Final round of Vios Challenge one-make series Season 8 this weekend

Quick look

• The most lucrative racing series in Malaysia – the Vios Challenge – will reach its final round this weekend. RM300,000 is the total prize pool, with another RM60,000 for the new Vios Classic Challenge.

• For this final round, the South Track of the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit will be used. It is new for the series so it will level the odds for many of the drivers although the veterans would already be familiar with it.

Another season of the Vios Challenge one-make race reaches its climax this weekend with the final round taking place at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit. The fourth round of Season 8 will have a combined total of RM300,000 for the best racers to take home, making the event the most lucrative in Malaysian motorsports. An additional RM60,000 is also offered for racers competing in the newly-introduced Vios Classic Challenge.

The battleground for the final round of Season 8 will take place on the more technical, tactical and challenging South Track. This is half of the full circuit and measures 2.609 kms (the full circuit is 5.543 kms), with 8 corners and an extended long straight.

It will also be the first time the Vios Challenge will be run on this part of the circuit, as previous rounds have been run on the other half of the circuit on the north side where the pits are. Running the races on the South Track mean that it will be new for many drivers, though veterans would be familiar with the corners since they would have raced around the full circuit over the years.

“From humble beginnings of a series emphasizing a level playing ground for racers, the Vios   Challenge has evolved into one of the most competitive one-make series races in the country. In the process, it has contributed towards uncovering and grooming a new generation of young drivers – many of whom are successfully climbing the motorsports ladder into more competitive events,” said Datuk Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor.

“TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia goes beyond the fundamentals of racing — it serves as a proving ground that influences the development of our future products. More importantly, it creates opportunities where none previously existed, laying a strong and sustainable foundation for talent development, not only for drivers, but also for engineers and technical professionals essential to the future of the sport,” he added.

SUPER SPORTING CLASS
In the elite Super Sporting Class, the stage is essentially set for a 2-way battle between Team Prima Pearl SP Selatan’s Mitchell Cheah (the 2023 champion), and Telagamas Toyota’s Freddie Ang who will be out to claim his first overall title since competing in the Series in 2020.

“This is going to be a very important weekend for sure. I just need to stay ahead of Cheah. However, winning the race might be hard since I will be carrying 45 kgs to 50 kgs ballast as weight penalty,” said Ang, who has been the more consistent of the two drivers with one race win, two 2nd places, and two 3rd places.

Cheah however, has the upper hand with 3 race wins, although only being on the podium on 3 occasions from the last 6 races. “The final round being on the South Track will also present racers with the longest straight at Sepang this season, so hopefully I won’t lose too much time down the straights with the weight I am carrying. Let’s just see how it goes and take it one race at a time,” he said.

SPORTING CLASS
In this class for amateur racers, former Rookie driver Jwan Hii has the opportunity of a lifetime and almost a clear path to win the overall title with a huge margin of 41 points ahead of his nearest rival entering the final round. Gunning for him will be BAE Racing by ES Yang’s Elson Lew, also a former Rookie Class driver, and Kulim Topwheels’s Dato’ Dr. Ken Foo.

ROOKIE CLASS
This class is for the Rookies of the 2025 class of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia Young Talent Development Program which started in 2021. The program provides selected young drivers with comprehensive training and a racing car, and they compete in their own class during the season.

The program has brought forth some talented drivers, and some of them have already been recruited by teams to race overseas. Those who continue to participate in the Vios Challenge have also moved into the Sporting Class and can challenge more experienced drivers.

Mathematically, there are 4 contenders in the running to become the Rookie Class overall champion of Season 8. The two top favourites are Rahul Dev and Ian James, who have both proven to be the most consistent throughout the season. The other two drivers who have an outside chance at the title are Aydan Khaliq and Harkiesh Geeva.

The race will be streamed live online on TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s social media channels:

• Facebook: facebook.com/tgrmy
• Instagram: instagram.com/tgrmalaysia
• YouTube: youtube.com/@tgrmalaysia

For more information on the drivers, teams and other, visit: www.toyota.com.my/en/tgrmalaysia.

GR – from racing team to performance brand