Toyota Gazoo Racing Malaysia is gearing up for the 2023 Sepang 1000 KM Endurance Race (S1K) with a focus on defending the overall title they secured the previous year. The team plans to enter a Toyota Vios in the MTC Class, with drivers Tengku Djan Ley Tengku Mahaleel and Naquib Azlan returning to the competition. Additionally, dealer team Wing Hin Motorsports will participate with two Toyota Yaris cars in the MTC Class, driven by Boy Wong and former Gazoo Racing Rookie Class driver Amer Harris.
The S1K event will also feature the third edition of the Gazoo Racing (GR) Vios Enduro Cup within the SP2 Class. This cup has gained popularity as a season finale for drivers already engaged in the GR Vios Challenge and GR Vios Sprint Cup. The GR Vios Enduro Cup attracts a diverse range of drivers, including teenagers, a father and son duo, a husband and wife team, and several female drivers.
Toyota Gazoo Racing Malaysia bersedia untuk menyertai Perlumbaan ‘Endurance’ Sepang 1000 KM (S1K) 2023, dengan matlamat mempertahankan gelaran keseluruhan yang mereka menangi pada tahun sebelumnya.
Pasukan ini akan menggunakan sebuah Toyota Vios dalam Kelas MTC, dengan Tengku Djan Ley Tengku Mahaleel dan Naquib Azlan kembali sebagai pemandu. Selain itu, dua kereta Toyota Yaris akan dimasukkan oleh pasukan peniaga Wing Hin Motorsports dalam Kelas MTC, yang akan dipandu oleh Boy Wong dan bekas pemandu Gazoo Racing Rookie Class, Amer Harris.
The Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Festival has undoubtedly cemented its reputation as the premiere one make race series in Malaysia. Over six seasons, TGR has provided fans with thrilling wheel to wheel racing where professionals, celebrities as well as amateur drivers compete to be crowned champion of the series at the end of the season.
The series requires teams to compete in a race spec Toyota Vios with all cars having the same state of tune. To level the playing field, drivers who are particularly quick are required to have weight ballasts that slow down their cars.
In the six seasons of racing, the Toyota Vios has been the mainstay of the series. Teams fork out about RM100,000 to buy a race prepared Toyota Vios and this also gives the access to two seasons of racing.
As season six draws to a close, UMW Toyota Motors took the opportunity to officially unveil next season’s race car.
Based on the latest generation Toyota Vios, the new race car shares the same concept as the old – with a stripped out interior and a six-point roll cage that not only offers safety for the driver but also adds stiffness to the car that gives it more agile handling.
Besides the roll cage, the new Vios also sports a new platform that adds further rigidity. This combined with new aerodynamic enhancements make the Vios more planted in corners, improves responsiveness and also provides faster lap times as compared to the previous generation race car.
The new Vios challenger is still powered by the same 1.5-litre engine producing 106PS and 138Nm of torque. The power figures are the same as the street car but the biggest difference is the transmission. While the road going model uses a CVT gearbox, the race car sends power to the front wheels through a 5-speed manual transmission.
The Vios also includes a new race exhaust manifold, exhaust mid-section and muffler, a limited slip differential and race tuned suspension.
Season seven of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival will continue next year and interested parties can get in touch with the management of the series at 60163673300.
The complete list of modifications to the Toyota Vios is offered in the table below:
When a father has a passion for a sport, it often gets picked up by his children too and as they grow up, they learn the skills from him and can one day also become stars. In many cases, it’s often the boys who get the father’s encouragement and support but in Eddie Lew’s case, it’s his daughter and clearly, he believes that the sport is not restricted to just males.
So at this weekend’s Season 5 opening round of the Vios Challenge one-make race series (part of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival) at the Sepang International Circuit, we have the presence of a father and daughter in the racing. It is probably the first such pair in Malaysian motorsports and while they are not racing directly against each other (in the same class) or even on the same team, perhaps one day that might happen.
Exposed to racing since 3 years old
Eddie’s daughter is Adele, 20, who’s been tagging along with him and his friends to races since she was 3 years old. “He used to compete a lot at the then Pasir Gudang Circuit (Johor Circuit), and I’ve been following him to all his races ever since, from the Malaysia Championship Series and the MSF Series to the Sepang 1000km Endurance Race,” Adele said, revealing that she started driving fun karts only last year and just managed to do it for a month before the Movement Control Order (MCO) came into force.
She is currently an undergraduate at one of the private institutions of higher learning in Kuala Lumpur and her father resides in Johor. So Adele’s training sessions have since gone online with the two spending hours communicating. “Believe me, our calls can last for hours with super long conversations on racing!” she revealed.
“When we’re together, he makes me drive a manual transmission car and we spend time on the racing simulator where he teaches me to become familiar with the many racing lines and braking points,” added Adele.
