Toyota Gazoo Racing Malaysia Archives

UMW Toyota Motor starts GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program

When UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) started the Toyota Vios Challenge One-Make series, one of the aims was to bring new blood into the racing scene, especially at grassroots level. Now, after three successful seasons, the company is introducing the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program. This is aimed at identifying and nurturing young Malaysian racing talent transitioning from karting and sim-racing to saloon car racing.

“One of the principal achievements of the Toyota Vios Challenge has been its ability to not only attract young racers but giving them an equal opportunity to excel competing alongside more experienced racers,” said Akio Takeyama, GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer, and Deputy Chairman of UMWT.

GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program — *The six recruits for the program with GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer, A. Takeyama (right) and Ravindran K., President of UMWT (left)*.

Young newcomers joining racing series
“In three seasons of the Toyota Vios Challenge, we have noticed a stream of young drivers making their way into the series. Affordability and cost of participation has certainly played a significant part in this but its one-make race format has also provided young drivers as well as newcomers with a fair and level playing field in terms of racing as they compete against more experienced drivers. This and the combination of having to drive in a super competitive environment has resulted in an accelerated learning curve,” said Mr. Takeyama, who also participates in the series.

“The success of the series in nurturing young talent could not have been better validated than with the crowning of 16-year-old Hayden Haikal as the Sporting Class champion in Season 3 with another teenage driver, 18-year-old Bradley Benedict Anthony clinching second place overall in what was only his first year of saloon car racing, both of whom were karters making the transition up to saloon car racing,” he said.

Mr. Takeyama said the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program underlined Toyota’s continued investment and commitment towards the development of Malaysian motorsports.

*The racers will undergo intensive training at the GAZOO Racing School using the race-prepared Toyota Vios model.*

Transition from sim racing and karting
The programme, for those between the ages of 14 and 20, has identified 6 young racers, based on their karting and sim-racing accomplishments, overall performance and level of commitment. They will be coached before being provided with the opportunity to compete in Season 4 of the Toyota Vios Challenge series.

They are sim racers Mika Hakimi (17) and Naquib Azlan (20), and karters Amer Harris (17), Jwan Hii (18), Putera Adam (14) and Troy Eimann (16).

The racers will undergo intensive training both on and off the track under the close guidance of instructors at the GAZOO Racing School beginning this month. They must satisfy a number of criteria before being certified competent to race. As with all racing drivers, they must also fulfil all conditions for the issuance of a national competition license (for circuit racing) by Malaysia’s motorsports-governing body, the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM).

Toyota GR Velocity Championship — *UMWT has been supporting eSports with a championship series that is in its third season this year.*

*The Vios Challenge, which has completed three seasons, has seen a stream of young new racers coming into motorsport.*

Toyota’s growing presence in motorsports
GAZOO Racing and Toyota’s growing presence in Malaysian motorsports has collaboratively helped to develop both the sport and brand as more dynamic, vibrant, emotive and exhilarating entities.

“The commitment from the onset had been to establish an even bigger footprint in Malaysian motorsports and to be in the position to give Malaysian motorsports a further boost. In 3 seasons, we have been able to make an impactful difference by establishing a series that ran on purpose-built street tracks instead of at traditional racing circuits. That successfully attracted not only first-time competitors but also amateur and professional racers to the series. With Season 4, we intend to take this one step further by providing young racers with a gateway into the higher levels of motor racing,” said Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor.

Season 3 of Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship to run throughout September

Winners of Toyota Vios Challenge Season 3 confirmed after decision to conclude series after 3 rounds

The COVID-19 pandemic and Movement Control Order (MCO) in Malaysia brought many activities to a standstill and this including the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival and Toyota Vios Challenge which had been scheduled for the weekend of April 17 – 19 at the Sepang International Circuit. As the government indicated that public activities and gatherings should not be held till at least the end of the year, the organizers, UMW Toyota Motor have had no choice but to conclude the season after three of the four rounds were run.

