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:
With the last race of the third season cancelled due to restrictions of the Movement Control Order, the Toyota Vios Challenge came to an early end. As 75% of the 8-round event had been run, this fulfilled the criteria consistent with best practices of other international motorsport events and in adherence to provisions stated in the technical and sporting regulations of the event.
Most lucrative race series
The Vios Challenge, part of the Toyota GAZOO Racing (TGR) Festival, has established itself as the most lucrative race series with more than half a million ringgit in total prize money so far. It is the only racing event in Malaysia to offer a challenging street circuit. While providing close competition for the experienced racers, it has also seen new blood coming into the sport.
One of the rounds of the third season of the TGR Toyota Vios Challenge.
Open to individuals, teams and Toyota dealers, the playing field is levelled as only 1.5-litre Toyota Vios cars qualify. These were cars prepared for racing with identical specifications that participants purchased. They received only parts that slightly increased performance and of course, were fitted with the required safety equipment in accordance with international motorsport regulations.
The Vios Challenge was therefore not about who could make the car more powerful or handle better – usually at extra cost – to get an advantage. It was more about driver skill and because the cars had identical engine outputs, the racing was close, which is what spectators like to see.
Participants use racing cars with identical engine performance, so it is more about driver skill.
“As a one-make series, the Toyota Vios Challenge is built on the foundation of providing competitors with a level playing field with emphasis on driving skills and experience. This series is not only engineered to make motor racing more affordable for individuals and teams, but to make the races very closely contested for the benefit of spectators,” said Akio Takeyama, Toyota GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer and also Deputy Chairman of UMW Toyota Motor.
“The 6 races held in Season 3 were no exception and, despite the Series being abruptly cut short [due to the pandemic], I would like to congratulate every single driver who demonstrated a high level of competitiveness, racing skills and sportsmanship,” he said.
One of the venues of the third season was unique – the old TUDM airbase (now Bandar Malaysia) in Kuala Lumpur.
The champions of the third season
For the third and final round, the total prize money of RM360,000 was presented to the overall champions of the event. Tengku Djan Ley Tengku Mahaleel was the overall champion of the Super Sporting class for professional drivers – his second successive title – while 16-year-old Hayden Haikal – the youngest ever competitor in the series – was the overall champion in the Sporting class for amateur drivers. Each driver took RM100,000 for their fine performance.
Overall winners of the Sporting Class with Tengku Dhan in the middle. Presenting the prizes were Akio Takeyama, TGR Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer (left) and Mohd Shamsor Mohd Zain, Director of Marketing (right).
Mark Darwin of Laser Motor Racing and Freddie Ang of Telagamas Toyota finished the series in second and third places, respectively, in the Super Sporting Class. Another teenager, 18-year-old Bradley Benedict Anthony, drove to an impressive debut in the series to finish ahead of third place winner Haji Sutan Mustaffa, both winning RM50,000 and RM30,000, respectively.
16-year-old Hayden Haikal – the youngest ever competitor in the series – was overall champion in the Sporting class.
In the Promotional Class for celebrity racers, musician and TV personality Shawn Lee had 3 wins over the season and was clearly the most dominant driver as he too secured his second ever overall championship in three seasons of competing. He finished ahead of actor Shukri Yahaya and TV personality Nabil Ahmad who came in third overall.
Champion Shawn Lee (centre) and the other two overall winners in the Promotional Class.
“Toyota GAZOO Racing, via the Toyota Vios Challenge, remains committed to underlining the company’s three key objectives: to contribute towards elevating Malaysian motorsports with the introduction of an affordable and competitive one-make series; bringing motorsports to the masses by pioneering the concept of racing on street circuits; and successfully demonstrating the performance, reliability and durability of its vehicle to perform under extreme conditions,” said UMW Toyota Motor’s President, Ravindran K.
“We’ll be back…”
Mr. Takeyama added that TGR Malaysia is now planning for a fourth season, while watching the improving situation regarding the pandemic. “We will be back bigger than before,” he promised.
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.
Tengku Djan Ley
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.