GR Young Talent Development Program
While her father, an accomplished racing veteran with a history that dates back to the early 90s, inspires her, Adele has also been given an opportunity to develop her racing skills through the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia/GR Young Talent Development Program. She is among the six young Malaysians who make up the second batch of the program. Candidates selected are between the ages of 16 and 20 who are keen to transition from karting and simulator racing to real-world saloon car racing. It is part of UMW Toyota Motor’s initiative to provide young drivers with a platform to climb the motorsports ladder, and to bring new blood into the sport.
The GR Young Talent Development Program provides intensive training just like what professional racing drivers go through. Simulator time is an important activity and top Malaysian drivers provide valuable guidance.
Adele and the other 5 rookies have undergone systematic training which covers core aspects of becoming a professional driver. From top drivers like Alex Yoong, Tengku Djan Ley and Mark Darwin, they learn racecraft and how to prepare themselves in fitness, nutrition and even psychologically. It is quite an intensive program and when they have graduated, they are given opportunities to race in the Vios Challenge and other events, as Adele will be doing this year.
“Compared to the others, I am a real beginner with limited experience and that means I have to put in twice the effort. We’ll see how things go as the season progresses, but I’d really like to get on to the podium and make my Dad proud. From several sessions on the track with the Vios racing car and being guided by several different coaches – some of whom were last year’s Rookie Class racers – I’ve learnt a lot especially in mentally preparing myself. And the car is also very easy to drive,” she said.
Not racing directly against Dad – yet
Technically, Adele will be competing in the Rookie Class (for the graduates of the program) while her father is in the Super Sporting Class for veteran and professional drivers. However, father and daughter will be in the same race as the two classes run together. So who knows – Dad might just see his daughter’s car appearing in his mirrors one day!
“This is a very special moment for the both of us. In order for me to be able to race my father shows just how long he has been in motorsport. This is going to be a whole new experience for the two of us and my dad is equally very excited. He is definitely the best mentor I could have ever hoped for to prepare for my first ever race weekend,” said Adele.
Racing fans and enthusiasts have been able to catch the weekend’s action and stage performances by local celebrities streamed live on the UMW Toyota Motor website at www.toyota.com.my and on the Toyota Malaysia and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia Facebook pages
Even before the excitement of the last round of Season 4 of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival/Vios Challenge has faded away, GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Vios racing cars are going into battle again. This time, it is not a one-make races and the team will be up against other models in the Sepang 1000KM Endurance Race (S1K) this weekend.
The annual race will also see the running of the inaugural Vios Enduro Cup for privateers and dealer teams competing in the SP2 Production Class.
GAZOO Racing Malaysia will field a two-car entry in the MTC Production Class and SP2 production class. Fighting for outright victory in the MTC Production class will be the trio of 3-time Vios Challenge Super Sporting Class champion and also GAZOO Racing Malaysia Ambassador, Tengku Djan Ley. He will be teamed up with newly-crowned Vios Challenge Rookie Class champion, 20-year old Naquib Azlan, and GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer, Akio Takeyama.
The S1K race will be the first for Naquib who, up until last year, had only been racing online behind the wheel of a simulator. He was one of six drivers recruited into the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program and later provided with the opportunity to compete in the Rookie Class for young drivers.
20-year old Naquib Azlan has shown that simulator racing provides some skills that can be used in real racing, and in the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program, those skills were developed further.
The SP2 Production Class, meanwhile, will see the combination of Vios Challenge Rookie Class drivers Mika Hakimi and Jwan Hii partnering Promotional Class driver, actor and Season 4’s first runner-up Zizan Razak. Zizan proved to be a worthy contender in this year’s Vios Challenge Promotional Class races by clinching podium finishes in all races. Being the most experienced racer amongst the SP2 Production Class team, Zizan is expected to bring his A-game and winning attitude as well as flair into the race.
The recent finale round of Season 4 of the Vios Challenge/TGR Festival was run at night, a first for the series.
Mika and Jwan finished had third and fourth overall respectively in the recently concluded Vios Challenge, and will also be making their debut in the S1K. Like Naquib, both drivers are also graduates of the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program. Mika, 17, also has a background of simulator racing while 18-year-old Jwan’s racing experience had been karting before having a chance at cars.
“The two entries in S1K are to fulfill several objectives if you look closely at the driver line-up. Yes, we will be gunning for both outright and class victories; it is also the start of expanding GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s presence in Malaysian motorsports, but the participation is also to provide a platform for new, talented and especially young drivers to race in an even more competitive environment beyond the Vios Challenge,” said Mr. Takeyama, who has also been racing in the Vio Challenge for all 4 seasons.
