Home Heroes: The Moto2 Wildcard Battle

By Izhar Safuan

SEPANG, Malaysia - The Moto2 Malaysian Grand Prix, was a grueling affair. Delayed until the late afternoon heat intensified, the short, fierce race provided the two Malaysian wildcard heroes with their toughest test of the year.

Riding for the Petronas MIE Racing RW team, Muhammad Helmi Azman and Azroy Hakeem Anuar lined up at the back of the grid, prepared to fight a lonely battle. Their mission wasn't to win, but to gain vital experience and finish ahead of each other while minimizing the gap to the established Grand Prix regulars.

For the duration of the intense, restarted race, the two riders pushed their Kalex machines to the absolute limit. They fought the heat, the wear on their tires, and the immense pace of the Moto2 field, which was marked by a dramatic mid-pack battle for the championship lead.

In the end, after crossing the line, the home heroes finished just moments apart:

• Helmi Azman claimed 23rd place.

• Azroy Hakeem Anuar followed right behind, taking 24th position.

Though they finished outside the points, both riders successfully navigated the chaos and brought their bikes home, securing valuable completion experience at the highest level of the sport. Their performance, while not headline-grabbing, was a necessary step in their development, showing determination against a world-class field on their home circuit.