The Motorsports People

15/08/2024

A welcomed podium finish for their home ground debut!

The stars aligned for the Malaysian duo of Amer Harris and Naquib Azlan as their debut in Wing Hin's Supra GT4 turned heads by finishing second place in the Thailand Super Series race recently.

Taking place at Sepang last weekend, they finished the one-hour race ahead of two Porsche Cayman GT4s and just 4.5 seconds behind the leading Mercedes AMG GT4.

“Second place was still a strong result for both Amer and I as well the team. There’s still so much more of potential to be unlocked in the new car but we’re glad that we have been able to find a good baseline to start with and come away with a podium finish especially at our home race in Malaysia,” said 24-year-old Naquib.

“Our goal is to be on the top step and we intend to get there gradually. With more seat time we are confident we can optimize the performance of the car.”

Their weekend might have been cut short due to Race 2's cancellation due to rain, but they'll be back in action in September as TSS is having another round at Sepang on the 6-8, with THREE races lined up!

Wing Hin Motorsports is also competing in the full season of this year’s Super Compact Class in the Thailand Super Series. Last year the team secured a Class victory in the 10-hour Idemitsu Super Endurance 600 Southeast Asia Trophy.

The move into GT4 class racing is in line with competing in the higher levels of racing, but to also help develop and give talented young Malaysian drivers the opportunity and exposure to excel internationally.

14/08/2024

As much as we wanted to see another FK8 vs FL5 dogfight, the TP/SP1 grid only convened once last weekend. But we’re not complaining as Race 1 was already a spectacular showdown on the track and let’s see who took the top spots in this class!

The rain brought an extra twist in the race and after a number of laps behind the safety car, the race resumed with 13 minutes left on the clock. Front runners Jonathan Xie and Roy Tang brought some nice racing action, but the highlight for TP was the fight for P3 where Faidzil Alang and Daniel Ooi fought door-to-door in the final few laps.

The battle almost ended badly for both of them as they went off at T6 with 2 minutes left in the race, but Faidzil managed to get the car back on track to take P3 in the class.

In SP1, Putera Adam emerged as the class winner as he drove the Civic FD2R to finish ahead of Farriz Fauzy. Kousei Kanto of Rworks Riyoz Racing crossed the finish line not long after to complete the SP1 podium.

13/08/2024

For the MCS guys, this weekend was cut short by the cancellation of Race 2 due to heavy downpour, but that didn’t mean it was lacking in action. Race 1 for the MTC/SP1 was just as lively as ever and with a massive grid of over 50 cars, it was like watching a sprint version of Sepang 1000KM!

And for the duo of Putera Adam and Avila Bahar, their weekend started and ended in a great note as they converted the pole position for Race 1 into an MTC win by the end of the 19-lap race. Although starting from P6, Wing Hin’s Nabil Azlan and Amer Harris had skilfully piloted their Yaris to take P2 in the race, followed closely by Lee Wai Cong and Hayden Haikal just 0.988 seconds behind.

In SP2 G, the battle of the Hondas were led and won by Timothy Yeo and Ng Chin from Sokudo Shenzo Racing, with R Engineering’s duo of Adam Mikail and Lai Wee Sing taking home second in class. The podium was completed with Neo Zhe Ming Lester / Hsio Tung Wei from TD Racing in third place.

It was a close battle for first place in the SP2 V, but Diivyesh Perajun / Bradley Benedict did all the right things to keep Leona Chin / Mark Chew behind for them to claim the victory in Race 1. SP2 V’s podium was completed with Chong Kiat Wai / Ken Urata taking third place.

12/08/2024

Back to back showdowns at MCS Round 3!

Of course, the lineup in the Malaysia Championship Series itself is already filled to the brim with a huge entry in the MTC/SP2, and the faces of new machinery in the TP/SP1.

But the weekend was turned into a larger festival with the likes of Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, Thailand Super Series, Toyota Vios Challenge, and the Asia Classic Car Challenge joining in as the support races!

We'll have a look on how these races went in a bit. But for now, here’s a quick peek on how last weekend looked like!