The Vios Enduro Cup will run concurrently with the S1K and is designed to bring the Vios Challenge race cars and its drivers beyond their traditional hunting grounds. The Cup will offer a first prize of RM10,000.00, while the second and third place winners stand to win RM8,000.00 and RM6,000.00 respectively. A cash prize of RM4,000.00 and RM2,000.00 is also up for grabs for the fourth and fifth place finishers in the race.
Unlike the short races of the Vios Challenge, the S1K is a 1,000-km race which can cover up to 181 laps and take around 9 hours. It is also held at the Sepang International Circuit. In the 11 years that the race has been held (2009 to 2019), Toyota cars have won the race twice with private entries behind the wheel of an AE86 in 2010 and a Corolla Altis in 2011.
This weekend sees the conclusion of Season 4 of the successful Vios Challenge, a one-make series which was part of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival. After the first round was held, there was a long period of lockdown which prevented subsequent rounds (and other motorsports) from being run. When the restrictions were lifted, UMW Toyota Motor wasted no time in getting the series going again, with a night race – the first ever for the series – planned for this finale round of 2 races.
After the second round, there was no clear favourites to take the titles in each of the four classes. No less than 5 contenders had a shot of becoming the overall champion in the Super Sporting Class, Sporting Class, and Promotional Class. The same applied to the Rookie Class which is for a young group of new racers from TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Young Talent Development Program.
PROMOTIONAL CLASS
The most dramatic action this time round came from the Promotional Class. Shukri Yahaya pushed hard from pole position to lead the race from start to finish, as championship contender Zizan Razak struggled to hang on to second spot after having to face increasing pressure from Khai Bahar and Akio Takeyama.
The battle was clearly between Shukri, Zizan and Takeyama, and even with 2 laps remaining, the race was far from over. It seemed like Shukri’s race but Zizan suddenly shot forward to stage a last-minute challenge and overtook Shukri 3 corners from chequered flag to win!
The victory was, however, short-lived when the officials penalized the actor for exceeding track limits during overtaking. This got him a 5-second penalty, effectively relegating him back to second place with Takeyama rounding up the top three.
“I did my best to get away from Zizan as the battle behind me took place but, in the later part of the race, I did notice him coming on even stronger. It was a good fight to the finish and it was unfortunate that there was a penalty involved, but that’s racing,” said Shukri.
Of the five women taking part in this class, Talitha Tan (in her first year with the series) was the highest place, finishing fifth, followed by Janna Nick and Wany Hasrita.
SUPER SPORTING CLASS
In the battle of the veteran drivers, Telagamas Toyota’s Freddie Ang made the most of pole position to stay ahead from the start of the race. He was followed across the finish line by Laser Motor Racing’s Mark Darwin in second spot, and Prime Pearl Auto’s Tengku Djan Ley in third.
The biggest gainer in the race was Tengku Djan who jumped from 10th on the starting grid to finish third. Despite being second quickest in qualifying, Tengku Djan was penalized and repositioned to the back of the grid due to an incident in the previous round.
“The car was fantastic at night. When we race in the afternoon, the high temperatures cause a lot of inconsistencies due to the heat and you find yourself having to manage the tyres and brakes after 10 laps. At night, the car was just perfect and I could post a lot of fast and more consistent times throughout the race,” said Ang.
For Tengku Djan, the third-place finish puts him back into contention for the overall championship after a disastrous Round 2 where he failed to finish on the podium. “We had a good car throughout the weekend and I needed to drive a clever race. I have to drive smart for the final race as I am back to 40-kg ballast which is a huge disadvantage. It’s a question of trying to make up for all the missed points in Round 2,” said Tengku Djan, also known as Malaysia’s ‘Prince of Drift’.
SPORTING CLASS
Late night drama also unfolded in the Sporting Class where 23 Motors’ Ady Rahimy who had run away with the race from pole position, finishing 12.3 seconds ahead of Dream Chaser’s Bradley Benedict Anthony and Dannies Ng in third position, was later handed a one-position penalty. That promoted Bradley as race winner and Ady had to settle for second.
“I want to thank my team for giving me the opportunity to race for them. I’m quite certain that fitness played a big part in tonight’s race; secondly, I did a lot of simulator training to prepare myself for the race. The team also put in tremendous effort to set-up the car but it was unfortunate that the contact resulted in a penalty. We will definitely try for another podium in the final race,” said 22-year old Ady.
The battle for third had no less than 5 contenders battling for a podium finish. Mirza Syahmi Mahzan of Aylezo Motorsports held on to third for the first 12 of the 20-lap race but came under tremendous pressure from Clement Yeo. Yeo did eventually overtook him but went wide on the exit of the last corner which saw him losing not only third place but dropping to fifth position.