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.”
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.”
The Toyota Vios Challenge, part of the Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival (TGR Festival) that is now in its third season, has drawn newcomers to motor racing, achieving one of its objectives. The newcomers include mechanical engineering undergraduate Mirza Syahmi Mahzan who joins the series for the first time this season. Participating in the racing series provides valuable hands-on experience and exposure and is therefore making the most of this opportunity to develop his racecraft, both as a driver and a profession.
“On the track, it teaches me how to control a vehicle develop my driving skills. Off track, I learn more about setting-up a vehicle and this is line with the field that I am studying. I hope to be able apply what I learn in college in racing and hopefully turn this into a career. And the only way to do this is both seat time in the car and getting my hands dirty working on the car,” said Mirza Syahmi, who is 23 years old.
From gymkhanas to circuit racing
An automotive and motorsports enthusiast, his interest began with competing in gymkhana events using his daily car before venturing into circuit racing in 2017. In his first season of the Toyota Vios Challenge (which is now in its third season), Mirza Syahmi’s best performance has been scoring two pole positions and finishing sixth. He was on pole position for this weekend’s Round 3 at Batu Kawan Stadium in Penang and had led for 5 laps into the race when a broken driveshaft robbed him of what could have been a maiden victory.
Mirza Syami (No. 97) started from pole position for the first round in this weekend’s racing at Batu Kawan, Penang.
“That’s part and parcel of racing. I must admit, however, that I was caught by surprise during the first race of the Toyota Vios Challenge in Kuala Terengganu. Competing on a permanent circuit is totally different from driving on a street circuit and honestly, I was caught off guard because a slight mistake or a slight understeer will send you into the concrete barrier,” he explained.
“The Sporting class that I am competing in is also super competitive with a combination of so many accomplished as well as new drivers. I love the atmosphere both on and off the track; we learn a lot from one another and we also exchange notes on setting-up the cars because there are no other parameters that you do so as everyone runs identical vehicles,” he said.
Level playing field for all
Meanwhile, his father, Mahzan Abdul Manan, said the decision to participate in the Toyota Vios Challenge was to enable his son to hone his racecraft and driving skills on a level playing field. “Unlike other local series being organized which emphasizes purely on vehicle performance, the Toyota Vios Challenge ensures that all competitors compete in identical vehicles. This not only makes the competition fair, but it also prevents teams with bigger budgets from having an edge over privateers,” he noted.
He added that the Toyota Vios Challenge also provided him with the opportunity to promote his own sunroof installation and repair business via branding on the car. “It’s an incredibly exciting event that attracts so much of interest, publicity and spectators, and for small businesses like mine, a perfect platform to gain valuable exposure for the products and services we offer,” he said.
Sibling camaraderie, not rivalry, is what strengthens the bond between the Anthony brothers Bradley Benedict and Brendan Paul who are competing in the Toyota Vios Challenge street racing series, part of the Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival that is on in Batu Kwan, Penang, this weekend.
For 18-year old Bradley, this is his debut season competing in saloon cars after moving up from karting while 23-year old Brendan holds the distinction of being Toyota Vios Challenge Sporting Class champion in Season 1 and now competes in the Super Sporting Class for professional drivers. “I used to go to the track a lot to watch my brother compete in karting. I guess that was where the interest started,” said Bradley who ventured into karting in 2016. Last year, he emerged third in the Asian Rotax Max Championship (DD2 class).
Bradley Benedict’s aspiration is to race in the touring car series in Europe, and racing in the Toyota Vios Challenge is helping him gain experience.
Despite making a cautious start in Round 1 of the Toyota Vios Challenge, Bradley was quick to adapt and rose into the top three by Round 2. “I wasn’t as fast in the first round but I gained a lot of experience. I don’t find racing on a street circuit intimidating. In fact, I find it very enjoyable. It’s a solid learning ground for new and young drivers because unlike racing on a permanent circuit, you have to be precise and know how to control the car.”