11/08/2024

Is it soaking wet where you are?

The MTC/SP2 fighters are also battling the same conditions as the MCS Round 3 Race 2 is now LIVE!

Malaysia Championship Series 2024 (MTC/SP2)Round 3 Race 210:28 AM, 11th August 2024

09/07/2024

Brilliant Bangsaen outing for the Haikal brothers!

Once again, Hayden Haikal was pulling a double duty at the Thailand Super Series, this time taking the challenge at the tricky 3.7km Bangsaen Street Circuit.

The youngster also celebrated his 20th birthday in style as he drove to back to back race wins and setting the fastest lap time in the Super Eco Class V-Are Pro Garage Racing Team Suzuki Swift.

“I really gave it my all, and once in front it was a case of just pushing as hard as I could to the finish. I never let up,” said Hayden who finished Race 1 some 13.9 seconds and Race 2 4.2 seconds ahead of his nearest rival.

While he hoped to replicate the results in the GT4 Class, a red flag in Race 1 had cut the one-hour race short where he had to settle with 3rd place. Race 2 however was not in his favor as a back marker veered into his path and sending both of them into the barriers, ending the race prematurely.

For Aaron Haikal, his first time racing on a street circuit turned out pretty well as he shot himself up from 14th to 7th in Race 1, earning a 2nd place finish in class.

He was again running in 7th in Race 2, but an unscheduled pitstop due to a broken driveshaft pretty much erased the hopes for a better finish for the weekend.

“All in all it was a very challenging race weekend. The team was only able to get in 15 minutes of practice before the qualifying session began. And qualifying didn’t go all that well for me when I found myself caught in traffic and finished 14th quickest from a grid of 34 drivers. “

Nevertheless, it was a great achievement for both of them, and congratulations for the superb finishes!

31/05/2024

Saturday Night Fever might be a distant memory for some, but the guys at MSF are reigniting this special piece of local racing scene as SNF returns to Sepang this weekend!

Exactly 10 years after its last showdown, SNF Revival will see more than 200 drivers competing in 10 individual classes of racing, with highlights being on the 4 premier classes: Super Touring; Vision HKS GT86 x BRZ Racing Cup; Super Production; and Rennplatz Standard Production.

And instead of the full 5.543km circuit, Round 2 brings an interesting twist where the 2.609km South Track will be the arena for the door-to-door battles!

Aside from the non-stop actions on track, spectators can also expect eye candies in the paddock area with a huge display of cars and aftermarket spare parts, as well as merchandises on display and sale at the hospitality area.

Paddock access tickets for Round 2 are on sale at RM35 and parking is RM10, available at the entrance to the South track on race day (1 June 2024) from 7am to midnight. Entry to the main grandstand is free of charge.

Don't say we didn't ajak, okay??

21/05/2024

Look who's back to race in S1K!! 🤤

12/05/2024

Heck of a race.

Hakim Danish proved that he's still a force to be reckoned with as the young lad took a well-deserved P3 in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup at Le Mans, France!

Keeping himself in the leading Top 5 position, he even took lead a number of times before concluding the race on the podium, just 0.02 seconds ahead of the nearest pursuer.

With this P3 finish, Hakim is now in P5 on the championship standings.

Massive congratulations Hakim!

08/05/2024

What a weekend it was.

Not only we’re seeing a new era of the Malaysia Championship Series taking shape, we also welcomed the return of the Bulls to Sepang for 2024 with the opening round of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia.

Stick around as we’ll bring more pics for your viewing pleasure really soon!

08/05/2024

Wing Hin concludes TSS R1 with a strong 2nd and 5th place finish!

For Mitchell Cheah and Naquib Azlan, they've made a lasting impression in their TSS debut as the duo concluded Round 1 with a solid 2nd and 5th place finish with Wing Hin Motorsport.

Competing in the Super Compact class, they started Race 1 from 6th on the grid before getting engaged in an intense door-to-door battle. It was all smiles in the garage as they brought home the Toyota Yaris to claim 2nd place in the race.

