Yamaha Philippines Racing Team Fights Back Strong at FIM ARRC Round 2 in Thailand

Date posted on May 12, 2026
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Yamaha Motor Philippines showcased resilience and determination at Round 2 of the Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) held at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand, with the Yamaha Philippines Racing Team battling through intense competition and challenging race conditions across the weekend.

01 Arrc Rd2

Despite a demanding round, the team delivered a breakthrough moment as McKinley Kyle Paz secured his first podium finish of the season in Race 2 of the Supersport 600 category, marking a strong comeback after an unfortunate end to Race 1.

PAZ BOUNCES BACK WITH PODIUM FINISH

Continuing his campaign with the Hong Leong Yamaha Racing Team, Paz showed strong pace throughout the weekend, qualifying P5.

02 Arrc Rd2

In Race 1, Paz was in contention for a strong finish before a late-race crash in the final laps forced him out of the race, resulting in a DNF after an otherwise competitive performance.

03 Arrc Rd2

Refusing to let the setback define the weekend, Paz returned determined in Race 2 and delivered a composed and aggressive ride to secure P3, earning his first podium of the 2026 ARRC season.

04 Arrc Rd2

The result marks an important breakthrough in his campaign and highlights the grit and fighting spirit behind Yamaha’s international racing effort.

05 Arrc Rd2

MASCARDO AND ROJAS CONTINUE INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN

In the Underbone 150 category under the Yamaha Racetech Philippines Racing Team, April King Mascardo and Timothy Rojas continued to gain valuable ground against one of the most competitive grids in Asian racing.

06 Arrc Rd2

Mascardo qualified P2 and pushed through a challenging weekend to finish P11 in Race 1 and P8 in Race 2, consistently battling within the midfield against experienced regional contenders.

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Meanwhile, Rojas qualified P20 and steadily improved his pace across both races, finishing P14 in Race 1 and P13 in Race 2. As one of the newer additions to Yamaha’s international lineup, the weekend provided another important step in his continued development on the ARRC stage.

10 Arrc Rd2 11 Arrc Rd2

DEFYING LIMITS THROUGH ADVERSITY

ARRC Round 2 tested every rider with intense pace, physical demands, and unforgiving race conditions. For Yamaha Philippines, the weekend became a story of persistence, recovery, and determination under pressure.

12 Arrc Rd2 08 Arrc Rd2 From Paz’s comeback podium to the continued progress of Mascardo and Rojas, the team demonstrated its willingness to fight through adversity and continue pushing forward against Asia’s best.

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With momentum beginning to build, Yamaha Philippines remains focused on the rounds ahead as the team continues its pursuit to Defy Limits on the international stage.

credit: Yamaha Motor Philippines

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