And is it intimidating at all to have elder brother Brendan competing in the same event? “At the moment, no since we’re competing in different classes. Brendan helps me a lot with the technical tips and I try to get as much information from him as I can,” he replied.
“My being in the Toyota Vios Challenge is also due to a family decision. My dad saw how the event helped to elevate Brendan’s racing and he now wants me to follow the identical path my brother takes. That means also competing in events such as the Malaysian Championship Series, MSF and events like the Sepang 1000KM Endurance Race,” Bradley explained. With 8 races in the Toyota Vios Challenge, 12 races in the MCS and another 12 races in the MSF, that means no less than 32 weekends of racing for Bradley throughout the year.
“My aspiration is to race in the touring car series in Europe, which is why I chose to compete in the Toyota Vios Challenge as opposed to choosing a path driving Formula cars when I moved up from karting” Bradley said.
The Toyota Vios Challenge – now in its third season – has been successful in attracting young drivers. It provides them with an affordable and competitive platform to hone their racecraft and technical experience. This should help build up motorsports talent from grassroots level in the country.
Looks like the folks from Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival’s Toyota Vios Challenge are still pumped up with racing passion as they will be taking part in the Sepang 1000km Endurance Race (S1K) this weekend at the glorious Sepang International Circuit. (more…)
The action continued for the second day of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival and Toyota Vios Challenge Season 3/Round 2 at Bandar Malaysia, the former TUDM airbase in Sg. Besi, Kuala Lumpur. Given the nature of the track, the more experienced (or braver) racers had wished for rain to gain some advantage but other than a few drops, the track remained dry and hot so strategy was of great importance.
SPORTING CLASS
The best action of the day came from the 3-way battle in the Sporting Class which saw SMS Motorsports’ Haji Sutan Mustaffa Salihin clinching victory ahead of 17-year old Bradley Benedict Anthony of Dream Chaser and Dannies Ng in third position.
Although Bradley Benedict Anthony and Dannies Ng were fighting for second place, Haji Sutan Mustaffa Salihin (No 12) was kept under pressure not to make any mistakes.
Sutan led the race from pole position but was forced to work hard during every one of the 20 laps as he came under tremendous pressure to defend his lead from Bradley, who was determined to get past. Too focused on Sutan, Bradley lost his track position to Dannies momentarily before regaining it 2 laps later when the latter missed a gear.
“It was a tough 20 laps with Bradley and Dannies behind forcing me to be on my toes throughout the 20 laps. I had to be super careful at every corner, trying to visualize what to do next in order to avoid making any mistakes that could have cost me the race victory. Their fight for second position did give me some much needed breathing space but it wasn’t enough to have a comfortable gap ahead,” said the 47-year-old competing in his first season of street racing in the Toyota Vios Challenge.
“The first round in Kuala Terengganu was extremely tough for me. In fact, my blood pressure was borderline high as I was just too nervous!” he revealed. “Although I have been racing for more than 20 years, street racing is something new to me and it is super challenging. It is not easy to fight against younger drivers who are aggressive and talented.”
Like Sutan, Bradley was equally elated as he clinched his first ever podium finish after transitioning from karting to saloon car racing this year. “I am quite satisfied with today’s result. It was a close fight but all three of us finished a clean race,” said the young driver.
SUPER SPORTING CLASS
In the Super Sporting Class for the professionals, Kegani Racing’s Kenny Lee drove to a textbook race after taking off from pole position. He successfully denied veteran Tengku Djan Ley of a second race victory, with Laser Motor Racing’s Mark Darwin finishing third.
Kenny (above) made a brilliant start to lead into the first corner with M7 Japan Project Team’s Syafiq Ali in close pursuit. But it was Tengku Djan who gained the most, managing to slingshot himself all the way to third position from sixth on the grid (starting positions were reversed for the first 6 finishers the day before). The race, however, was suspended as the Safety Car was called out to convoy the racing cars after a collision between Toyotsu Racing’s William Ho and Telagamas Toyota’s Freddie Ang.
