Sepang 1000KM: Proton secures fifth place after five years of absence

This was the first time the Proton S70 R3 competed in a race with the S1K marking the racing debut for the car.

After a five-year hiatus, Proton’s official team, Proton R3 returned to compete in the Sepang 1000KM 2024 race in the Malaysian Touring Car (MTC) category.

This marks the first time Proton has raced using the S70 R3 vehicle since the launch of this C-segment sedan on November 28, 2023.

The race, which lasted for 181 laps, saw the Proton R3 team struggling with difficulties as car #81 was forced to retire as early as the 8th lap.

Another S70 car, numbered 82 and driven by Ariff Azmi and Alister Yoong, faced technical issues that caused them to lose over 40 minutes.

Despite the challenges faced, the Proton R3 team successfully completed the race, finishing in fifth place in the MTC class.

Roslan Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer of Proton Edar, stated, “While we aimed for another overall victory, the Proton R3 team is aware of the task of completing a brand-new racing vehicle to compete against teams that have been racing for the past three years.”

He further explained that the data and racing experiences gathered throughout the weekend would serve as the foundation for R3 to begin preparations for the 2025 racing season.

In positive news, in conjunction with the KLIMS 2024 event, Proton will also showcase vehicle #82 in the same condition as it finished the S1K race.