Indeed, there’s no denying that the 16-year-old Alfred Jakob Sablaya is a talented and promising motorcycle rider. Once again, he showcased his remarkable skills as he championed two categories at the Motul Carrera Grande 2021 last December 19 at the Tarlac Circuit Hill racetrack in Tarlac City.
Sponsored by Honda Philippines, Inc., (HPI), the No.1 motorcycle manufacturer in the country, Sablaya competed against 13 racers in the Backbone category while using The All-New CBR150R. He also utilized Supra GTR150 and took on 14 participants in the 150 Underbone Street Legal class.
“At HPI, we chose Supra GTR150 and The All-New CBR150R for this competition because we believe that these two models are powerful, fast, and competitive bikes. More importantly, we believe in Jakob Sablaya’s talent and his determination to win this event despite the challenges brought by the pandemic,” said Mr. Hervic Villa, HPI Motorcycle Planning Department Manager.
For two years, Sablaya was not able to compete due to the coronavirus. For that reason, he was faced with many challenges. However, coached by his father, Honorato “Noni” Sablaya, the young rider showed his courage and strong will in competing at the said event.
“We would like to congratulate our young rider for this amazing triumph. We hope that you continue to excel to become the rider you hope to be in the future. We are looking forward to your future endeavors as a motorcycle racer,” he added.
Carrera Grande is an annual motorcycle racing event in the country. It is held every December to mark the end of the race season. Organized by Sonic Boom Motorsports, this competition is authorized by the National Motorcycle Sports and Safety Association (NAMSSA), a certified body of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). It is an organization that sanctions World Championship races, which include MotoGP, Moto2, Moto3 and ARRC.
This racing event has eight categories: 160 Automatic (Open rider), 150 Underbone (Open rider), 160 Automatic (Beginner/Novice), 150 Underbone Street Legal, 130 Underbone (Open rider), 150 Underbone (Beginner/Novice), Backbone, and SuperMoto.
Meanwhile, Sablaya also came from the Honda Pilipinas Dream Cup Program, an HPI initiative that hones promising young riders for international motorcycle racing competitions. He is expected to compete on the racetrack next year at the InsideRACING Grand Prix (IRGP) from January 21 to 23.