The curtain closer: Mitani lands in Malaysia as Champion with P2 fight still on fire

30 October 2024

The final round of 2024 sees the ATC land at spectacular Sepang to fight for the last 50 points of the season

Despite not finishing on the podium for the first time at a race weekend this season, Zen Mitani clinched the 2024 IDEMITSU Asia Talent Cup crown last time out in Thailand. After an outstanding year, the pressure is off the #2 ahead of the final two races of the season in Malaysia, as the fascinating fight for the runners-up spot continues.

After winning Race 2 in Buriram, Ryota Ogiwara currently occupies P2 in the standings. The Japanese star leapfrogged Riichi Takahira on Sunday morning, with just one point splitting the duo as we arrive in Sepang. Kiandra Ramadhipa returned to winning ways in Thailand, and the Indonesian is also right in the hunt to try and pick up the silver medal. The #7 is 15 points back on Ogiwara, so he’ll need two fantastic results to try and finish as Mitani’s closest rival in 2024.

Kiattisak Singhapong – following his debut podium finish in front of his home fans – and Seiryu Ikegami are also mathematically in the P2 equation, but it would take a huge turnaround for the Thai or Japanese riders to finish inside the top three.

The Malaysian fans will be cheering on Farish Hafiy as the #19 aims to climb back on the Sepang podium, just as he did when we visited the legendary layout earlier in the season. Mitani won both of the races on our previous visit, so the newly crowned Champion will be hunting a repeat result to end his stunning campaign in the best way possible.

Asyraff Zaquan and Farhan Naqib will be two more full-time Malaysian riders that the local fans will be getting behind, as we gear up for the final instalment in what has been another phenomenal season of ATC action.

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