KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian rider Syarifuddin Azman will be racing for the MT Helmets-MSi racing team in the Moto3 category for the 2023 season.
“It is a dream come true for me to be racing in the Moto3 World Championship next season with the MT Helmets-MSi team.
“I have to thank my manager Zulfahmi Khairuddin for getting me this seat in Moto3. He has worked hard for me to progress in my career, and I am very thankful to him,” said Syarifuddin, who is better known as Damok.
The good news comes after the Selangor-born rider was denied a seat for the 2022 season due to a lack of sponsorship.
The 20-year-old said the next step in his career will provide experience and help him grow as a rider.
Syarifuddin currently races in the JuniorGP class and has collected 110 points, placing him fourth in the standings.
The rider from Puchong said his focus now was to do well in this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix, where he will compete as a wild card entry for the VisionTrack Racing team in Moto3.
For the 2023 season, Syarifuddin will be paired up with Brazilian rider Diogo Moreira.
MT Helmets-MSi team principal Teo Martin said the team was excited to have signed the young Malaysian for the upcoming season.
“Syarifuddin is a rider who has great potential.
“Diogo and Syarifuddin will make a good team and together and will form a very powerful structure for the future.”
Syarifuddin’s manager Zulfahmi said the rider’s career next year will not be without its challenges as Parliament’s dissolution has left the Youth and Sports Ministry without a minister, so the question of sponsorships would need to be decided.
Meanwhile in today’s free practice sessions, Damok clocked a time of 2min 13.448sec in the first session, putting him in 10th place, but his pace fell in the second session as his time of 2min 14.941sec was only good for 27th.
In the Moto2 category, Malaysian wild cards Azroy Hakeem Anuar and Kasma Daniel Kasmayuddin from Petronas MIE Racing RW had poor starts as they finished in the last two spots – 30th and 31st – in the first practice session.
Although the second practice session was red flagged due to a sudden downpour, both riders improved their times – with Azroy coming in 26th with a time of 2min 12.020sec and Kasma behind him, clocking 2min 12.071sec. – The Vibes, October 21, 2022
