The riders of the eni FIM Superbike World Championship 2015 (WSBK) Malaysian Round took some time off earlier this week for a quick tour of the Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex.
The quick excursion was arranged by the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) management to help the riders relax in a different setting and experience a vibrant slice of Malaysia outside the racetrack.
Eight riders participated in the tour, including Jonathan Rea of Kawasaki Racing Team, Chaz Davies of Aruba.it Racing-Ducati SBK Team , Leon Haslam of Aprilia Racing Team Red Devils , Alex Lowes of Crescent Suzuki , Ayrton Badovini of BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team, Leon Camier of MV Agusta Reparto Corse, Leandro ‘Tati’ Mercado of Barni Racing Team Ducati and Matteo Baiocco of Althea Racing Ducati were joined by SIC’s marketing and public relations team to help them explore the Kuala Lumpur city centre.
“We wanted the riders to see much more of Malaysia than just the Sepang Circuit, so it was an excellent time to take a break and enjoy a dose of Malaysian hospitality and culture, and what better place to do this than at the Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex. Kuala Lumpur has so much to offer. We wanted the riders to not only take home the memory of awesome racing but also have them experience a part of the city,” said SIC’s Head of Marketing & Communication Junita Nasir.
The riders were kept busy soaking in the culture and taking selfies, and even tried their hand at batik and ceramic painting.
“I came down to KL on Monday for a look around – not just the big malls but also the local areas, and last night, I had typical Malaysian food at a small noodle shop. I like the culture here. People are quite relaxed. They’ve been friendly and I’m going to spend 3 more days here after the race, to take my mechanics around the town,” said Jonathan Rea, the current leader in the WSBK standings.
Chaz Davies said: “I’ve come to KL a few times now, and every time we’ve been able to visit different areas. Now I feel like I’ve a better understanding of this city and I enjoy it. It’s very different to the UK and Europe. I think it is fun – there are a lot of things to enjoy here which you can’t find in Europe.”
