The Cup frontrunner led compatriot Ikegami across the finish line as Hafiy was elevated to P3 due to a post-race penalty for Ramadhipa. For the fourth time in five races, Zen Mitani clinched victory in 2024 during an exciting Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup event at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit. Mitani finished 0.4 seconds ahead of rookie Seiryu Ikegami, while Farish Hafiy rounded out the podium after Ramadhipa received a six-second penalty for irresponsible riding following an incident involving Kiandra Ramadhipa and Ryota Ogiwara as they exited the final corner.
Ogiwara made an News Now :Mitani secures fourth win of 2024 in a thrilling Race 1 showdownexcellent start from pole position, pushing Mitani back to P4 after a slow start from the middle of the front row. A lead group of five quickly formed at the front, consisting of Ogiwara, Mitani, Hafiy, Ikegami, and Ramadhipa, with the lead changing frequently in an intense battle.
In the latter half of the race, Kiattisak Singhapong began closing the gap on the leaders rapidly. From three seconds behind, the Thai rider joined the six-rider contest for the win in the closing stages, leading to a dramatic finish.
Mitani positioned himself well on the final lap to maintain the lead into Turn 16, while Ikegami couldn’t get close enough to attempt a pass. The two Japanese riders secured P1 and P2 as chaos erupted in the fight for P3. Turn 17 saw four riders vying for position, resulting in a compromised exit for Ramadhipa. Ogiwara took a wide line, allowing him to gain a strong exit from the last corner, but Ramadhipa cut across Ogiwara’s path, causing Ogiwara to crash just before the finish line. Fortunately, he quickly got back on his feet. This incident led to Ramadhipa receiving a six-second penalty, promoting Hafiy to third.
Ogiwara finished fourth, earning 13 points despite the late crash, while Singhapong secured fifth. Ramadhipa dropped from P3 to P6 due to the penalty, just ahead of the recovering Riichi Takahira, who impressively moved from P18 on the grid—after a penalty—to finish P7. Rintaro Takemoto, Alfonsi Daquigan, and Levi Russo rounded out the top ten in Race 1.
Race 2 is set to start at 09:45 local time (UTC +8) on Sunday in Indonesia, and viewers can catch the action on YouTube.
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