Auckland’s Jaden Hassan was in scintillating form as the New Zealand motorcycle road-racing season kicked off for the summer on Saturday.

The Yamaha ace was untouchable at the opening round of the road-race Tri Series at Hampton Downs, near Huntly, on Saturday, qualifying fastest and then storming to back-to-back wins in the hotly-contested 600cc Formula Two class and opening out a nine-point advantage over his nearest rivals, Christchurch’s John Ross (Repsol Suzuki GSX-R600) and Invercargill’s Jeremy Holmes (Castrol Honda CBR600RR).

Hassan (Home Buyers Reports Metzeler Yamaha R6) will look to extend that lead when he races at round two of the series at Manfeild, on the outskirts of Feilding, this Sunday.

However, despite his obvious early dominance, it is practically impossible for Hassan to take the Tri Series trophy because he is not entered for the third and final round of the series, set for the public streets of Wanganui on Boxing Day.

The five-round New Zealand Superbike Championships begin in January and this is where Hassan’s prime focus lies.

“This result is certainly sending the message I want. My rivals for the nationals will know that I mean business,” said the 18-year-old Hassan.

“I didn’t get the starts today, but that’s typical for me. I was in front by the end of lap one each time though. I have spent about the past five years battling through from fifth or sixth spot, so this is nothing new to me.”

Hassan won each of his races by healthy margins, breaking his own lap record in the process, with Ross and Holmes finishing the day joint runners-up and Wanganui’s Jayden Carrick (Suzuki GSX0R600) settling for fourth overall.

“Robert Taylor, from Kiwi Suspension Solutions, did a great job on the bike for me. He was awesome,” said Hassan.

Hassan is determined to make up for his disappointing nationals campaign last season. He finished fifth overall in the 600cc supersport class last season after crashing out of the series at round two in Timaru, breaking his back.

“If I can stay upright, I can win the nationals,” he said.

His form since regaining full fitness has been phenomenal and puts the teenage Yamaha ace on course for a glorious summer in 2013.

© Words and photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com

2012 Suzuki Tri-Series results from Hampton Downs on Saturday:

Formula 1, race 1: Sloan Frost (Wellington, Valvoline BMW S1000RR), 1; Andrew Stroud (Hamilton, Brother Suzuki GSXR1000), 2; Dennis Charlett (Christchurch, Underground Brown Suzuki GSXR1000), 3; James Smith (Christchurch, Castrol Honda CBR1000RR), 4; Craig Shirriffs (Feilding, Suzuki GSXR1000), 5; Hayden Fitzgerald (New Plymouth, Suzuki NZ GSXR1000), 6.

Formula 1, race 2: Stroud, 1; Charlett, 2; Shirriffs, 3; Fitzgerald, 4; Ray Clee (Kumeu, RCM Suzuki Superbike), 5; Tony Rees (Whakatane, Tony Rees Motorcycles Honda CBR1000RR), 6.

Formula 1 series points: Andrew Stroud, 48; Dennis Charlett, 42; Craig Shirriffs, 36; Hayden Fitzgerald, 33; Ray Clee, 30; James Smith, 28.

Formula 2, race 1: Jaden Hassan (Auckland, Home Buyers Reports Yamaha NZ R6), 1; Jeremy Holmes (Invercargill, Castrol Honda CBR600RR), 2; John Ross (Christchurch, Repsol Suzuki GSXR600), 3; Jayden Carrick (Wanganui, Suzuki GSXR600), 4; Daniel Kempthorne (Palmerston North, Yamaha R6), 5; Toby Summers (Auckland, Yamaha R6).

Formula 2, race 2: Hassan, 1; Ross, 2; Holmes, 3; Thomas Kreutz (Germany, Yamaha NZ R6), 4; Carrick, 5; Kempthorne, 6.

Formula 2 series points: Jaden Hassan, 51; John Ross & Jeremy Holmes, 42; Jayden Carrick, 34; Daniel Kempthorne, 31; Toby Summers, 29.

Formula 3, race 1: Glen Williams (Palmerston North, Suzuki SV650), 1; Scott Moir (Taupo, Honda RS450), 2; Gavin Veltmeyer (New Windsor, Suzuki SV650), 3; Chris Osborne (Feilding, Ozzy 450R), 4; Nathaniel Diprose (Auckland, Suzuki SV650), 5; Nigel Lennox (Auckland, Suzuki SV650), 6.

Formula 3, race 2: Moir, 1; Williams, 2; Terry Fitzgerald (Waitara, Suzuki SV650), 3; Veltmeyer, 4; Osborne, 5; Diprose, 6.

Formula 3 series points: Scott Moir, 48; Glen Williams, 47; Gavin Veltmeyer, 38; Chris Osborne, 34; Terry Fitzgerald & Nathaniel Diprose, 31.

Supermoto race 1: Richard Dibben (Wanganui, Honda CRF450), 1; Scott Moir (Taupo, Honda CRF450), 2; Duncan Hart (Tauranga, Yamaha YZF450), 3; Toby Summers (Auckland, Yamaha YZF450), 4; Casey Bullock (Taupo, KTM 450SMR), 5; Lewis Waho (Taupo, Yamaha YZF450), 6.

Supermoto race 2: Glenn Haden (Wanganui, Honda CRF450), 1; Summers, 2; Dibben, 3; Hart, 4; Bullock, 5; Waho, 6.

Supermoto series points: Richard Dibben, 45; Toby Summers, 41; Glenn Haden, 39; Duncan Hart, 38; Casey Bullock, 32; Lewis Waho, 30.

Post Classic Pre ’89 race 1: Glen Williams (Palmerston North, Bimota YB8 1000), 1; Eddie Kattenberg (Te Awanga, Yamaha FZR1000), 2; Damian Mackie (Te Puke, Suzuki RG500), 3; Paul Wooton (Waikane, Suzuki GSXR1100), 4; Andrew Skelton (Pukekohe, Suzuki GSXR1100), 5; Terry Stevenson (Hamilton, Marsh GSX1150), 6.

Post Classic Pre ’89 race 2: Williams, 1; Kattenberg, 2; Wooton , 3; Skelton, 4; Mackie, 5; Nigel Lennox, (Auckland), 6.

Post Classic Pre ’89 series points: Glen Williams, 51; Eddie Kattenberg, 44; Paul Wooton, 38; Damian Mackie, 36; Andrew Skelton, 34; Nigel Lennox, 29.

BEARS race 1: Sloan Frost (Wellington, Valvoline BMW S1000RR), 1; Travis Moan (Auckland, BMW S1000RR), 2; Rhys Holmes (Katikati, BMW S1000RR), 3; Richard Taylor (Wellington, BMW S1000RR), 4; Jamie Galway (Masterton, Triumph Daytona 675), 5; Nick Prestige (Hawera, Ducati 1098R), 6.

BEARS race 2: Moan, 1; Holmes, 2; Taylor, 3; Galway, 4; Prestige, 5; Blayes Heaven (Auckland, Triumph Daytona 675), 6.

BEARS series points: Travis Moan, 47; Rhys Holmes, 42; Richard Taylor, 38; Jamie Galway, 34; Nick Prestidge, 31; Blayes Heaven, 29.