Gian Carlo Mauricio upended veteran titleholder Masato Fernando in an awe-inspiring display of devil-may-care riding to rule the Underbone Expert Open class in the inaugural leg of the 2018 Petron National Motorcycle Racing Championships at Batangas Racing Circuit recently.
Mauricio, the teenaged dynamo from Binangonan, Rizal, duplicated his twin victory to open the season last year by also topping the Open class of the FDR Philippine Scooter Championships series over Koko Tadachi and Dustin Esguerra.
The top rider from JVT Racing dominated the 150cc race of the FDR Philippine Underbone Championships with much to spare over Yamaha-Spec V rider Fernando, the reigning Golden Wheel Driver of the Year awardee, and third placer John Emerson Inguito.
RR Espiritu pipped Roel Rubin and Carlo Calderon for Underbone’s Intermediate Open class title while Kerwin Chang seized the Novice Open plum over Eljin Renz Lobarbio in the races sponsored by Petron Sprint 4T, FDR tires and Pirelli.
The kickoff leg of the motorcycle circuit competition also featured the openers of club races in the 6-leg Honda Pilipinas Dream Cup, the Moto IR Super Sports 150, the 2018 Pirelli Cup and the Ducati Cup 2018.
John Paul Suba bagged the Scooter 160cc crown over Justinne Tolentino Chang even as Jolo Suba ran away with the 130cc title.