“I made a good start and managed to make another good getaway during the restart after the safety car peeled away and that gave me a little bit of gap. Towards the finishing stages of the race, the tyres and brakes were beginning to heat up and I had to brake early, but at the same time try to maintain a competitive pace without pushing too hard. This was an exceptionally challenging and technical track,” said Kenny.
For Tengku Djan, second place as well as winning yesterday’s Race 1 was the perfect way to conclude the race weekend. Though he did not win, he has enough points to leading in overall standings in the class. “Today’s race was a combination of luck and strategy. I believe luck played a very big part. There was an incident in front of me and I managed to gain two positions,” he said.
All the racing cars in the Toyota Vios Challenge have identical specifications and performance levels. (Below) After each race, they are inspected to ensure that no unauthorised modifications have been made which can give an advantage.
Also celebrating a triumphant weekend was Mark who finished third in today’s Race 2 and earned second spot in Race 1 yesterday. “The start of the race was good for me and I too capitalized on the incident between William and Freddie but then suffered a moment on the track, and that dropped me to sixth place with a lot of catching up to do,” said Mark.
PROMOTIONAL CLASS
As expected, the Promotional class for celebrity racers was not without its fair share of drama. The drivers are not regular racers (with Shawn Lee perhaps having more experience than the others) but they did receive training prior to the start of the series.
Vocal TV presenter and comedian Nabil Ahmad (above) catapulted from fourth on the grid to lead the race right to the chequered flag, with singers Khai Bahar and Nabila Razali trailing in second and third positions respectively. En route to earning a second podium finish this weekend, Nabil said: “I’ve won races in the past, but this is the best first placing I’ve ever recorded because it was earned in the presence of Shawn Lee and Shukri Yahaya. It was a sweet moment for me.”
For the record, both beat boxer Shawn and actor Shukri were promoted to compete against amateur racers in the Sporting class for Season 2 before returning to the Promotional class in Season 3.
For third place winner Nabila (above in Car No. 92), the race weekend was also a fulfilling one. “I am extremely satisfied! So far, I’ve managed to not only finish all my races in Season 3 so far but unexpectedly claimed a few podium finishes. No more calling me a wall magnet and this is a very big achievement for me!” she said.
The biggest casualty in the race was Shukri who, despite running as high as third place, was taken out by Shawn in Lap 6 when the latter misjudged his braking point. Actress Diana Danielle meanwhile found herself pointing the car in the wrong direction on the track after being nudged by actor Syafiq Kyle.
“Yes, I am bit disappointed with the way Race 2 turned out, but I consider it a racing incident. As far as the competition goes this season, all the drivers in the Promotional class are extremely competitive and this makes the racing even more unpredictable and exciting,” said Shukri.
UMW Toyota Motor’s Deputy Chairman is also the company’s Chief Motorsports Officer and has raced in all three seasons of the Toyota Vios Challenge.
Meanwhile, UMW Toyota Motor’s Chief Motorsports Officer Akio Takeyama who finished fifth said the track at Bandar Malaysia was extremely fast but a rewarding experience for all drivers competing in the series. “The decision to hold this second round at Bandar Malaysia proved to be a rewarding experience, not only for the racers who enjoyed competing on a high speed and wider street track for the very first time, but also for Kuala Lumpur spectators due to its strategic location,” he said.
Although the country’s capital city has lots of activities on a weekend, some 10,000 spectators turned up for the Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival. The location was convenient to get to and UMW Toyota Motor also offered to subsidize up to RM15 a trip for those who used the Grab service to get to the venue. As at all the other rounds, there was lots of activity for the whole family and for aircraft enthusiasts, there was even the opportunity to see some of the early aircraft used by the TUDM which were parked around the site.
Malaysia’s first fighter jets – the Tebuan (left) and the Sabre. Other aircraft from the early days of the TUDM are also parked there but the site is no longer open to the public.
