since 1976
since 1976
Toyota returned to the prestigious Sepang 1000KM endurance race with a vengeance to clinch a historic 1-2 victory in the 9-hour race at Sepang International Circuit. Three Toyotas finished in the top five overall positions and in the Malaysian Touring Car (MTC) Class in only Toyota’s second year participating in the race.
Toyota GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s #37 Vios with GAZOO Racing Malaysia ambassador Tengku Djan Ley Tengku Mahaleel and reigning Vios Challenge Sporting Class champion Naquib Azlan won the 181-lap race from pole position to cross the finish line 6.2 seconds ahead of their nearest rival - the #39 Yaris piloted by Hayden Haikal and Jwan Hii for Wing Hin Motorsports which is UMW Toyota Motor’s dealer. Third place went to the Hi Rev Dream Chaser team’s Mitchell Cheah and Brendan Paul Anthony, while in fourth position was the #38 Wing Hin Motorsports Yaris driven by the pair of Boy Wong and Dannies Ng both cars finishing a lap down. Rounding up the top five positions and finishing four laps down from the winning Vios was R Engineering HMRT’s Lee Wee Sing and Leon Khoo Beng Koon in the Honda City.
“2021’s was all about learning and gaining track time to develop both the Vios and Yaris to take on the prestigious 1000KM challenge. We had an extensive program in place as well as competitive cars, and we went on to win the race but we had to accept a penalty which classified us third in the MTC Class. Going on to win the race this year and doing it in the manner where we not only led from start to finish but had three cars in the top five positions overall more than makes up for that setback,” said UMW Toyota Motor President Ravindran K.
“From its standard production model form competing in five seasons of the Vios Challenge race series to its debut in the Vios Sprint Cup which is a one-hour race and now winning a 9-hour endurance race, the Vios has against all odds firmly established itself as a competitive model on the track.”
Ravindran said Toyota’s involvement in Malaysian motorsports has more importantly contributed to helping uncover and groom many new young driving talents.
“It’s about giving back to the community and in our case it means providing potential young Malaysian talent with the right platform and the opportunities to grow as competitive drivers. This has been consistent throughout GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s program over the past five years which began with affordable participation in the Vios Challenge, the introduction of a Young Talent Development Program, and establishing a Rookie Class of racing in the Vios Challenge to promoting young drivers up the motorsports ladder to drive in more competitive machines and classes. I also want to thank our partners and sponsors for playing an instrumental part in the company’s racing achievements.”
A total of 77 cars lined up on the grid for the start of 14th edition of the Sepang 1000KM endurance race which was run over 180 laps or nine hours. The race featured the MTC and SP2 Classes for cars below 1600cc and the GAZOO Racing Vios Enduro Cup which was a race exclusively for the Toyota Vios cars competing in the Vios Challenge race series,.
In the GAZOO Racing Vios Enduro Cup Class, the father and son team of Al Farouk and Abdul Miqail driving for 23 Motors stormed to victory ahead of team mates Ady Rahimy and Amir Husin Mubarak, while in third was Carroof Motorsport’s quartet of Mirza Syahmi Mahzan, Aiman Haziq and Khair Nur Adi and Khair Nur Adli.’
Victory earned Al Farouk and Abdul Miqail RM10,000 in prize money, while the second and third place finishers bagged RM8,000 and RM6,000 respectively. The GAZOO Racing Vios Enduro Cup offered a total of RM30,000 in prize monies with the fourth and fifth place winners also taking home RM4,000 and RM2,000 respectively. A total of 14 cars were vying for honors in this exclusive class.
For more information, log on to www.toyota.com.my
RESULTS – SEPANG 1000KM ENDURANCE RACE (OVERALL & MTC CLASS)
Toyota GAZOO Racing Malaysia Tengku Djan Ley/Naquib Azlan
Wing Hin Motorsports Hayden Haikal/Jwan Hii
Hi Rev Dream Chaser Mitchell Cheah/Brendan Paul Anthony
Wing Hin Motorsports Boy Wong/Dannies Ng
R Engineering HMRT Lee Wee Siong / Leon Khoo Beng Koon
RESULTS – GAZOO RACING VIOS ENDURO CUP
23 Motors Al Farouk/Abdul Miqail
23 Motors Ady Rahimy/Amir Husin Mubarak
Carroof Motorsport Mirza Syahmi Mahzan/ Aiman Haziq/ Khair Nur Adi/Khair Nur Adli.
Axle Sports Alister Yoong/Mikko Nassi/Rich Pham
Race Rally KL Shafiq Samsudin/Ahmad Nadzrie/Shasha/Kelvin Yap
