Japanese riders dominate Asia Talent Cup Test

2024 Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup Qatar Test

The two-day test for the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup concluded overnight at Lusail, and it’s a familiar name on top as Ryota Ogiwara laid down a benchmark in the first track action of the season. The Japanese 15-year-old almost a second ahead of the rest of the field.

Compatriot Zen Mitani was next up as two experienced riders locked out the top, but third went to rookie Seiryu Ikegami as the Japanese newcomer impressed from the off.

Riichi Takahira makes it a Japanese 1-2-3-4, before another rookie, Kiattisak Singhapong, put Thailand in the top five and hits the ground running in the ATC.

Malaysia’s Farish Hafiy takes P6, with another newcomer make their presence felt immediately in seventh: Kiandra Ramadhipa from Indonesia.

Sarthak Chavan from India, Australian rider Levi Russo and Kitsada Tanachot from Thailand, the latter racing in the first round, complete a top ten peppered with new names amongst the familiar faces.

It’s not all about the time-sheets in testing, however, with the newcomers getting their very first taste of the ATC and the returning riders taking some time to get back in the groove.

Now, there are just a couple of weeks until competition begins alongside MotoGP at the season-opening Qatar GP, March 8-10.

Asia Talent Cup 2024
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