Muzakkir keeps his weight light for heavy task to defend title

Tough task: Muzakkir Mohamed is expecting more challenges in 2024 compared to last year.

PETALING JAYA: Mohd Muzakkir Mohd is under no illusions about the tough challenge ahead to defend his TVS Asia One Make Championship title this year.

The Malaysian rider emerged champion in his debut season after finishing on the podium six times, including one win on his homeground.

Muzakkir took advantage of teammate Ramdan Rosli’s double DNF (did not finish) at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand last year to clinch the overall title.

Muzakkir has been focusing on his diet apart from track preparations for the new season kicking off in Thailand this weekend.

“Just like last year, body weight is always an important thing in racing especially in this lightweight category, so I focus on my diet this time around.

“I want to be in shape and fit so that I can maximise speed and manage the machine better,” said Muzakkir, who is expecting more challenges in 2024 compared to last year.

“Looking at the rider line-up, we will be racing with some pretty strong riders and I have a feeling that we will see an Indian rider on the podium. They have really good preparation for this season.

“Of course, Hiroki Ono of Japan, Vorapong Malahuan of Thailand and Ramdan will be there to continue injecting the pressure.

“Some of them are in their third year while some of us are in our second year. They are also fast and experienced.

“As a defending champion, of course, I want to win but realistically, taking the top three positions would already be good enough for me. Most importantly, I want to be competitive in each race.”