A careful but painful beginning to the Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix weekend saw Mohd Zulfahmi Khairuddin settle for a twentieth fastest combined time throughout the first two training sessions during the Sepang Circuit yesterday.
It wasn’t Moto3 rider Zulfahmi’s wrist, topic of much discussion throughout the previous weeks, but his injured back that has scuppered his overall performance as the 21-year-old Red Bull-KTM-Ajo rider rode through the pain barrier to finish an otherwise uneventful time.
“It had been a shock for me personally, as while performing everyday tasks it’s been fine. It’s in that bent over place, whilst riding the motorcycle and keeping the handlebars, is when it causes me great discomfort.
“While riding and especially whenever I sit up to get off the bike, the pain is intolerable,” stated Zulfahmi.
Team Calvo’s Maverick Vinales outshone all the competition on the beginning day’s training sessions, clocking the quickest time of two minutes 14.961 seconds into the dry early morning session, prior to the damp second practice which saw the field clock slower times all around, Zulfahmi restricting his time on the bike in the 2nd practice too.
“In general, I’ve no issues about the motorbike. It’s simply a matter of fixing my back before Sunday,” he included.
Having attained his greatest weekend in Sepang last year, in which he took his very first ever pole position and eventually finished second in the competition, an expectant group will come out to cheer Zulfahmi on.
His dazzling crash from the Grand Prix of Aragon in Spain, may have put a dampener on what the crowd were predicting to be an incredible weekend.
“Today, I’m self-confident with the motorcycle and every little thing is really up to the therapy and whether my back can get better in time for the race.”
We at Autoiq.co hope this situation changes soon, not only for Zulfahmi, but for the expectant crowds too!