MotoGP riders Franco Morbidelli and Hafizh Syahrin will join World Superbike star Michael van der Mark in the home Sepang Racing Team squad for December's inaugural 8 Hours race at the Malay🐻sian circuit.

As reported, Sepang had been pushing for its Petronas Yamaha riders Morbidelli and Fabi🌳o Quartararo to be part of the event, eventually settling on an 'all-star' line-up of Morbidelli, 💛local star Syahrin and four-time Suzuka 8 Hour winner van der Mark.

“We’re very excited to have a Sepang Racing Team entry in the first Sepang 8 Hours," said team principal Razlan Razali. "We have faith that Franco, Michael, Hafizh and YART will deliver and we’re targeting the ve𝓀ry top step of the podium.”

The Sepan𓆉g squad will race an R💫1 with the backing of former Endurance World Champions YART during the event, which will finish under floodlights.

“I’m curious to seꦬe how an endurance race format suits me,♋ and I’m really looking forward to it," Morbidelli said. "It’s a different thing, it’s something nice, and when Razlan asked me to do it I thought ‘sure, why not?’

"The combination of Yamaha and Sepang Racing Team means i🦋t should be a strong package, and it’ll be nice to race with a production bike again. Riding bi🌃kes is always good for staying in shape, so it’s nice to be able to race in December.

"I’ve traine💞d with a YZF-R1 before so I’ve got an idea of what to expect, but I’m sure the endurance superbike will be very different. I might make the most of the trip and use it to enjoy a holiday in Malaysia as well.”

Factory Yamaha World Superbike rider 🍃van der Mark, who took his first SBK victories at Donington Park this season, added:

“When I firs꧒t saw there would be an EWC round at Sepang in December I knew it would be cool to race it so I’m really proud that the team asked me - plus how can you say no to such a great team and race at their hom🦄e track?

"Sepang is hot and humid and it will ಌbe really hard work - but that’s also the part of the challenge of endurance racin♑g and I really enjoy it. I will do everything to help the team with the bit of endurance experience I have because we want to fight for the victory!

"We’ve got a really strong squad but we have to be smart and consistent, because for ꦏsure our goal will be to win the team’s home race!”

Syahrin, who currently races for Tech3 KTM in MotoGP, will be especially busy at the 8 Hours weekend 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:having also entered the touring car race🗹s!

“I’m really looking forward to taking༺ part in the first EWC race in Malaysia. It’s not my first endurance race as I’ve ridden at the Suzuka 8 Hour before, but it’ll be 🌺very different riding in front of our home fans!" said Syahrin, who is yet to confirm his 2020 racing plans.

"It’s a really good opportunity for me to test my physical endurance because it’ll be a very long and hot race, and the most important thing 𒉰will be how we work as a team.

"We’ll try our best to do a good job, but we’ve got a great team and some very strong team-mates. I’m really excited to share a bik🗹e with Franky and Michael, because they’re good riders and Michael🤪 has a lot of experience with the Yamaha. I can’t wait to get going!”