JAVNIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS (JAP)
By Abraham Situmeang
METHAROM, Zahmeel Province — November 2127
Asia Speed Challenge
Setiawan Guntur extended his championship lead in spectacular fashion, claiming a fourth consecutive victory at the Javnian Grand Prix after teammate and title rival Ivan Kusuma was cruelly denied by mechanical failure following one of the fiercest battles of the season.
The Sumadi teammates traded blows throughout a breathtaking opening 30 laps, repeatedly swapping the lead as their simmering rivalry threatened to boil over. Less than 24 hours after colliding in Saturday’s sprint race, the pair made contact once again in front of a roaring crowd before fate intervened. An electrical failure sent Kusuma skating across the grass and out of the race, leaving his championship hopes hanging by a thread.
Guntur departs Palau with a commanding 43-point lead in the standings, while a furious Kusuma could only watch from the side of the circuit as marshals recovered his stricken car.
Behind the drama at the front, Lukito Tingzhe delivered his strongest performance of the season, guiding his Sudiroprojo machine to second place after a tense late-race battle with Coren Mainaky. Mainaky settled for third but celebrated his first podium finish of the year.
The result provided a welcome boost for Sudiroprojo, though the rest of the afternoon was one to forget. Shem Bahorok retired with reliability problems, while Timothy Pandiangan endured a nightmare race and could finish no higher than 11th.
The stage had been set by Saturday’s explosive sprint race. Kusuma, the Zabethian star, had accused Guntur of a “very naughty” move after being forced off the circuit in a controversial incident that ignited the championship fight.
Sumadi management insisted tensions had been addressed overnight, stressing that both drivers remained free to race each other. Those assurances would face their sternest test just hours later.
Race officials declared a rain hazard before the start, but the threatening clouds never fully delivered. By lights out, only a light drizzle remained, leaving teams guessing on tire strategy.
Sriwidadi rolled the dice. Bahorok and Pandiangan lined up third and fourth on intermediate tires while nearly every rival around them opted for soft slicks.
The gamble looked questionable even before the race began. Two additional formation laps were required after Ade Tahyadi became stranded on track, and Pandiangan was already questioning the strategy over team radio.
“It might be time for the slicks,” he warned.
Instead, Sriwidadi’s bold call briefly looked inspired.
When the lights finally went out, Bahorok launched brilliantly from the second row, slicing down the inside of Turn 1 to seize the lead. Behind him, Kusuma bogged down at the start and slipped behind Guntur.
The advantage was short-lived. With the circuit rapidly drying, Pandiangan dived into the pits at the end of Lap 1 and Bahorok followed a lap later, abandoning the intermediates as the track became effectively dry.
At the front, the championship duel ignited.
Kusuma struck first on Lap 6, storming past Guntur on the long back straight after his teammate locked up and ran wide. Three laps later, Mainaky climbed into third place with a decisive move on Tingzhe at Turn 1.
The lead changed hands again on Lap 12, but while Sumadi’s stars dazzled, Sriwidadi’s afternoon unraveled. Pandiangan made another pit stop and was lapped by Lap 15, while Bahorok was summoned to the pits with a developing reliability issue.
Up front, the battle only intensified.
Guntur briefly edged ahead before the pair thundered side-by-side down the back straight. Kusuma slammed the door shut entering the chicane, refusing to surrender the position.
Team principal Hartanto Zixin had jokingly remarked after Saturday’s clash that Sumadi “doesn’t want a puppy.” On Sunday, Guntur proved exactly why. Relentless and unyielding, he hounded Kusuma lap after lap.
A mistake at the hairpin on Lap 22 allowed Guntur back into the lead, but neither driver could break free. Even while lapping the struggling Bahorok, they remained locked together in a high-speed chess match.
Then came the flashpoint.
On Lap 25, the rivals made contact again. Guntur attacked around the outside entering the chicane, wheels banging as neither driver yielded. Forced off the circuit, Kusuma cut across the runoff area to maintain position.
Race control immediately instructed him to surrender the place.
“Why, mate?” Kusuma protested over the radio. “He pushed me off and I was ahead. Like, what’s the point?”
The frustration would soon become irrelevant.
Five laps later, disaster struck.
Approaching a braking zone, Kusuma suddenly shot across the grass and failed to make the corner before grinding to a halt. The evidence pointed immediately to a mechanical failure rather than driver error. His furious radio messages echoed around the Sumadi garage as his championship challenge suffered a potentially devastating blow.
With his greatest rival eliminated, Guntur finally had breathing room.
The closing stages brought little relief for Sriwidadi. Bahorok’s worsening technical problems finally forced his retirement on Lap 40, the disappointed driver trekking back toward the pits as fans offered sympathetic applause.
Further ahead, Tingzhe sensed an opportunity. The Sudiroprojo veteran relentlessly hunted down Mainaky and, with six laps remaining, executed a superb overtaking move to snatch second place.
From there, Guntur was untouchable.
The championship leader crossed the finish line to secure his fourth straight victory and complete a remarkable weekend. For Kusuma, the race will be remembered not for his speed, but for the cruel mechanical failure that transformed a thrilling title fight into an uphill battle.
As the Asia Speed Challenge heads to its next round, the rivalry between Sumadi’s two stars remains very much alive—but Guntur now holds all the momentum.
