Yamaha PH riders eyes to regain UB150 ARRC crown

Riders from UMA Racing MMR Yamaha Philippines look to take back the UB150 Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) crown in 2024, which was previously won by McKinley Kyle Paz back in 2019.

Per Yamaha Motor Philippines (YMPH), the team — currently made up of racers April King Mascardo and Gian Carlo Mauricio — is thirsty for another win, especially after they encountered several upsets in the 2023 season.

Mascardo failed to replicate his performance in 2022, where he finished third overall.

An injury, YMPH noted, caused Mascardo to miss the third heat in the Sportsland SUGO International Circuit in Japan. His absence from the race not only cost the number 43 rider valuable points but also caused him to lose his momentum.

In retrospect, Mascardo’s record this year revealed that his best was a fifth-place finish in Race 1 of the final round. Meanwhile, his lowest finish was at 16th place. In Race 2 of Round 4 and Round 5, the UMA Racing MMR Yamaha Philippines bet suffered a Did Not Finish (DNF).

Looking back, YMPH said that Mascardo typically lands somewhere in fifth or 10th place, but after the injury, he unfortunately had to settle for lower positions.

As for Mauricio, the number motorbike rider 27 struggled against a strong roster of competitors on the circuit.

In addition, Mauricio had to face a string of DNFs at the start of the season.

On that note, Mauricio’s only taste of a top-10 finish was when he landed in the sixth spot in Race 1 of the third round. Further, he showed an impressive run in Race 2, where he recorded the fastest lap. Nevertheless, he was forced to step out of the race due to retirement.

That said, Mauricio had to suffer a series of unfortunate events despite his desire to top his performance in 2022 where he finished 25th overall.

Given the circumstances, the post-race break might prove beneficial for the two Filipino racers. The interval between this year's and the next year’s campaign could give Mascardo and Mauricio a much-needed reset.

“The Yamaha Philippines racing team will now use this break to get themselves back on track and prepare for the 2024 racing season. They will be back with a vengeance in the ARRC and will do everything possible to return to the top,” YMPH wrote in a press statement.

Photos from Yamaha Motor Philippines

Also read:

Yamaha PH motorsport instructors attend off-road riding academy

Yamaha banners motorsport athletes at premier PH Sports Expo

Yamaha Motor PH highlights "Play Your Tough" campaign in latest Monumento LRT installation