“Racing at night is more chilly with lower temperatures and I tend to be a lot more patient and comfortable,” remarked Ng, who started from 12th position to run a calm and collected race into third position.
ROOKIE CLASS
The battle of the young blood saw 14-year old Putera Adam win the 20-lap race with a 1.3-second lead from Jwan Hii and championship contender Naquib Azlan. Driving a calm and composed race, Putera raced ahead of the pack from pole position, followed closely by Hii and Naquib as Mika Hakimi relinquished his position to enter the pit to fix a technical issue. That stop dropped him to fifth position behind Amer Harris.
“The conditions were fine at night; it was drizzling towards the end of the race and everything worked in my favour. Jwan was right behind me, but he had made a slight mistake shifting gears and that that allowed me to pull ahead,” said Putera.
With the overall season class champions still to be decided, it will all come down to the final and second race tonight. There are no clear favourites with no less than 5 contenders still with a shot of becoming the overall champion in each of the 4 classes of racing being contested.
Besides the strict health measures that are followed at the circuit, UMW Toyota Motor has also implemented additional safety measures which include allowing only critical personnel and guests to be at the event. As before, the racing will be broadcast live online for race fans in Malaysia and the rest of the world. The broadcast will be on the UMW Toyota Motor and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia websites at toyota.com.my/tgrmalaysia/, and also on the Toyota Malaysia and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia Facebook pages.
The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival (TGR) and Vios Challenge return to the Sepang International Circuit for the finale of the fourth season this weekend (November 20/21). And adding to the excitement will be all the races being run at night – the first time for the one-make series.
After the first two round (each comprising two races), there are no clear favourites to take the titles in each of the four classes. No less than 5 contenders have a shot of becoming the overall champion in the Super Sporting Class, Sporting Class, and Promotional Class. The same applies to the Rookie Class which is for a young group of new racers from TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Young Talent Development Program.
“Season 4 will be remembered as one of the most challenging due to the pandemic and this may, to some extent, have had an impact on the performances of teams and drivers. Immediately after Round 1 in February, the country was forced into a Movement Control Order (MCO) again which lasted for 8 months. This resulted in Round 2 only being able to resume last month (October) and now the finale is this weekend,” said UMW Toyota Motor President, Ravindran K.
“At the other end of the spectrum, it has also paved the way for even closer competition. No single driver has an unassailable advantage and the champions will have to be decided in the final round. This is a task made even more challenging for the drivers it is the first-ever night race for the Vios Challenge!” he added.
“UMW Toyota Motor is committed to the series and we are extremely pleased to be able to conclude the season amidst these challenging times. The success of the Vios Challenge has largely been fuelled by the support of the participating teams and drivers as well as all race fans, and I would like to convey our utmost appreciation for making it the best and most well accepted racing series in Malaysia,” Mr. Ravindran said.
Besides the strict health measures that will be followed at the circuit, UMW Toyota Motor has also implemented additional safety measures which include continuing to restrict the race to only critical personnel and guests. As before, the weekend’s activities will be broadcast live online for race fans in Malaysia and the rest of the world. The broadcasts will be on the UMW Toyota Motor and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia websites at toyota.com.my/tgrmalaysia/, and also on the Toyota Malaysia and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia Facebook pages.
The first season of the Vios Challenge, part of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival, started off in Penang in August 2017.
SUPER SPORTING CLASS
With 55 points to his tally, M7 Japan Project Team’s Syafiq Ali finds himself in the best possible position to win this season’s overall Super Sporting Class championship. “Four points is never a comfortable margin to lead a championship, especially when it will all be decided in the last two races of the season. Anyone in the top five is more than capable of winning the overall championship – that’s just how close it is this season!” said Syafiq who, despite having only one race win to his credit this season, has been the more consistent driver with 3 podium finishes in 4 races.
He will be challenged for the title by 2-time Super Sporting Class champion and race favourite Tengku Djan Ley as well as Laser Motor Racing’s Mark Darwin and teenager Hayden Haikal representing SpeedAddix. The dark horse is 23 Motors driver Mitchell Cheah; despite being a newcomer to the series, he drove to a dominant debut in Round 2 with a race victory and a second-place finish in the two races.
SPORTING CLASS
In the Sporting Class, Crestmax Motorsport’s Adam Khalid leads the overall championship with 53 points, 10 points ahead of privateer Eric Yong. In third is Clement Yeo with 36 points, followed closely by Haji Sutan Mustaffa Salihin with 33 points, and Aylezo Motorsport’s Mirza Syahmi Mahzan just 1 point behind.
Mathematically, the other 4 drivers still have shot at becoming Season 4’s Sporting Class champion so Adam is not taking anything for granted. “While it is great to be leading the championship, it will be a mistake to take things for granted when you’re in the company of the most determined racers on the grid. Qualifying well will be critical to give me a great boost in confidence leading up to the race,” he said.
