“That was a perfect lap.”
In Race 2 of the Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSBK) opening round, JP (Junpeng He) moved up from P5 to P4 while setting a new personal best. Beneath the helmet is a youthful smile—but behind it lies clear determination and a professional mindset.
Rider Profile
Junpeng He (JP), active in domestic racing in China, is also known by the nickname “Tank.” His aggressive and powerful riding style—almost pushing rivals aside—fires up the crowd. Yet off the bike, he shows an innocent smile. That contrast is part of what makes him so compelling.
After competing in the 1000cc class last year, he now takes on the 600cc category aboard the new ZX-6R.
MSBK Round 1
Race 1: A Chaotic Start
The opening race was delayed due to poor weather, and conditions worsened rapidly mid-race. A red flag was deployed, creating a disrupted and intense race flow.
“It suddenly started raining, and I even saw lightning around T5. It was my first time experiencing that—honestly, it was exciting!”
With visibility nearly gone due to heavy rain, the race was halted. Despite the conditions, JP stayed composed and finished P5.
Race 2: Personal Best and P4 Finish
Race 2 took place under cloudy but dry conditions. JP maintained a consistent rhythm throughout the race, steadily improving his pace and setting a new personal best, finishing in P4.
“That was a perfect lap.” — As he continued to improve his lap times, he felt a strong sense of confidence and control.
Interview with JP
── First of all, great job on the opening round. How was Sepang?
Racing with the new ZX-6R, I focused a lot on adapting the bike to me—using stock parts and spending significant time on setup. The front and rear suspension springs didn’t match my weight initially, so we tested many configurations. After adjustments, the bike became much easier to handle, but I still struggled particularly at T9, T14, and T15. Also, without assist systems like a slipper clutch (which stabilizes the bike during deceleration), I had to adjust my braking points to maintain corner speed.
── What was your biggest takeaway from Round 1?
Communication with the engineers. I learned how important it is to clearly and simply explain what the bike is doing and what issues I’m feeling. Otherwise, you risk wasting valuable session time.
── Where do you feel you’ve improved as a rider?
Clutch control. I used to run a Suter clutch, but now with the stock clutch, I have to manually control rear wheel stability when entering corners. I also realized again how crucial corner speed is in the 600cc class. I followed Thai Honda and Malaysia Honda riders to study their lines, but I’m not quite there yet. I’ll keep working on it.
── Did the new ZX-6R meet your expectations?
es, absolutely. The handling is excellent, and the front-end feel is very precise. It feels like shooting straight into the apex like a bullet, and the low-end torque on corner exit is very strong.
── What do you want to improve for the next round?
Weight management. I’ll focus on training to improve both cornering speed and braking performance.
── What is your goal for this season?
To bring a trophy back for the team. Everyone has a role and we’re all working together toward it—I truly believe we can achieve it.
Message to the Team
JP shared a message of appreciation:
“I’m grateful to Mr. Noh (Team Director) for giving me this opportunity to race in MSBK, and to Mr. Tomi (Team Manager) for sharing his riding knowledge. They’ve invested so much into my development. I’d also like to thank our mechanic Awen, who gives me confidence, and Mr. Zhou, who I worked with for the first time—we had great teamwork and I learned a lot. And of course, thank you to all our sponsors who support our racing.”
Next Round
Next round: July 10–12, 2026
We look forward to JP’s continued progress.
If you’re interested in racing in MSBK or training at Sepang, feel free to contact us.
