It’s a Sunday night and you’re out with friends at your friendly neighbourhood mamak stall and on the screen is a Formula 1 race. You then think to yourself: “It’s just a matter of driving fast. Anyone can do it.” Think again.

Like other intense sports, motorsports requires its athletes to undergo constant training and be in peak physical form in order to excel. Typically, a driver in a race will have to be able to cope with g-forces higher than those experienced in everyday driving when taking corners in excess of 100 km/h. He or she must be able to feel oversteering or understeering due to tyre grip and the setup of the car’s suspension. In addition to being fit, a race car driver will need to have an in-depth understanding of the intricacies of a car.

For Proton R3’s Mitchell Cheah, Fariqe Hairuman, Syafiq Ali, Admi Shahrul, Nurul Husna, Faye Kusairi and Leona Chin, racing came naturally – but only after they began preparing for the race several weeks beforehand. ‘Weekend racers’ may just go to the track and drive fast but for those who are serious about racing, there’s a strict exercise regime and they must follow a healthy and balanced diet. Trips to the mamak stall are definitely out of the question (at least until after the racing season is over).

One of the drivers (we won’t tell who) even spends some time playing Call of Duty in the name of improving hand-eye coordination. Those who spend time on Playstation4’s racing simulators also gain ‘experience’ that can be useful when they race in the real world. So yes, it’s easy to drive a car, but challenging to race in one.

Teamwork is imperative for success
Another crucial aspect about competitive motorsports is the fact that it isn’t a one-man show. Teamwork is imperative for success – engineers are required to analyse and make quick adjustments to the car; engine and tyre specialists have their self-explanatory roles; a pit crew must be quick and precise at refuelling and replacing tyres; a crew chief, who oversees the technical crew; and a team manager who keeps administrative duties in check.

Typically, a racing team begins preparations several days before the actual race day. The driver(s) will have to work closely with the rest of the crew to ensure that their cars are set up for the circuit – tuning to the suspension is critical as every track has its own characteristics.

You wouldn’t want to use a soft suspension set-up for a track with lots of corners, unless you enjoy being in a boat that’s constantly bobbing up and down. There’s also the fact that the engine and drivetrain have to be tuned properly to ensure the car is able to provide a good compromise between acceleration and top speed.

While a car’s set-up is important, there’s only so much that can be done to boost the reliability of the car itself. For the Proton R3 drivers this year, the availability of the improved 2019 Saga and 2019 Iriz made a difference and both achieved significant success in the annual Sepang 1,000km (S1K) race.

This is no easy feat because these cars are driven at an average speed of 110 km/h. Other than the brief moments they are in for pit stops, they are constantly pushed hard and this year, that was for 9 hours and over 181 laps. The strain placed on the cars and drivers is therefore intense and both must be in top form.

A successful endeavour
Both the Proton R3 drivers and cars rose to the occasion and dominated the S1K. The 2019 Iriz that was driven by Mitchell and Fariqe captured first place while the 2019 Saga that was driven by Syafiq and Admi came in second.

Also impressive was the all-ladies team which managed to blitz past the competition from 26^th on the grid, to seventh overall, ahead of all the other lady drivers. When interviewed, all Proton’s racers attributed the success to the handling and reliability of their Malaysian-made and engineered cars.

All said and done, participating in motorsports events like the S1K takes dedication, discipline and a strong level of focus from the entire team. While many are able to drive well on the roads, participating in a race like the S1K requires more than just good driving skills.

Proton R3 wins Sepang 1000km again – that’s 3 years in a row!