PROMOTIONAL CLASS
Always the crowd-puller with its celebrities, the Promotional Class can be expected to see close fight between actors Zizan Razak and Shukri Yahaya who are separated by a single point going into the final 2 races of the season.
Zizan had taken the first two race victories in Round 1 while Shukri fought back valiantly to win the following two races in Round 2. “I have to go for the championship win this time. I need to prove to myself that I can do it,” said Shukri, who has been racing in the Vios Challenge since the first season. He has finishing second in the Promotional Class twice so he will be aiming to finally take the crown this year.
In third with 41 points is singer Khai Bahar, followed by TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer Akio Takeyama (39 points), and television host Nabil Ahmad in fifth a further 1 point behind.
ROOKIE CLASS
The battle of the Rookies has so far been dominated by simulator racer Naquib Azlan who has amassed 3 race victories from the 4 races to build a commanding lead with 74 points in the overall championship. Second with 59 points is 17-year-old Amer Harris, followed closely by another simulator racer Mika Hakimi on 54 points, while in fourth and fifth are Jwan Hii and Putera Adam with 35 and 20 points, respectively.
The GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program helps to bring newcomers to the sport and trains them with the necessary skills for racing.
“The Rookie Class has been the most highly anticipated this season given their reputation as newcomers in racing but all 5 drivers have produced some surprising results which underlines the credibility and success of the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program,” said Mr. Takeyama.
TGR in Sepang 1000KM Race (S1K)
Within days of this weekend’s Vios Challenge finale, Toyota GAZOO Racing Malaysia will also be joining the annual Sepang 1000KM race. The 1000-km race is expected to take 9 hours and cover 181 laps of the Sepang International Circuit.
The entries will include two cars in the MTC Production Class and SP2 production class, in addition to concurrently running the very first Vios Enduro Cup for privateers and dealer teams competing in the SP2 Production Class.
Fighting for outright victory in the MTC Production class will be the trio of Tengku Djan Ley who is also TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Ambassador, Rookie Class driver Naquib and Mr. Takeyama. The SP2 Production Class will see Rookie Class drivers Jwan and Mika partnering our very own Promotional Class driver and actor Zizan Razak.
“This will be a great way of completing this year’s racing calendar. Of course, winning the MTC Production Class will certainly be the icing on the cake! We will certainly be gunning for overall victory but we will be equally happy to finish competitively at the very top,” said Mr. Takeyama. “Joining a prestigious national series event like the S1K is also the start of extending TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s presence in Malaysian motorsports.”
In the 11 years that the S1K race has been held since 2009 to 2019, Toyota has won the race twice with private entries, both of whom used the Corolla model.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many things in our lives but mankind has survived for so long by adapting to changes and moving on. This has been the case in motorsports, in Malaysia as well as in other countries; to continue to have such activities requires change, at least in the short-term. The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) Festival had to change for its fourth season this year, with the most significant difference from the past three seasons being that there could not be the huge crowds attending.
With this change, the organisers moved the action online with a livestream over two days to bring the action to fans not just around Malaysia but also globally as the internet is accessible from virtually anywhere on the planet. According to a GAZOO Racing Malaysia official, there were more than 2 million viewers online – certainly way bigger than any audience that a single round has had.
“On track especially, the suspense and quality of racing in the Vios Challenge has not diminished, in fact amplified even more, despite a one-year break. Brand affinity for GAZOO Racing has grown tremendously over three seasons of organizing what is today recognized as Malaysia’s premier motor-racing series, and I would like to thank all our GAZOO Racing fans and online viewers for their continued support, even in the absence of an on-ground festival,” said UMW Toyota Motor’s President, Ravindran K.
“Looking ahead to the following rounds, we hope to bring spectators back to the festival and enhance our live broadcast reach in line with our mission to bring motorsports to the masses,” he added. “One of the biggest challenges has been to organize the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival while doing our utmost best to retain the same level of energy and excitement it has been known for over the past three seasons. Yes, there are many limitations considering we are now in the recovery stages of a post COVID-19 pandemic era, but we are nevertheless grateful that motorsports activities can continue despite stricter standard operating procedures.”
SUPER SPORTING CLASS
The drama and outcome in the Super Sporting Class was again a repeat of yesterday’s first race victory for Tengku Djan Ley who ended the race weekend with a double race win. Starting from sixth position on the grid, Tengku Djan again played a waiting game before mounting an 11th hour assault for the race win, finishing ahead of Season 2’s Super Sporting Class champion, Boy Wong, who returns to the podium after a long absence, and Laser Motor Racing’s Mark Darwin who rounded up the top three positions.
