The Pata Honda team is preparing for this weekend’s (6-8 June) two sixth-round World Superbike championship races at the Sepang International Circuit near Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.

The weekend marks the first visit of the World Superbike championship to Sepang, situated just 60km to the south of the centre of the Malaysian capital, as the production-based series spreads to an increasingly wider global audience.

It will be the first time that the Pata Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP has been raced at the fast and flowing 5.548km Sepang circuit, which is characterised by two back-to-back straights at the end of the lap. However, the team’s two British riders Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam have both visited in the past.

Northern Irishman Rea, 27, tested Honda’s RC212V MotoGP machine at Sepang at the end of 2011, while 31-year-old Haslam from Derbyshire last raced there during a season on a 250cc Honda in Grands Prix in 2002.

Sepang International Circuit, World Superbike schedule (local times GMT+8hrs):

Friday 6 June
10.30-11.45 Free Practice 1
15.30-16.15 Free Practice 2
(timed for Superpole)

Saturday 7 June
09.45-10.30 Free Practice 3
(timed for Superpole)

12.30-13.00 Free Practice 4
15.00-15.15 Superpole 1
15.25-15.40 Superpole 2

Sunday 8 June
09.30-09.45 Warm-up
13.30 Race 1 (16 laps, 88.768km)
16.30 Race 2 (16 laps, 88.768km)