Geoffrey Emmanuel scores double podium on Malaysia Superbike debut

Making his Malaysia Superbike Championship debut at Sepang, the Indian rider finished third in both races.

Published on Aug 21, 2023 04:54:00 PM

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Geoffrey Emmanuel made an impressive debut in the Malaysia Superbike Championship. The 18-year-old finished on the podium in both races, with a pair of P3 results at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC).

  • Emmanuel third overall in the championship
  • Also competing in JuniorGP World Championship

Geoffrey Emmanuel P3 at Sepang

Earlier this year, Emmanuel - son of seven-time National Champion Emmanuel Jebaraj – became the first Indian to compete in the FIM JuniorGP World Championship. The series is considered a crucial stepping stone to MotoGP.

Alongside his JuniorGP commitments, the young Indian is now undertaking a campaign in the 2023 Malaysian Superbike Championship. He’s competing astride a Honda CBR250 in the 250cc category (A class) with team Gusto Racing India.

Despite limited track time to prepare for his championship debut, he collected a pair of P3 finishes. It was an especially close finish in Race 1, with Emmanuel missing out on the second place by just 0.039 secs.

“It was a very challenging weekend for me. We had barely three days to set up the stock CBR250 bike, apart from learning the track. Racing at the SIC was a big opportunity for me and another step towards achieving my goal of making it to MotoGP,” he said, summing up his debut weekend.

“The race itself was very competitive, but I managed to hold my position till the finish and I am absolutely delighted that I made the podium in both races.”

2023 Malaysia Superbike Championship

This year’s Malaysia Superbike Championship comprises six races across three rounds – all to be held at Sepang. Round 2 is scheduled for September 8-10, followed by the finale round on December 15-17. 

Emmanuel is currently third overall with a total of 32 points, eight points behind second-placed M.Farid Hakimi Farid Sezli and 18 points behind championship leader Muhd Irfan Haykhal Amidi.

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