Thanh will continue his efforts in the final leg of the ARRC 2019 season
In the most recent race in Malaysia, the UB150 category went through a stroke of bad luck with constant technical issues, which prevented any rider from completing the race. Therefore, this final leg has left many fans worried. It would be a great pity if the team had to leave Buriram in the same way they left Sepang in the UB150 category.
Nguyen Vu Thanh is currently the only rider to have earned points for the team in the UB150 category. However, he is facing psychological and performance issues. Meanwhile, Honda Racing Vietnam needs more positive developments in the final leg, and a change in strategy makes sense. Therefore, the decision for Nguyen Vu Thanh to take a break in the final leg is a tactically sound move.
In the upcoming 7th leg, both riders Nguyen Duc Thanh and Nguyen Anh Tuan will have to make a great effort to bring out the best in Honda Racing Vietnam in the UB150 category.
VDV Cao Viet Nam continues to be the only rider of the team in the AP250 category with the expectation of continuing to earn points for the team
In the AP250 category, the “Madman” will continue his efforts to earn points for the team. In the past 6 rounds, Cao Viet Nam has consistently demonstrated a fiery competitive spirit and remarkable technical advances. If he had not been forced to stop competing in the 4th round in Japan, he could have possibly secured a position in the top 10. Currently, he is 8 and 17 points behind the riders in front of him respectively, and he is 39 points away from the top 10. Therefore, the goal of securing the 12th position in the ARRC 2019 season seems reasonable for this rider.
In addition, during this final leg, Cao Viet Nam will participate in the Thailand Talent Cup (TTC). He has already stood on the podium three times in this competition. The entire team hopes that the Vietnamese colors will once again fly high on the podium in this final leg. However, the intense schedule has raised concerns for Cao Viet Nam and the entire team. Without accurate calculations and reasonable distribution of energy, the risk of exhaustion is very real.
VDV Cao Viet Nam, along with staff and Mr. Koji Ito – Deputy General Director of HVN Company (left), before the race
To prepare for this final leg, Honda Racing Vietnam organized training sessions for the riders at Sentul, Indonesia. They also had intensive training days at the Dai Nam racetrack. The physical condition of the riders is in top form, and they are ready for intense competition.
The Chang International Circuit is familiar territory for Honda Racing Vietnam’s riders and speed enthusiasts worldwide. With a length of 4,554 kilometers and 12 intense turns, this racetrack is considered the “home field” of Honda Racing Vietnam, as it is the track that the team has the most connection with. This track is designed with long straight sections and challenging bends, with Turn 12 being known as the fateful turn of the race, where Rider No. 8 once crossed the finish line first. For the “Madman”, this is one of his favorite and most suitable tracks for his playing style. After participating in the full 2019 TTC season and 3 ARRC 2019 rounds, Cao Viet Nam has probably memorized every detail on the fences of Chang International Circuit.
The first season of Honda Racing Vietnam since its independence is coming to an end. The first chapter of its history is about to close. Will the entire team and the riders leave a remarkable impression in this final chapter and discover their victorious selves?
This remains an unanswered question for the “Madman” and the entire Honda Racing Vietnam team. However, one thing is for sure: Vietnam’s sole representative is ready to give it their all in the upcoming race.
Let’s tune in and cheer for the Vietnamese riders on November 29 and December 1.
The races will be livestreamed on the Facebook fanpage of Honda Racing Vietnam https://www.facebook.com/Vietnam-Motor-Racing-813850712144385/ and Honda Vietnam https://www.facebook.com/HondaVietnam/
Trang Nguyen (Forum.autodaily.vn)