The lead in the 20-lap race exchanged hands several times with Mark Darwin emerging the top contender in the opening laps of the race. His lead of almost 3 seconds however, evaporated when the Safety Car came out and at the restart, faced the onslaught of challenge from Boy and M7 Japan Project Team’s Syafiq Ali. Tengku Djan’s assault came in the 15th lap and he gradually extended his lead to 3.5 seconds by the time he took the chequered flag.
“In dry weather conditions, everyone was quick and I basically capitalized on the situation out on the track and made full use of it,” said Tengku Djan, well known for his drifting skills as well. “Racing is very much weather dependent, and there are so many variables at play such as the tyres. It’s a long 20-lap race and you have to be able to manage your tyres and car, knowing when to push and when to hold back. Maybe I just managed to do a better job of this.”
ROOKIE CLASS
Naquib Azlan showed that yesterday’s win was no fluke and that he has The Right Stuff. He was victorious again today ahead of Jwan Hii and Amer Harris who makes his second appearance on the podium.
The fight for the lead again exchanged hands several times during the 20-lap race with all three drivers, including Mika Hakimi in contention for victory. “At one moment, I was down to last position and I had to climb my way back up with a damaged car so I really didn’t know what to expect. I just kept my head down, kept my cool,” said 20-year-old Naquib who has actually driven thousands of laps at Sepang – on a simulator.
“Yesterday was really unpredictable with the wet race, and it boiled down to instinctive driving. What I never expected was the high degree of racecraft demonstrated by the Super Sporting Class drivers who were very aggressive, but it gave us a lot of knowledge going into further races in the season,” he said.
“Sim racing helps me prepare before coming to a racetrack and with experienced trainers and a data engineer helping us out in the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program, I have learnt more about my driving…I want to learn more and proceed further,” Naquib added.
For Jwan, the dry conditions were well-suited to his driving preference. “I’m more comfortable in the dry,” said the 18-year-old. “It’s been quite a journey for me coming from karts to saloon car racing. Personally, I feel that the simulator sessions have had a huge impact in terms of racecraft and consistency.”
SPORTING CLASS
Racing to only his second win in the Sporting Class since joining last season was Haji Sutan Mustaffa Salihin had a flawless start which kept him at the front for the 20-lap race. By the time the chequered flag appeared, he was a comfortable 4.4 seconds ahead of Eric Yong and Adam Khalid who finished second and third, respectively.
“I’m actually speechless because we struggled since the practice session on Friday to get the most ideal set-up for the car. And when we finally found a set-up we were comfortable with, the rain started and unfortunately, I had to race in the wet conditions, forcing me to make a strategic decision to play it safe and get the car to the finish to try for a better result for Race 2 with the reverse grid format that would see starting at the front of the starting grid,” said Haji Sutan.
“My strength has always been with my start and the ability to get a strong launch as we head into the first corner. I managed to do this as planned and from then onwards, it was a matter of being precise and consistent throughout the race,” he revealed.
Preparing for Season 4, Sutan made a conscious effort to enhance on fitness stamina and strength. “With the Movement Control Order, I weighed in at 80 kgs and that can be a big disadvantage for me, especially competing in a class with a lot of younger drivers. I told myself I needed to do something and I began exercising and controlling my diet. I managed to reduce my weight by 15 kgs, and that has been a huge motivational push for me,” said the 49-year old veteran racer.
PROMOTIONAL CLASS
The battle of celebrities in the Promotional Class saw actor-comedian Zizan Razak winning again, certainly impressive for a newcomer to the series. He finished the 18-lap race with an unassailable 8-second gap over second place winner singer Khai Bahar and fellow Vios Challenge newcomer TV presenter, Ahirene Ahirudin.
“I expected stiff competition from the very beginning, especially from the likes of Shukri Yahaya and Nabil Ahmad. I knew they were going to be fast because they have the experience of competing in previous seasons but what I can say is my experience so far has been exciting,” Zizan said.
GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsport Officer, Akio Takeyama (left), with Zizan Razak and Shirene Ahirudin (right), the two newcomers who have made a very good impression in their debut races in the Promotional Class.
Commenting on his third season competing in the Vios Challenge, Nabil said his journey so far has indeed been a fulfilling one. “I’ve learnt a lot from my very first race when I tried to beat actress Diana Danielle [who is not among the participants this year]. Back then, I had a hard time controlling my ego which was to not lose to a lady driver. But racing has taught me that it is not all about winning but more importantly, the skill and commitment which helps you to evolve into a better racer,” Nabil explained.
“In the process, I believe we have all also learnt to become more patient drivers on the road,” he said Nabil after leading the race today but then dropping all the way back to 10th position after a racing incident involving Shukri.
