Doha: The SuperSports 600cc class will race under new tyre rulings in the sixth and final round of the 2012 Petronas Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) to be held at the Losail International Circuit from today to November 24.
The one-make tyre ruling which allows each rider a maximum of six sets of the Dunlop Sportmax GP Unbeaten tyres per weekend will still be in force.
However, riders and teams will now have the option of choosing between two different soft and hard compounds for their front tyres. This is a departure from the normal practice in the Asian series to date in which a standardized set compound determined by the circuit layout and temperature is permitted, says a report on Asia Road Racing website.
This new ruling will have an immediate impact on team strategy and rider performance. The Free Practice session today now becomes of vital importance as teams and riders work harder to find a setting and tyre combination that is most suitable to the capabilities of their machines and their riding style.
The ARRC championship - which began in 1996 - has evolved over the years and is now contested in three categories: SuperSports 600cc, Underbone 115cc and Asia Dream Cup.
The previous five rounds have been held in Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Japan and Taiwan.
Losail Circuit - the venue of the only MotoGP race held under lights every year - will host the ARRC leg for the third time, the Qatar Motor and Motorcycling Federation (QMMF) said.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s Nasser Al Malki has got a wild card in the Supersport 600 category.
Al Malki arrived from Spain earlier this week after completing his participation in the 2012 Spanish Championship in Valencia. Al Malki was also a wild card entry during last year’s leg of ARRC.
QMMF President said the series for young riders helps them learn many things at this stage of their careers.
“The championship provides a stepping stone for young riders to get experience and acquire skills on way to becoming MotoGP riders,” Al Attiyah said.
Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha are the four manufacturers in the field in the six-leg championship. THE PENINSULA
