Tag Archives: vios challenge

Vios Challenge: third round this weekend will be decisive

The third round of the Vios Challenge will take place at the PETRONAS International Circuit (SIC) from August 8 to 10.

Taking place concurrently with the 2025 Malaysian Touring Car Championship, this race will be decisive for the final outcomes of the Vios Challenge across three categories: Super Sporting, Sporting, and Rookie.

So far, the overall points standings remain tight among the top three drivers in each category.

In the Super Sporting class, fierce competition is expected between 2023 champion Mitchell Cheah (Team Prima Pearl SP Selatan), who is currently in first place with 83 points, and Freddie Ang (Telagamas Toyota), who has 81 points, followed by Ady Rahimy (Laser Motor Racing) with 72 points.

In the Sporting category, Jwan Hii (Hong Kuat X Armada KK Racing) holds a comfortable lead with 85 points, ahead of Elson Lew (BAE Racing) with 76 points and Varunchit Wattanathanakun (RUK Team Nexzter PMC) with 62 points.

The Rookie class features intense competition between Aydan Khaliq and Rahul Dev, who are currently at the top with 94 and 93 points, respectively.

Third place is held by Harkiesh Geeva with 72 points, followed by Ian James with 71 points, and the only female driver in the category, Genevieve Ooi, with 66 points.

Similar to the second round, all three classes of the Vios Challenge will compete in a combined one-hour semi-endurance race around the full 5.543 km circuit.

Vios Challenge adds excitement to 2025 Super GT Malaysia

The one make racing event, Vios Challenge, was exceptionally unique this time as it featured a different format compared to the previous two races.

For the first time, the Vios Challenge made its international debut concurrently with the Autobacs Super GT round in Malaysia, held from June 26-28.

Additionally, this second round of the 8th season of the Vios Challenge introduced a one-hour race format covering a total distance of 5.543 km, as opposed to the previous 10-lap sprint races that utilized half of the Sepang circuit.

To make the race more exciting, all 36 drivers from three racing classes (Super Sporting, Sporting, and Rookie) were released simultaneously, which significantly increased the challenge and provided a fairer opportunity for all competitors.

This was reflected in the final results of both races, where podium positions varied for each racing class.

The Vios Challenge still has two rounds remaining, with the third round scheduled to coincide with the Malaysia Championship Series (MCS) on August 8-10.

Meanwhile, the fourth round is planned for October 2025 in Johor, with the exact location and date to be announced later.

Below are the race results of the Vios Challenge by class:

 

Super Sporting Class


Race 1
1. Freddie Ang (Telagamas Toyota)
2. Nabil Azlan (Wheelcorp)
3. William Ho (Toyotsu Toyota)

Race 2
1. Mitchell Cheah (Team Prima Pearl SP Selatan)
2. Ady Rahimy (Laser Motor Racing)
3. Freddie Ang (Telagamas Toyota)

 

Sporting Class


Race 1
1. Jwan Hii (Hong Huat x Armada KK Racing)
2. Dato Dr Ken Foo (Kulim Top Wheels)
3. Warunchit Wattanathanakun (RUK Team Nexzter PMC 52)

Race 2
1. Justin Toh (BAE Racing by ES Yang)
2. Elson Lew (BAE Racing by ES Yang)
3. Warunchit Wattanathanakun (RUK Team Nexzter PMC 52)

 

Rookie Class

Race 1
1. Aydan Khaliq
2. Justin Rahul Dev
3. Harkiesh Geeva

Race 2
1. Justin Rahul Dev
2. Genevieve Ooi
3. Aydan Khaliq

 

The Vios Challenge still has two rounds remaining, with the third round scheduled to take place concurrently with the Malaysia Championship Series (MCS) on August 8-10.

Meanwhile, the fourth round is planned for October 2025 in Johor, with the exact location and date to be announced later.

Round 3 of the Super GT Malaysia 2025 saw the Deloitte TOM’s GR Supra and UPGARAGE AMG GT3 excel in the GT500 and GT300 classes, respectively, under track temperatures reaching 42°C.

Here are the final results of Round 3 of Super GT Malaysia 2025:

GT500 Class

  1. Deloitte TOM’s GR Supra #37
  2. Arta Mugen Civic Type-R GT #8
  3. TRS Impul with SDG Z #12

GT300 Class

  1. Upgarage AMG GT3 #18
  2. Green Brave GR Supra GT #52
  3. Goodsmile Hatsune Miku AMG #4

After the Malaysian round, Super GT will return to Japan, where the fourth round will take place at Fuji Speedway on August 2-3.

Malaysia remains the only location outside of Japan to host Super GT races, and this year marks the first time this prestigious event has returned to the Sepang Circuit since its last hosting in 2013.

Round 2 of Vios Challenge features one-hour endurance race format!