The range of high-performance Toyota GR models – GR Supra, GR Yaris and Yaris GR-Sport – led the racing cars of the Vios Challenge in a Drive of Honour around the Sepang International Circuit.
The next rounds
After this weekend’s first round, the second Round will be held from July 16 – 18, also at the SIC, while the third and final rounds will be from September 24 – 26. The use of SIC is probably in case there are limitations to the number of spectators, or if the races must still only be run without spectators. By September, perhaps things will be better and a custom street circuit can be used, as with previous seasons. Each round has 2 races with individual round prize money, and with points being scored as a championship series.
Season 4 of the TGR Festival will also see the introduction of the GR Vios Sprint Cup and GR Enduro Cup (an endurance race). The former will consist of 2 rounds with 2 races each, and the latter will be run in conjunction with the annual Sepang 1000km Endurance Race. The 2 Sprint Cup rounds will be in March and May, while the Enduro Cup will be in November.
These additional events are independent of the Vios Challenge series and intended to provide drivers and teams with more racing activities to use their cars, and the opportunity to win additional prizes.
Both the Vios Sprint Cup and Enduro Cup will retain the format of a one-make race, and only cars used in the Vios Challenge will be eligible. The races, however, will only be run as one single open class and drivers competing in the Vios Challenge. Teams meanwhile, are also not confined to competing with their regular driver/s signed up in the Vios Challenge and are free to field new drivers for both events (but they must have the requisite competition licence).
Launched just under a month ago, response to the new Toyota GR Yaris and Vios GR-Sport (GR-S) have been exceptionally positive and strong, with orders exceeding expectations.
The response to the GR Yaris isn’t surprising, though, and mirrors the situation in some other markets where it has gone on sale. Toyota will produce only 25,000 units of the GR Yaris for worldwide sale and approximately 200 have been allocated for the Malaysian market. Apart from having specifications that give it high performance, the hatchback model is a ‘Homologation Special’ which makes it immediately ready for use in any international FIA-sanctioned motorsport competition. Of course, regulations would require appropriate safety equipment to also be installed.
Racing car for daily use
The Vios GR-S is the latest variant in the Vios range with performance-oriented features and suspension tuning. It has been developed exclusively for the Malaysian market and offers a racing car character with comfort for the daily drive.
The GR Yaris, priced from RM286,896 and the Vios GR-S, priced from RM95,284 (both prices excluding insurance and with sales tax exemption), are available only at authorized Toyota dealerships with the GR Garage. These dealerships also offer the GR Supra, GR items for enhancing the appearance and performance of Toyota models, as well as aftersales support.
“We are delighted by the response to the new GR models although this has also been the same in other markets for the GR Yaris. The model is competition-ready as it has been developed from the start to meet international FIA regulations, so all an owner really needs to do is install the required safety equipment and he or she is ready to go racing! As the car is road-legal, those who do not use it for motorsport can still enjoy the high performance provided by the 261 hp 1.6-litre turbo unit which is currently the lightest and smallest engine in production,” said Akio Takeyama, UMW Toyota Motor’s Deputy Chairman and Gazoo Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer.
Performance Package with GR Yaris
For the Malaysian market, the GR Yaris will come with a standard Performance Pack as well. Additionally, UMW Toyota Motor is offering an ‘Early Bird Package’ (limited to the first 65 bookings) which consists of an exclusive helmet bag, a GR Yaris scale model and participation in a GR Yaris Driving Experience in 2021 to learn to enjoy the GR Yaris to the fullest.
“While 2020 has been a challenging and difficult year, we are happy to be providing some excitement in the Malaysian market as a prelude to a better year ahead. Our Toyota line-up has been broadened with additional models and variants to meet every type of requirement. As always, we offer the best value for money and we also make it easier to purchase a new Toyota with a choice of financing schemes,” said Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor.
From just a weekend motor carnival and a one-make series with the Toyota Vios, the Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival (TGR Festival) has continued to grow since starting in 2017. The one-make series, known as the Vios Challenge, has been a regular highlight of the TGR Festival which has taken place in different parts of Peninsular Malaysia.
This year, as with other international motorsports events, there was disruption due to the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the Movement Control Order (MCO) in Malaysia, the fourth and final round scheduled in mid-April at the Sepang International Circuit had to be cancelled. Nevertheless, UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) had alternative motorsport-related activities online as well as the Toyota GR Velocity eSports Championship which had also started in 2018.
Hopefully, the ‘dark period’ is behind us and we can look forward to a new year with less restrictions. UMWT is certainly optimistic about 2021 and has prepared a calendar of events for Season 4 of the TGR Festival. To start next month, the event takes on a new format that offers racers three racing series with a total of 11 races and combined prize money amounting to RM420,000.