Season 3 champions
With this decision, the three champions of Season 3 are Tengku Djan Ley Tengku Mahaleel as overall champion of the Super Sporting class for professional drivers; Hayden Haikal takes the crown for winning the Sporting class for amateur drivers; and musician and TV personality Shawn Lee topped the list of celebrity racers in the Promotional class.

This is Tengku Djan’s second title after being champion in the first season of the Toyota Vios Challenge. He took a break from racing to assume responsibility as Team Manager in Season 2. Driving for Team 23 Motors, Tengku Djan finished the third season 11 points ahead of runner-up Mark Darwin of Laser Motor Racing, with Telagamas Toyota’s Freddie Ang a further 14 points behind.

“The season has been nothing short of intense from start to finish. Competing in a one-make series where you are essentially limited to only your driving skills, there’s only so much you can do in the company of so many experienced and talented elite drivers on the grid and I am fortunate enough to have finished every race consistently in the points,” said Tengku Djan, who won two of the season’s six races.

He added: “The Toyota Vios Challenge has been an incredibly rewarding series for drivers as much as it is a tough proving ground because not only are you driving on a street circuit which requires you to be extremely precise, but everyone competes on a level playing field by driving identical race machines. It builds character, confidence, accelerates a driver’s learning curve and teaches drivers to become more technical and tactical by making minute changes to the car’s set-up with the hope of gaining some advantage.”

16-year-old Hayden Haikal, the youngest ever individual to win a race in the Toyota Vios Challenge, joined the series in Season 2 and at 15 then, was the youngest rookie driver to compete in the series as he transitioned from karting to saloon car racing. Not only was the teenager forced into a steep learning curve (having to learn how to manually change gears and to assimilate himself with the dynamics of a saloon car), but he unexpectedly improved and excelled with every race. Hayden’s track record in Season 3 included two race victories for S&D Motorsports, allowing him to end his campaign ahead of another teenage driver, Bradley Benedict Anthony (Dream Chaser team) who was 12 points behind.

Looking back on his two seasons, he added that his participation in the series was timely given his move from karting and that the Toyota Vios Challenge not only provided a level playing field for first time racers, but was also cost effective. “In the end, the series addressed what mattered most to my parents and I and that was to enhance my racing skills and it wasn’t about how much money one can afford to spend on the cars we compete in,” said Hayden.

Toyota Vios Challenge Season 3 celebrities — *The celebrity racers in Season 3 included Akio Takeyama (third from right), Chief Motorsports Officer of Toyota GAZOO Racing Malaysia and also Deputy Chairman of UMW Toyota Motor.*

Meanwhile, also claiming his second overall championship win in the Promotional class, Shawn Lee clearly demonstrated a more composed and confident drive throughout the season. Lee had been crowned Promotional class champion in season 1 and was promoted to race the following season in the more competitive Sporting class. Returning to the Promotional class in Season 3, he drove to three race wins and clearly emerged as the most dominant driver on the grid. Finishing second overall was actor Shukri Yahaya, 15 points adrift, while in third was TV personality Nabil Ahmad.

Season 3 of the street racing series had started off in Kuala Terengganu last September before moving to Bandar Malaysia (the old TUDM airbase in Kuala Lumpur) in November, and Batu Kawan in Penang in February this year.

“It is certainly not the most ideal way to conclude what has traditionally been a closely-contested championship. Like the previous two seasons, the Toyota Vios Challenge is unique in that as a one-make series, emphasis has always been on a level playing field, driving skills and experience which ultimately resulted in no clear winner emerging until the very last race. Season 3 had again demonstrated this spirit of competition, but inevitably the final race must yield to an even greater agenda which is to place national interest and public safety ahead of all other matters,” said Akio Takeyama, Chief Motorsports Officer of Toyota Gazoo Racing Malaysia.

Mr. Takeyama, who is also Deputy Chairman of UMW Toyota Motor, said the final results were made after careful deliberation in adherence to and consistent with all provisions underlined by the technical and sporting regulations of the championship, and in discussion with the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM), Malaysia’s governing body for motorsports. The decision was also consistent with the best practices of other international motorsports events.

