Quick look:
- Now in its ninth season, the Vios Challenge is the most lucrative racing event of its type in Malaysia and continues to draw many newcomers to motorsport.
- The event includes a group of rookies who have received professional training in the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program.
This weekend will see the second round of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Vios Challenge taking place at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit. Now in its ninth season, the Vios Challenge is the most lucrative one-make race series, with the champions set to earn RM80,000 and RM60,000, respectively. It continues to attract veterans and newcomers and the entry list will have no less than 37 cars across the three categories of Super Sporting Class, Sporting Class and Rookie Class.
Additionally, for those having the previous generation of the Vios used in the event in its earlier years, there is also the Classic Challenge which has proved popular and will see at least 12 entries on the starting grid this weekend.
Youngest competitor
This round marks the arrival of the field’s youngest competitor, Ethen Low, who joins the Rookie Class category following his 16th birthday earlier this month.
Low is one of the drivers in the sixth intake of the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program, and has spent the interim 2 months focusing on private track days and car control. He missed the opening round in April while awaiting his national racing licence from the Motorsports Association of Malaysia, so he faces a points disadvantage against 4 other drivers in the program.
“I’m prepared for what I believe will be very close racing with the other 4 rookies in the program. They have definitely shown a high degree of competitiveness in Round 1 and I’m looking forward to join them in the fight. I definitely believe I will still be able to put up a fight for the championship even with only 3 rounds remaining. Missing a round only fuels me to work harder to be in championship contention,” Low said.
The Rookie Class standings are currently led by 18-year-old simulator racer and karter Ervin Lim, who holds one victory and a third-place finish. Tied closely in performance is 20-year-old Ngo Yong Jian in second place, followed by 17-year-old Imran Iskandar and 21-year-old Megat Damian.
Super Sporting Class
In the elite Super Sporting Class, Freddie Ang of Telagamas Toyota sits at the top of the leaderboard with 37 points after securing a win and a second-place finish in Round 1. He holds a slim four-point advantage over Laser Motor Racing’s Ady Rahimy, who sits in second with 33 points, while teammate Nabil Azlan occupies third place with 27 points.
Sporting Class
The Sporting Class for amateur racers is currently led by BAE Racing by ES Yang’s Justin Toh, who accumulated 31 points from two runner-up finishes in the opening round. Teo Hong Zhou of Awesome Racing Team follows in second with 25 points, while Heiwa Racing Team’s Choo Yong Choon sits in third with 24 points, with a single race victory.
Classic Challenge
The Classic Challenge will see sees Thai drivers Surasak Dakeng and Varunchit Wattanathanakun as the dominant force after clean-sweeping both races in Round 1. Their closest challengers are Kenny Lee and Loke Yin Yi of the Kegani Racing Academy, who took consecutive second-place finishes in April.
The class also features unique family pairings, including sisters Nurul Auni and Nurul Husna Nasharuddin, brothers Brendan Paul and Bradley Benedict Anthony, and the father-son duo of Shanmuganathan Arumugan and Ashen Shanmuganathan, who will also compete directly against each other in the Sporting Class.
Get updates on the Vios Challenge at TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia. As usual, the races will be streamed live online on Saturday and Sunday.