“Three individual racing events will spearhead the GAZOO Racing (GR) presence in Malaysian motorsports. GAZOO Racing is the umbrella for all of Toyota’s motor-racing activities globally, and after 3 seasons of successfully organizing the Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival, 2021 will cement an even greater commitment from Toyota to contribute to the development of motorsports in Malaysia,” said UMW Toyota Motor Deputy Chairman and GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer, Akio Takeyama.
GR Vios Challenge
The Vios Challenge retains its one-make format with specially prepared Vios sedans, all having identical specifications and performance levels. The idea behind such a series is that while the car must have good performance, driver skill will also be very important. This makes for close racing which is what spectators want to see.
Malaysia has a long history of motor racing so there are already many drivers of varying levels of skill, as well as newcomers who want to enter the sport. For this reason, the Vios Challenge has 4 classes so that the newcomers and those with limited racing experience can still have a chance at winning races and gaining encouragement. For the skilled drivers, there is the Super Sporting Class, while the Sporting Class is for amateurs and newcomers.
Some of the celebrity racers have raced in earlier seasons, and some are new. All have received training prior to the events to familiarise themselves with the cars as well as learn racing techniques.
Then there is the popular Promotional Class for celebrities and this is a big draw as the celebrities have their fans who follow them around the country to the different venues. In the Promotional Class, some of the ‘old-timers’ from the previous seasons are racing again – Shukri Yahaya, Janna Nick, Nabil Ahmad, Wany Hasrita, Nabila Razali and Khai Bahar.
Janna Nick (left) and Akio Takeyama (right), two of the celebrity racers, have taken part in all 3 seasons to date.
The three newcomers to the Vios Challenge Promotional Class – (from left) Talitha Tan, Zizan Razak and Ahirine Ahirudin.
They will be joined by three newcomers – actor Zizan Razak, singer/songwriter Talitha Tan and television personality Ahirine Ahirudin. Zizan and Ahirene have competition experience, though Ahirine’s has been on 2 wheels. She has done superbike racing and also does pretty well on a motocross bike. And being a reservist in the Royal Malaysian Navy, she would also be quite fit (she also does triathlons). Talitha also does motocrossing, so we can expect these three newcomers to give the others a good challenge. Incidentally, Mr. Takeyama is also racing in the Promotional Class, and has done so for all 3 seasons.
To further its aim of helping promote and develop motorsports, there is also a new Rookie Class for young drivers. This new class will see 6 drivers who are graduates of the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program offered by UMWT.
The 6 rookies are now undergoing training not only in driving but also fitness, just like professional racing drivers.
Training program for rookies
The program is first of its kind to be introduced by any Malaysian car company. It has identified 6 drivers to train and develop. They all have a background in karting and/or sim-racing and are now undergoing training from experienced instructors. The training is not just for driving but also many different aspects which a professional driver should be good at, including fitness training.
The 6 drivers are Mika Hakimi (17), Naquib Azlan (20), Amer Harris (17), Jwan Hii (18), Putera Adam (14) and Troy Eimann (16). Though they may already be top-notch sim racers or karters, this will be the first time they are racing on the track in real life, and they will use the Vios racing cars supplied by UMWT.
The opening round of the Vios Challenge will be held at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) from January 28 – 30. Round 2 will be held from July 16 – 18, also at the SIC, while the third and final rounds will be from September 24 – 26. The use of SIC is probably in case there are limitations to the number of spectators, or if the races can only be run without spectators (as was the case with most of the F1 rounds this year). By September, perhaps things will be better and a custom street circuit can be used, as with previous seasons. Each round will have 2 races with individual round prize money, and with points being scored as a championship series.
Most of the races will be held at the Sepang International Circuit.
GR Vios Sprint Cup & Enduro Cup
Season 4 of the TGR Festival will also see the introduction of the GR Vios Sprint Cup and GR Enduro Cup (an endurance race). The former will consist of 2 rounds with 2 races each, and the latter will be run in conjunction with the annual Sepang 1000km Endurance Race. The 2 Sprint Cup rounds will be in March and May, while the Enduro Cup will be in November.
The cars eligible for the two additional events – the Vios Sprint Cup and Enduro Cup – will be those already used in the Vios Challenge.
These additional events are independent of the Vios Challenge series and intended to provide drivers and teams with more racing activities to use their cars, and the opportunity to win additional prizes.
Both the Vios Sprint Cup and Enduro Cup will retain the format of a one-make race, and only cars used in the Vios Challenge will be eligible. The races, however, will only be run as one single open class and drivers competing in the Vios Challenge. Teams meanwhile, are also not confined to competing with their regular driver/s signed up in the Vios Challenge and are free to field new drivers for both events (but they must have the requisite competition licence).