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.

2025 Super GT Festival Malaysia offers Toyota GR Supra as grand prize for lucky visitor

Visitors to the Festival Super GT Malaysia 2025, scheduled from June 26 to 28, will have a chance to take home a Toyota GR Supra valued at RM650,000.

This grand prize is brought to you by HARO Sports & Entertainment, the rights holder and promoter for the Super GT Malaysian round.

To qualify, you simply need to make a purchase using Mastercard from June 1 to June 28 for the following tickets:

  • Main Grandstand (RM250)
  • GT Suite (RM350)
  • GT Live! Rock Zone (RM500)
  • GT Club Paddock (RM2,000)
  • Experience Package (RM5,000)
  • Ultimate Package (RM12,000)
  • Dream Package (RM15,000)

Purchases of K1 Grandstand tickets do not qualify for the lucky draw.

The name of the lucky winner will be announced live during the post-race concert, GT Live!

 

In addition to the GT300 and GT500 Super GT races, the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit will also host the second round of the Vios Challenge Season 8, along with the inaugural GR86 Cup Malaysia Series.

Furthermore, Malaysian fans can look forward to wildcard entries from two local drivers, Jazeman Jaafar and Adrian D’Silva, competing in the GT300 class.

Both drivers will race in the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 EVO of team EBM, with Jazeman teaming up with Kerong Li, while D’Silva will partner with Earl Bamber.

The Festival Super GT Malaysia 2025 will also be enlivened by the presence of a booth from the Japan Football Association (JFA), where fans can purchase exclusive Samurai Blue merchandise, including replica uniforms and traditional happi coats.

Tickets can be purchased through the website www.supergtmalaysia.com.

Alternatively, you can visit the Festival Super GT Malaysia locations at Sungei Wang Plaza (May 29 – June 1 & June 6 – 8) and Lot 10 (June 3 – 5) to participate in a variety of exciting activities, including chances to win admission tickets and exclusive merchandise.

2025 Super GT Malaysia: UMWT and TGR Malaysia announced as title sponsors

UMW Toyota Motor and Toyota Gazoo Racing Malaysia will be the main sponsors for the 2025 Super GT Malaysia Festival this year.

This announcement was officially made by Haro Sports & Entertainment, the rights holder and promoter for the Autobacs Super GT round in Malaysia, recently.

In addition to the main races featuring the GT300 and GT500 classes, the Sepang Circuit will also host the single-brand GR86 Cup race and the second round of the 2025 eighth season of the Vios Challenge.

The 2025 Super GT Malaysia Festival also welcomes Bridgestone as the Official Tire Supplier for the opening round of the GR86 Cup Malaysia Series.

Moreover, visitors to the Festival Super GT Malaysia will have the opportunity to participate in Japanese cultural and food events, known as Nihon Matsuri, as well as enjoy the post-race concert GT Live!, featuring a variety of renowned artists.

Among the performers are the trio Tenxi, Naykilla & Jemsii (TNJ), KLP48, Fareed K-Clique, Sabhi Saddi, and Kaka Azraff.

According to Fahrizal Hasan, Partner Manager of Haro Sports & Entertainment, “The Festival Super GT Malaysia is not just a race. It is an event to entertain everyone, from automotive exhibitions to Japanese cultural displays, JDM car gatherings, and the GT Live! concert!”

Tickets are now available for purchase on the website www.supergtmalaysia.com, with the following details:

  • K1 Grandstand – RM100 (promotional price RM80)
  • Main Grandstand – RM250 (promotional price RM200)
  • GT Suite – RM350
  • GT Live! Rock Zone – RM500
  • GT Club Paddock – RM2,000

Final round of the Vios Challenge season 7 this weekend

Whether we realize it or not, the seventh season of the Vios Challenge, organized by Toyota Gazoo Racing, is now nearing its conclusion this weekend.

The seventh season of the Vios Challenge is proving to be more challenging and unpredictable with the introduction of the fourth generation Vios racing vehicle, driven by 34 racers across three different categories: Super Sporting, Sporting, and Rookie.

Starting in August of last year, the seventh season of the Vios Challenge features three rounds and six individual races, offering a total prize pool of RM630,000.

The Super Sporting class will see an intense battle among notable racers such as Naquib Azlan (Axle Sport), defending champion Mitchel Cheah (Prima TD Racing), Freddie Ang (Telagamas), Amer Harris (Laser Motor Racing), and Hayden Haikal (TD Racing).

The overall champion will take home a prize of RM80,000, followed by RM60,000 for second place and RM40,000 for third.

In the Sporting class, several contenders are poised to be crowned champions, including Elson Lew (BAE Racing by ES Young), Kenneth Koh (PCM Group Racing), and Shafiq Samsudin (Race Rally KL).