The former airbase is being redeveloped as Bandar Malaysia which is to be a global financial, technology and entrepreneurial hub. The RM140 billion mega project on the 486-acre site will include housing and an integrated transportation hub like KL Sentral. So it is unlikely that the Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival & Toyota Vios Challenge can be held again in 2020. As it is, special arrangements had to be made with the contractors involved in the construction work to accommodate the racing activities. Of course, it would be nice if a small racetrack could also be included in the Master Plan for Bandar Malaysia…
The first cars to greet visitors to the event were the all-new Toyota GR Supra.
Participants in a future round of the Toyota Vios Challenge?
Race Control – where hardworking officials ensure that the races run smoothly and safely throughout the day.
Big screens inside the hangar allowed spectators to watch the racing in comfort.
The drift performance never fails to thrill the crowds with precision driving by top drifters from Japan.
Fans always get to meet their favourite celebrities and lucky ones get autographed posters as well.
From the start line, I accelerate up to third gear before braking early at the 50-metre mark approaching the first left-hand corner. I swing the car to position it into the corner and as I exit, I am very close to the wall.
Still on full throttle, I come up to the second corner which is also a left hander but immediately after that, there is a right-hander for Turn 3 in which I must brake and downshift to second gear. From here, I just half-throttle until I reach Turn 4.
I get on the throttle right at the apex of Turn 4 which takes me to the long back straight where I can hit about 140 km/h to 150km/h in fourth gear. Just before the end of the long straight, there is a chicane which requires me to brake at the 50-metre marker board before flicking the car right and then left – without lifting off the throttle.
After getting through the chicane, I am charging towards a right U-turn where I brake early at the 70-metre marker and downshift from fourth gear to second gear, meet the apex and throttle out again exiting as close to the wall as possible.
This takes me to another long straight and again in fourth gear before braking at the 50-metre marker board and downshifting to third gear to prepare for a left turn. I exit on full throttle to prepare for a high-speed left corner in third gear before swinging the car right which takes me to the final corner and back to the Start-Finish line.
It’s a very interesting track and there are a lot of long straights. There are also some tight corners and that brings out the technical aspect of the track. Bandar Malaysia is definitely the fastest street circuit on the Toyota Vios Challenge calendar and while this is exciting, it also means that if you brake too late or make any mistakes, the consequences can be extremely severe.
Visit Toyota GAZOO Racing Malaysia to know more about the second round of the Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival & Toyota Vios Challenge this weekend.
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.
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 10th 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.
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.
For Round 2 of the third season of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival and Toyota Vios Challenge racing series, the purpose-built circuit is in a unique location – the former Kuala Lumpur airport of the 1950s/1960s which became a RMAF airbase after Subang International Airport was opened. Following the closure of the airbase some years back, the 488-acre site was to be a huge commercial development known as Bandar Malaysia.
While construction works are underway, the 1.99-km long runway offered an opportunity for the organisers of the Toyota GAZOO Racing event to create a racetrack that is 1.7 kms long with exceptionally long straights.
Aerial view of the circuit for Round 2 at Bandar Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. Jalan Sg. Besi over the SMART Tunnel is on the left side of the picture.
“As a street racing series, one of the most challenging tasks is to find a venue that is not only large enough to accommodate both the racing circuit and festival ground but more importantly, accessible and as close as we can to fans and spectators. These challenges however, also present us with the unique opportunity to explore venues never before used or envisioned as a racing circuit,” said UMW Toyota Motor’s Chief Motorsports Officer, Akio Takeyama. “In the case of Round 2, the former airport is as unique as it gets and the location as central as you can be in Kuala Lumpur.”
Circuit must meet international safety requirements
Construction of the circuit at Bandar Malaysia took approximately 3 weeks. This work involved transporting, positioning and interlocking hundreds of 4-tonne concrete blocks and debris fencing to form the inner and outer parameters of the track. The track must meet FIA (the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) safety specifications.
Hundreds of 4-tonne concrete blocks must be positioned around the circuit to ensure that spectators are protected if the cars crash against the barriers.
“Street racing brings out the best in Malaysian racers. The absence of run-off areas makes it extremely unforgiving, more intimidating and even more difficult to master. It requires 110% concentration, focus and precision from the drivers. For spectators, a street race is even more exciting visually as they are able to be closer to the action,” said Mr. Takeyama who has been a participant in the Vios Challenge sine the first season.
