KUALA LUMPUR — Out of the blue, seasoned Malaysian racer Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman, a three-time Asian champion, announced his retirement at the age of 39.
It came as a shock, especially given that he had just achieved second place in the ASB 1000 category at the Asia Road Race Championship (ARRC) held at the Sepang Circuit last Saturday.
Speaking exclusively to Scoop, Azlan revealed that he had not received any payment from his team, TKKR BMW Racing Team, since the start of the season, which was the primary reason for his decision to retire.
He was informed by the management that the team was facing critical financial issues, but out of passion and the desire to win his fourth Asian title, he was willing to race without any payment.
However, after several rounds, he realised the situation had become unsustainable due to his personal financial commitments.
Azlan explained that he had to consistently finish in the top five—or ideally, on the podium—to earn prize money, which he relied on to support himself.
“My motivation has run out. The job of a racer is to seek victory and get paid, but if I race without a salary and the team is unstable, I think it’s better for me to retire.
“This year, I raced without any salary; I was doing it as charity work. TKKR really had no promises to offer anything because the team is about to close down.
“However, I still wanted to race because of my passion. At that time, I still had a strong fighting spirit. If I didn’t aim for a podium finish or the top five in every race, I wouldn’t earn any money.
“Only the prize money helps me sustain my life this year, to pay bills, support my family, and so on,” said Azlan.
Azlan said he is unsure if he will compete in the final ARRC round at Buriram Circuit, Thailand, this December, as it ultimately hinges on the financial situation of his team, TKKR.
If the team, based in Seremban 2, Negri Sembilan, is unable to secure sufficient funds for the trip to Thailand, the recent race at Sepang could very well mark Azlan’s last appearance on two wheels.
Before becoming an Asian champion, Azlan made a name for himself by winning the CP130 category of the Cub Prix in 2012.
He then earned the opportunity to compete at the highest level in the Moto2 class of the MotoGP World Championship from 2013 to 2015.
During his time with Honda Team Asia, Azlan achieved a notable milestone at the 2015 Japanese Grand Prix, where he finished in fourth place. — September 21, 2024
