Every local motorcycle race fan will fondly remember a Malaysian wild card rider, Hafizh Syahrin, who stormed into the lead and took everyone by surprise, in soaking wet conditions no less. In the end, Hafizh, fondly known as “Pescao” (little fish in Spanish for his brilliant riding skills in the wet), narrowly missed the podium by finishing forth. However that is set to change as some changes on the Moto2 results meant Hafizh was declared third place finisher in Moto2 race Sepang 2012!
It all began when Australian Moto2 rider, Anthony West, was tested positive on prohibited stimulant, Methylhexaneamine. According to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), West explained that the prohibited substance had entered his system through an energy drink (“Mesomorph”) that he had purchased, prepared, and consumed on the assumption that it did not contain any prohibited substances since it was purchased in a nutritional shop.
Originally he was slapped with disqualification on his race in French GP and a one month ban, which caused him to miss the 2012 Valencia season finale. He had however scored podium positions in Malaysia and Australia at that time. However, the World Anti-Doping Agency was unhappy with that decision, so they appealed to the CAS for a harsher penalty to West. The outcome has been announced and means that all of West’s results from the 2012 French GP until 19 October 2013 will be wiped from the record books.
This translated to some major changes on the race results on Moto2 and with our own ‘Pescao’ promoted to third place and his first podium finish in Sepang 2012! Anthony, however, will resume participation in Moto2 next year, but this tainted scandal may hurt his chances to be a front runner in the sport.
As we reported here, Hafizh will have a full season of participation in Moto2 with the Petronas Raceline Team. He has also recently ended his second year in Spanish CEV Moto2 on high note, with two wins and a few podiums that saw him third overall in one of Europe’s top flight motorcycle race series. Well done Hafizh, you’re doing us proud!
