THIS year’s edition of the Honda Pilipinas Dream Cup (HPDC) successfully concluded with its sixth round happening at the Clark International Speedway in Pampanga on Oct. 5 and 6.
Fourteen-year-old Alfred Jakob Sablaya emerged as the overall winner of the Cup, which is part of Honda’s program to develop young riders in motorcycle racing using a specific race machine, such as the CBR150R — a 150cc, MotoGP DNA motorcycle.
Sablaya was dominant right from the qualifying race, fending off tough challenges from Chino Hung and Marco Gil Ventinilla.
In the first race it continued to be tight among the racers but Sablaya was not to be denied of the top spot as he continued to be unbeaten with a total time 14:42.046, ahead by 8.070 seconds of second-running Ventinilla.
The second race sealed for Sablaya the Cup win a he tallied a total time of 14:30.843, ahead with a difference of 16.392 seconds than the next racer.
Hung took the second spot overall with Ventinilla coming in third. Kokoy Mangibin finished fourth and Kurt Villanueva fifth.
As one of the benefits in joining the Honda Pilipinas Dream Cup, Honda Philippines, Inc. (HPI) will support Sablaya as he joins the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup Try-Outs, happening on Oct. 29-30 at Sepang Circuit in Malaysia.
The Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup try-outs will determine who will join the prestigious race event for its 2020 season, and Sablaya may be the next Filipino rider to join the ranks of the previous Filipino riders including HPI current international rider Troy Alberto.
Apart from searching for the best talents around, the Honda Pilipinas Dream Cup is also part of Honda’s ONE DREAM campaign, dedicated to uniting all motorcycle riders through fun and exciting activities. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