Looking ahead
Moving forward, Mr. Takeyama revealed that the company is currently in the advanced stages of preparing for an even more exciting fourth season of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival and Toyota Vios Challenge.

“Season 4 will be an entirely different experience, offering racers, teams and participating dealers not only an enhanced racing format but also prize and reward structure. Without revealing too much too soon, I would also like to announce that the Toyota Gazoo Racing spirit will extend beyond the Toyota Vios Challenge and provide racers with additional racing programs to compete in. Another element we are closely looking into is talent development and expansion of TGR e-Racing.”

Toyota eSports — *The TGR program of activities in Malaysia will give more attention to eSports.*

Summing up the season, President of UMW Toyota Motor, Ravindran K. said that the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival and Toyota Vios Challenge has grown from strength to strength to fulfill the company’s three key objectives: to bring motorsports and Toyota’s racing spirit to the masses; to elevate Malaysian motorsports by introducing the concept of racing on street circuits; and successfully demonstrating the performance, reliability and durability of its vehicle to perform under extreme conditions.

“It has been a monumental task, but one that has been well worth the effort and an initiative we intend on pursuing further. I would like to convey our highest appreciation to all the participating teams, drivers, dealers, fans, spectators, sponsors and officials who have been instrumental in making this Series a success,” said Mr. Ravindran.

“Our decision to venture into motorsports was with the intent of injecting greater excitement into Malaysian motor-racing and in three season, we have not only successfully established a one-make series offering a greater level playing field and is much more affordable and accessible to the masses, but also contributed to the development of new, young and talented drivers.”

Vios Challenge delivers masterclass racing in Penang

MOTORSPORTS – Day 1: Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival & Vios Challenge Season 3, Rd. 2 (w/VIDEO)

One of the unique things about the Toyota Vios Challenge, part of the Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival that is now in its third season, is the fact that each track has been brand new and created just for the races (with the exception of the Sepang International Circuit used for the final round of Season 2). In fact, once the event is over, the track vanishes and the area reverts to what is usually a large carpark.

For the second round of Season 3, the uniqueness went up one notch as the location chosen was Bandar Malaysia, formerly an airbase of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (TUDM) and before that, an international airport between 1952 and 1965, after which Subang airport replaced it. Motor vehicles would certainly have been driven on its runway but there were no races ever held – until this weekend.

Following the official departure of the TUDM from the airbase in March 2018, construction work has been underway to develop Bandar Malaysia (above). The circuit created this weekend on the runway (below) is unique and will be available just for this one time.

The runway that aircraft – which includes Malaysia’s first fighter jets like the Tebuan and Sabre – landed on was 1,199 metres long and on this runway, the event organisers created a track that is 1.96 kms long with two long straights (the longest being 600 metres). This track is one of the fastest and longest ever constructed for the series. Thus the stage was set for the fastest street racing action so far, presenting a new challenge of higher speeds than usual (140 – 150 km/h).

“I like the track because it is high speed and very wide. The long straight is awesome and I love the chicane. It’s both about being gutsy and a test of your skill in controlling the car,” said Dato’ Ken Foo, a competitor in the Sporting Class. “While the track is wider, overtaking will still not be easy because we are all driving identical cars. It’s about how you pace yourself the entire race, managing you speeds into and out of the corners, and looking at the opportunities. The weather will also make a lot of difference in the race, especially with the changing surface conditions from tarmac to concrete.”

SPORTING CLASS
In the Sporting Class for amateur drivers, S&D Tama Motorsports’ Tom Goh (Car 33 in the picture below) raced to his first victory of the season ahead of Crestmax Motorsports’ Adam Khalid in second place, in an incident-riddled 20-lap race which saw the Safety car coming out twice and leading the cars around. In third place was 15-year-old Hayden Haikal.

