The Champion fended off Ogiwara, Takahira and Hafiy as we’re treated to another phenomenal battle in the season finale
In the final race of the 2024 season, Zen Mitani proved why he’s the reigning IDEMITSU Asia Talent Cup Champion as the Japanese star won for the seventh time this year. It was a fantastic battle for victory between four riders, with Ryota Ogiwara’s second place handing him P2 overall after Riichi Takahira picked up a P3 to end the year. 0.007s away from the podium was local hero Farish Hafiy, as the Malaysian finished an agonising P4 in front of his home fans.
As he did in Race 1, Ogiwara got a great launch from the middle of the front row and comfortably grabbed the holeshot. Hafiy and Takahira pinched P2 and P3 to demote Mitani down to an early P4 from pole position, but the Champion made quick progress.
From the off, the top four started to move clear of the chasers. The aforementioned quartet built a healthy gap over Race 1 podium finisher Seiryu Ikegami and co. The race lead changed consistently, with all four riders taking turns leading at numerous stages.
As predicted – and hoped – it all came down to the last lap. And just like in Race 1 and so often in 2024, the last corner. Mitani led into it and went defensive, as Takahira lunged for the lead. The #9 was wide though, allowing Mitani to get the cutback and come out of Turn 15 as the leader. Ogiwara followed the #2 through to demote Takahira to P3 as the latter and Hafiy jostled to the line. Mitani won the fight by 0.193s over Ogiwara, as Takahira pipped the devastated Hafiy to the post to deny the Malaysian a dream rostrum.
Ikegami was a couple of seconds shy of the podium fight at the chequered flag in P5, as the impressive rookie ends the season fifth in the Cup standings. Kiattisak Singhapong crossed the line in P6, with Alfonsi Daquigan and Levi Russo taking P7 and P8 in a tight tussle between the pair. Malaysia’s Asyraff Zaquan and Japan’s Rintaro Takemoto rounded out the final top 10 of the season.
So that’s that for 2024! What a season it’s been in the 10th anniversary year of the IDEMITSU Asia Talent Cup. Mitani, Ogiwara and Takahira are the gold, silver and bronze medallists, as we look forward to getting 2025 underway already.