This category offers cash prizes of RM60,000, RM40,000, and RM20,000 for the champion, runner-up, and third place winner, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Rookie class, featuring young drivers under the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program, has seen fierce competition among Adam Mikail (18 years old), who has recorded three victories, Brandon Ho (22 years old), who has achieved four podium finishes, and Raja Amirul Syauqat (21 years old), who secured second and third place in the last two races.

The final racing event of the seventh season of the Vios Challenge will take place at the PETRONAS Malaysia International Circuit and will be a closed event, but it will be broadcast live across all UMW Toyota Motor’s social media platforms.

In addition to the racing event, Toyota Malaysia will also introduce three high-performance models: the GR Corolla facelift, Corolla GR Sport, and GR Yaris facelift.

Vios Challenge Season 7’s opening race has just the right ingredients

The first round of the seventh season of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Vios Challenge, which unfolded last Sunday, had the right mix to produce a more dramatic race weekend.

In addition to the debut of the new generation Vios racing car for the first time, it also became a battleground with changing weather conditions, sibling showdowns, international racer participation for the first time, and a resurgence of young driver dominance.

The first round saw a total of 33 cars battling it out in a challenging one-hour race format, different from previous seasons where drivers only had to compete in shorter sprint races.

In the Super Sporting class, Axle Sports’ driver Naquib Azlan emerged as the overall winner of the first round, taking home a prize of RM16,000.

Mitchell Cheah from Prima Pearl TD Racing came in second place, and Tengku Djan Ley (TD Racing) secured third place.

In the Sporting class, Kenneth Koh from PCM Group Racing Team emerged as the overall winner after improving his position in the second race.

Shafiq Shamsudin (Race Rally KL), who clinched the first race victory, seemed to swap places with Kenneth Koh in the second race, thus securing second place overall.

Meanwhile, Teo Hong Zhou (BAE Racing by ES Yang) finished third overall, after securing fourth place in the first race and second place in the second race.

The Rookie class, showcasing a lineup of young drivers, produced the same results in the second race as the first, with pro karter  Adam Mikail clinching first place twice consecutively throughout the weekend.

Adam’s performance has exceeded expectations as a rookie, considering his ability to finish the race early compared to the Sporting class winner, securing a tenth place overall position in a grid of 33 cars.

The seventh season of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Vios Challenge also saw the participation of three young drivers: pro karter Audrey Leong (17 years old), simulation racer Raja Amirul (21 years old), and recreational karter Kingston Tan (19 years old).

The second round of the Vios Challenge will take place from September 27 to 29 at the PETRONAS International Circuit at Sepang.

 

Vios Challenge 7th season begins, featuring the new generation Vios race car

UMW Toyota Motor has announced the return of the Vios Challenge racing series for its seventh season, starting this weekend, offering a total prize value of RM630,000.

For this year, the Vios Challenge will feature up to three rounds and six individual races taking place at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit.

The first round of the Toyota Vios Challenge will take place from August 9-11 simultaneously with the Malaysian Championship Series (MCS), while the second round will be held from September 27-29. Both of these rounds will be broadcast live on Facebook and YouTube.

The final round will take place on January 3-5, 2025, open to the public with various attractions and programs planned to further enliven the atmosphere.

The seventh season of the Vios Challenge will feature three main classes: Sporting Class, Super Sporting Class, and TGR Rookie Class.

Among those expected to draw attention in the Super Sporting Class are three-time champion Tengku Djan Ley, Mitchell Cheah, Eddie Lew, William Ho, Tom Goh, and Freddie Ang.

Additionally, the Super Sporting Class will see the participation of young racers such as Putera Adam, siblings Naquib and Nabil Azlan, Bradley Benedict, Ady Rahimy, and Aman Nagdev from India.

The Sporting Class will list names like Dato’ Dr Ken Foo, Kenneth Koh, Dannies Ng, Shafiq Samsudin, Ricky Tan, Lim Chung Beng, as well as young racers Elson Yew, Amirul Haikal, Timothy Yeo, and Ashen Arumugam.

This class will also feature international racers, namely Panithan Rakpaibulsombut from Thailand and Daniel Inosuke Ooi from Singapore.

Meanwhile, the TGR Rookies will showcase a lineup of 24 young racers who have just completed the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program.

Highlighted names include kart racer Brandon Ho (22 years old), Adam Mikail (18 years old), Amirul Afiq (22 years old), Audrey Leong (17 years old), Kingston Tan (19 years old), and simulation racer Raja Amirul (21 years old).

The seventh season of the Vios Challenge will serve as the main stage for the debut of the latest generation Toyota Vios racing car.

It still retains the 1.5-liter engine paired with a five-speed manual transmission, but with a more stable platform and chassis, and revised aerodynamics to enable it to achieve the fastest lap times.