23 Motors’ Mirza Syahmi Mahzan led opening stages of the race from pole position but his race weekend was severely ruined by a 15-second penalty for a start infringement subsequently followed by a retirement. Three laps into the race, Saksama Motorsports’ Ricky Tan was too wide going into a left-hander and collided with the concrete barrier ending his race early. When the Safety Car peeled off the track 3 laps later, it didn’t take more than a few corners to bring it right back out due to a second collision between Distinctive Model’s Clement Yeo and Panglima City Racing Team’s Kenneth Koh.

“After Mirza’s crash, it was pretty much a race on my own at the front. I was however, trying to play it safe because the level of grip on the track was completely different during the race to what we had initially set-up the car for (wet conditions) during the unofficial practice session,” said Tom.

For Adam, second place was a solid finish considering he started fifth on the grid and missed out on scoring any championship points due to a badly damaged car in the opening round of Season 3 in Kuala Terengganu in September. “This is literally my first race weekend considering I was unable to compete in Kuala Terengganu after an incident during qualifying. It’s a great result for me!” he said.

TGR — *The Safety Car (below) was kept busy as accidents occurred in all the races and some of the cars returned to the pits on tow trucks, with body parts needing replacement.*

SUPER SPORTING CLASS
The pros delivered a sterling drive as expected in the Super Sporting Class with 23 Motors’ Tengku Djan Ley storming to victory from pole position in his black Vios (shown below). He would finish the 20-lap battle just 2 seconds ahead of Laser Motor Racing’s Mark Darwin and Telegamas Toyota’s Freddie Ang in third place.

Tengku Djan and Mark set a blistering pace and were locked in a private duel at the front. ”My car felt good throughout the whole race and I could keep a consistent pace. I saw the lead stretching so I just maintained my focus to retain a comfortable gap to the finish. The track in Bandar Malaysia is wide and it allows you to take many different lines of attack into the corners and that builds for closer racing which is good,” said Tengku Djan.

While drivers endured a wet track on the first day of unofficial practice, today’s race was run in perfectly good dry (and very hot) weather which made it difficult for racing crews to find the most ideal set-up for the cars.

“This is the best track we’ve been able to race in the championship. There are slow corners and also high-speed corners which really reward drivers who commit. It is also about how well you can set up the car. So it doesn’t just boil down to the driver but you’re talking about an entire package in order to excel,” said Mark.

“Frankly speaking, I prefer it to be a wet race tomorrow. In rain, anything can happen. You can be the fastest but all it takes is one mistake and you’re out. It’ll be quite exciting and I certainly hope it rains tomorrow,” added Mark.

PROMOTIONAL CLASS
This class for celebrities has always been a big crowd-puller, especially fans who have followed celebrities like Janna Nick, Diana Danielle and Shukri Yahaya. Starting with the same experience – which was none – as all the other 35 competitors in the Vios Challenge, beat-boxer Shawn Lee made a textbook start from pole position to win the 20-lap race ahead of actor Shukri Yahaya and presenter Nabil Ahmad who finished third.

Shawn drove almost unopposed as the top 3 drivers broke away from the rest of the pack early in the race. It wasn’t that their cars had more power but their personal driving skills gave them an advantage. “I really love this track. It’s really high speed,” said Shawn, who crossed the finish line 2.2 seconds ahead of Shukri. Finishing fourth and fifth were actress Diana Danielle and singer Khai Bahar.

The battle for sixth and seventh positions was also intense between singers Wany Hasrita and Nabila Razali, and it lasted for a good 16 laps before Nabila managed to successfully overtake. “Today was a very difficult day for me but thankfully, I managed to overcome these challenges. I love the track but I must admit that it is very tricky,” said Nabila.

The race was not without incident as, in the 10^th lap, actor Syafiq Kyle crashed into the wall. For model Ain Edruce, finishing eighth was a consolation considering she started tenth on the grid after running into the wall during the qualifying session.

tgr — *Street circuits allow spectators to be closer to the track and get a more vivid experience of the racing.*

Race 2 of the three classes will run tomorrow with the top six finishers today lining up on the starting grid in reverse order. So Tom Goh and Tengku Djan Ley will be starting from the back and have to fight their way through the pack.

Visit Toyota GAZOO Racing Malaysia for updates on the event.

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