UMW Toyota and Toyota Gazoo Racing Malaysia have announced a change in the Vios Challenge race format in conjunction with the AUTOBACS Super GT Malaysia event, which will take place from June 26-28.
Unlike the usual 30-minute sprint race format, this time the Vios Challenge will adopt a one-hour endurance race format covering the full distance of the Sepang International Circuit, which is 5.543 km long.
The Vios Challenge 2025 will continue to feature three classes of racing: Super Sporting, Sporting, and Rookie.
This means that in the second race of this season, all five Rookie class drivers will showcase their talents on the international stage for the first time.
To date, 22 drivers have graduated from the Toyota Gazoo Racing Young Talent Development Program since its launch in 2021.
Of that number, more than 10 drivers are currently competing at the local level, and four drivers have already achieved victories and championship titles at the international level.
According to Datuk Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor, “Our participation as the Main Sponsor reflects UMWT’s ongoing commitment to elevate motorsports in Malaysia.
“The Vios Challenge has proven to be a stepping stone for local talents, marking a significant achievement where our drivers can compete on the same platform as international teams in Super GT.
“The Super GT Malaysia Festival is not just a competitive stage; it is a launchpad that proudly places the name of Toyota Gazoo Racing Malaysia on the map of global motorsports and shows that Toyota Gazoo Racing Malaysia is here, actively moving forward and ready to grow.”
He further stated that there are plans to establish the Toyota Gazoo Racing Malaysia (TGRMY) manufacturer team to participate in regional racing events to strengthen Malaysia’s presence in motorsports.
Returning to the Super GT race, this is the only race round held outside Japan for the 2025 Super GT calendar.
Visitors can witness the action of the GT500 class GR Supra from the Toyota team, including the GR Supra TOM’s, which previously won the opening round in Okayama, and the GR Supra KeePer CERUMO, which won the second round at Fuji Speedway.
Additionally, there will be an exhibition of a lineup of GR models, including the GR Supra, GR Yaris, GR Corolla, GR86, as well as Corolla GR Sport and Corolla Cross GR Sport HEV.
On the same dates, the Sepang Circuit will host the inaugural race of the Toyota GR86 Cup Malaysia as a support race for Super GT.
Not only that, visitors to the Super GT Malaysia Festival will also have the opportunity to participate in Japanese cultural and food events, namely Nihon Matsuri, as well as enjoy the post-race concert GT Live!, featuring a variety of renowned artists.
Among them are the trio Tenxi, Naykilla & Jemsii (TNJ), KLP48, Fareed K-Clique, Sabhi Saddi, and Kaka Azraff.
