Representing Honda Philippines Inc. (HPI), Filipino racing wunderkind Jakob Sablaya added another stellar entry to his growing list of accolades by winning 3rd Place in this year’s Inside Racing Grand Prix (IRGP) XIV at Tarlac Circuit Hill.
The 16-year-old phenom finished 3rd in the Motul MotoIR 2 Grand Prix. Sablaya expressed gratitude to his supporters for coming away victorious in the prestigious competition, participated only by the top motorcycle racers, teams, and manufacturers in the country and the Southeast Asian region. On the other hand, Jakob fought hard to be at the front for the Denoo Motor Oil Underbone Sealed Grand Prix, finishing his race in 4th place.
“Maraming salamat po sa lahat ng nagtitiwala sa ‘kin at tumulong para makapag laro ako sa IRGP,” said the Antipolo City native, who developed his love for motorbikes at the tender age of six.
HPI has been a vital part of Sablaya’s young motoring career. In 2019, Sablaya won back-to-back titles in the Honda Pilipinas Dream Cup, a program designed to discover young riders with exemplary skills for motor racing. He was then signed to become the team’s youngest rider. It’s been nothing but a fruitful partnership between HPI and Sablaya ever since.
Preparing for the IRGP proved especially tough during the pandemic. But Sablaya kept his focus and spent hours practicing on the race tracks. He also does long-distance cycling on the side to build up stamina as well as discipline.
“Ang tumutulong sa aking practice sessions ay ang aking tatay,” said Sablaya, adding he got his passion for motorcycles from his father.
In the recent IRGP, Sablaya raced in the Supra GTR150 for the Denoo Motor Oil Underbone Sealed Grand Prix. The sport-oriented underbone ride is equipped with a 6-speed DOHC, 4-valve liquid-cooled 150cc engine for maximum performance, complemented by great handling and better fuel efficiency. The Supra GTR150 is available in two colors, Valiant Red and Black, with a suggested retail price of Php102,900.
Meanwhile, for the Motul MotoIR 2 Grand Prix, Sablaya rode The All-New CBR150R. Designed with a Fireblade-inspired image, the single-cylinder sportbike packs quite the punch with a 4-stroke, 4-valve, DOHC-liquid-cooled 149cc engine. The All-New CBR150R comes in Winning Red (Honda Tri-Color) color variant and has a suggested retail price of Php 159,900.
HPI has plans for Sablaya to join more Championship in our home country. Details are coming very soon.
Hervic Villa, MC Planning Department Manager of HPI, said the team is glad of Sablaya’s achievements.
“We are very proud of Jakob’s talent, determination, and attitude in every race, which is to give his best and win,” Villa said. “We can see that his approach is carefully studied based on his image of the outcome of his race.”
Villa added that HPI will continue to invest in young Filipino talents like Sablaya.
“For a Filipino child whose dream is to become a professional racer and a world champion, Honda has the means to make their dreams come true,” he said. “For a rider to become a professional and World Champion rider, they need to start young and strengthen their skills to be able to compete with the best of the world. Honda has the programs and capability to bring them to the World such as the Honda Pilipinas Dream Cup, Thailand Talent Cup, Asia Talent Cup.”
For his part, Sablaya has this to share to those dreaming of following his footsteps: “Mag practice lang po sila at mag sikap po sila para po marating nila pangarap nila.”
With Honda, it’s not only their customer’s dream motorcycle that they bring on the road but lifelong dreams that will take young people like Jakob to their destiny. From determination, grit, and passion, Honda is committed to being a part of every hard working racers’ journey.