In three seasons of the Toyota Vios Challenge series, the race has been held at various stadium and exhibition grounds in Terengganu, Johor, Penang and the Klang Valley, as well as at the Sepang International Circuit.
Emulating street races such as the historic annual Macau Grand Prix, the Toyota Vios Challenge is no less exciting. More importantly, Mr. Takeyama added, it provides drivers with a more challenging race, an even greater level playing field, the excitement on driving on a variety of tracks, and contributes to them honing their technical and driving skills.
Meanwhile, UMW Toyota Motor President, Ravindran K., said the prospect of transforming an airstrip into a full-blown racing track is a manifestation of both Toyota and its GAZOO Racing philosophy of breaking tradition and pushing the boundaries.
“Innovation is not only reflected in the vehicles we produce but it underlines the way we think and do things, and in the case of the Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival, it means turning the least expected venues into tracks to bring motor-racing closer to the masses,” said Mr. Ravindran.
2 days of close racing
Round 2 of the Toyota Vios Challenge will feature 2 days of racing with three driver categories as usual – Celebrity, Amateur and Professional. 10 local celebrities competing in the Promotional Class include Shawn Lee, Shukri Yahaya, Diana Danielle, Nabil Ahmad, Janna Nick, Khai Bahar, Wany Hasrita, Nabila Razali, Ain Edruce and Syafiq Kyle. Both Shawn and Wany will start with one race win each after winning the opening two races of Season 3 in Kuala Terengganu earlier.
Fans of celebrities get to meet them during breaks between races.
“Round 2 is going to be a very exciting because we will be competing on a new track. There’s really no way of preparing for it in terms of setting up the car until we get a chance to drive on the track during the official practice session and evaluate the surface condition and overall flow of the circuit. From what I gather so far, it’s going to be quite a fast track,” said Shawn.
Among the big names in Malaysian motorsports driving in both the Sporting and Super Sporting classes for amateur and professional drivers, respectively, include Season 1 and Season 2 Sporting champions Brendan Paul Anthony and Brendon Lim; Season 1 and Season 2 Super Sporting champions Tengku Djan Ley and Boy Wong; and experienced drivers like Kenny Lee, William Ho, Mark Darwin, Kenneth Koh, Sutan Mustafa and Syafiq Ali. The Sporting Class will also feature 15-year-old Hayden Haikal.
A totally new track to learn quickly
For Super Sporting Class driver Kenny Lee, the first practice session is critical to uncover much of the unknown. “I have never had the opportunity to visit Bandar Malaysia in the past and therefore I don’t know what the surface condition is like. The first thing everyone will be looking into is certainly the final track layout and finding the fastest racing line around the track. We’ll also have to carefully look at the surface conditions especially in the braking zones because you never know, some areas can be a bit bumpy, slippery or even dusty,” said Kenny.
Another aerial view of the circuit which has been laid out on the runway that aircraft used to land on. Note the exceptionally long straights but as every car will have the same performance levels, it will be driver skill and strategy that makes the difference, not power.
Tengku Djan Ley shares the same sentiment, saying drivers will in essence have only about 90 minutes throughout the race weekend to learn the new track. “We have a track walk on Thursday evening and the official practice starts on Friday, so essentially you only have a couple of laps to try and decipher the entire track and obtain enough information that will go into setting up the race car. Those who are able to do this will have an advantage,” he said.
“There’s really not much that can be done to the set-up apart from experimenting with different tyre pressures, suspension settings and alignment combinations, but these small changes do make a big difference on track,” he added.
For race fans and spectators, the Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival will offer a variety of activities for all the family. There will be Toyota’s fleet of vehicles (with test drive sessions available), a drift performance by professional Japanese drivers, a concert, beyblade tournament, racing simulators and the display of the all-new Toyota GR Supra.
Entrance is free of charge and the event is from 9 am to 6 pm on this Saturday and Sunday, November 9/10 2019.
