Yamaha SEC Racing Team Delivers Strong Showing in MotoIR Round 5

Date posted on September 23, 2026

The Yamaha SEC Racing Team continued to make their presence felt in the 2026 Motul MotoIR National Championship, delivering victories and podium finishes across multiple categories during Round 5 at Tarlac Circuit Hill on September 19–20.

The team entered the weekend with momentum from its strong performance in the previous round, and McKinley Kyle Paz immediately set the pace. Paz secured pole position in both the Super Underbone LTD GP and Super Underbone Open GP qualifying sessions. In the Open GP, April King Mascardo followed in second while Timothy Rojas placed fifth, putting three Yamaha riders among the leading contenders heading into the races.

Paz carried that pace into Superpole, taking P1 ahead of Mascardo in P2, before converting his strong start to the weekend into victory in the Super Underbone Open GP Sprint Race. Mascardo crossed the line in second to complete a Yamaha SEC Racing Team 1-2, while Rojas finished fifth.

The Super Underbone LTD GP provided another double podium for the team. Paz battled his way to second place, with Mascardo following in third to put two Yamaha riders on the Expert podium. In the Intermediate category, JM Malonzo added another podium with a second-place finish, while Zain Doblada completed the race in sixth.

Momentum continued into the Super Underbone Open GP, where this time it was Mascardo who emerged at the front. Mascardo secured the victory to add another win to his 2026 campaign, while Paz completed the Expert podium in third. Rojas finished just behind his teammates in fourth, giving Yamaha SEC Racing Team three riders inside the top four.

Malonzo continued his consistent performance in the Intermediate division with another P2 finish in the Open GP, earning his second podium of the weekend and further strengthening his campaign in the category.

In the Supersport Bike Women’s Championship, Justinne Bethany Tolentino maintained her place among the championship’s leading competitors. After qualifying second, Tolentino delivered another strong performance to finish P2, securing another podium for the Yamaha SEC Racing Team.

The team also returned to the Supersport 200 GP with Zain Doblada carrying momentum from his victory in Round 4. Doblada qualified second at Tarlac and was positioned for another competitive outing, but was unable to finish the race, bringing his Round 5 campaign in the category to an early end.

Round 5 once again demonstrated the depth of Yamaha SEC Racing Team across the MotoIR field. From Paz setting the early pace and taking the Sprint Race victory, to Mascardo responding with the main Open GP win, the team remained competitive throughout the weekend. Podium finishes from Malonzo and Tolentino further added to Yamaha’s results as the 2026 national racing season moves toward its concluding stages.

Through its continued participation in the Motul MotoIR National Championship, Yamaha Motor Philippines remains committed to developing Filipino racing talent and providing its riders with opportunities to compete, progress, and Defy Limits on the national stage.

MotoIR Round 5 Race Results

Super Underbone Open GP Sprint Race – Expert
- McKinley Kyle Paz – P1
- April King Mascardo – P2
- Timothy Rojas – P5
Super Underbone LTD GP – Expert
- McKinley Kyle Paz – P2
- April King Mascardo – P3
Super Underbone LTD GP – Intermediate
- JM Malonzo – P2
- Zain Doblada – P6
Supersport Bike Women’s Championship
- Justinne Bethany Tolentino – P2
Super Underbone Open GP – Expert
- April King Mascardo – P1
- McKinley Kyle Paz – P3
- Timothy Rojas – P4
Super Underbone Open GP – Intermediate
- JM Malonzo – P2
Supersport 200 GP – Intermediate
- Zain Doblada – DNF