With eyes set to replicate the result in Race 1, the duo had a different challenge in Race 2. Starting again from P6, a first corner contact on the opening lap had sent Naquib wide, dropping him down to 9th.

After a brief safety car period, the race got underway again and it wasn't long before Naquib started climbing up the ranks to be in 6th position.

“It was a hectic first stint which began when I got tagged at turn 1 and lost a lot of positions. From there it was pushing to the max, trying to get as much positions as I could," said Naquib.

Mitchell took over the race seat after the pitstop and was engaged in a duel with Toyota Gazoo Racing Thailand’s Na Dol V. in the final 10 minutes of the race, which saw Mitchell taking home 5th place.

Solid finish, boys!

08/05/2024

First appearance, first win!

Hayden Haikal wasted no time in showing his prowess behind the wheel as the youngster stormed to victory in the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT4 at the recent Thailand Super Series race weekend!

This also gave Racing Aurora - the Malaysian team running the car - their first win where Hayden finished the race 26 seconds ahead of the nearest competitor.

Just 30 minutes before this race, Hayden just completed the Super Eco Class and finishing third in it. After teammate Peter Hackett drove the first stint of the Supercar GT4 race, Hayden took over the race seat to continue the charge. It wasn't long before Hayden started to make up grounds and taking the lead in the race.

“Racing Aurora was set-up to nurture and help young Malaysian drivers. It is a platform to take them as far as we can into the highest level of GT car racing," said Team Principal Sanjay Pattis.

Pattis said the combination of Hackett – an official AMG driver and AMG chief instructor for Asia Pacific - and Hayden underlines the team’s objective of helping to develop young Malaysian drivers.

“The selection to have a driver of Hackett’s caliber is to guide and nurture young drivers like Hayden make a seamless and impactful transition into the higher classes of GT racing.”

03/05/2024

We're used to seeing Mitchell Cheah and Naquib Azlan in races like MCS, but these young lads will have a new challenge ahead of them as they're competing in the Thailand Super Series this weekend!

Driving the Wing Hin Motorsport Toyota Yaris, the duo will be sharing the race seat and battling it out in the Super Compact Class for the 2024 season.

Wing Hin is no stranger to racing in Thailand and they had made a name for themselves after securing a class win in the 10-hour Idemitsu Super Endurance 600 Southeast Asia Trophy.

And Wing Hin's plans doesn't stop there as they're also planning tp field Malaysian drivers in the Thailand Supercar GT4 Class when Round 2 of the TSS moves to the Bangsaen Street Circuit in 3-7 July.

"I have no doubt that the teams at TSS are going to be strong but I have confidence in our team and that we can take the fight to them," said Naquib.

“The exposure in TSS is big from what I’ve seen and experienced because the motorsports community in Thailand is much bigger. I definitely hope to excel there and maybe have more opportunities to further my motorsport career in the future," added Mitchell.

We sure are glad to see more local talented drivers getting a shot outside Malaysia, and we wish them all the best in the upcoming races ahead!

01/05/2024

Piston Project reveals two-car lineup for 2024 MCS!

A new season, new looks, and new faces. Piston Project recently took the covers off their contenders for the 2024 MCS season and along with their new livery comes a new set of faces joining the team!

Joining Roni Risman in the #5 Honda Fit GK5 will be Syahrizal Jamaludin, and Gladys Lam will share the #76 Honda City GM6 race seat with Adrian Tan later on.

Be sure to follow the team on both Facebook and Instagram as they share their updates and journey for this new season. All the best guys!

30/04/2024

Looks like brothers Hayden and Aaron Haikal will be busy behind the wheel in Thailand as they set to mount a two-car assault in the TSS' Super Eco Class!

After finishing overall runner-up in 2022 and third overall last year, this will be Hayden's third year running in the Thailand Super Series. He'll also be driving with a new team this year - one that won the overall championship in 2023 - V-Are Pro Garage Racing Team.

“On paper, I will be driving last year’s championship winning car, and a car that is a lot better and quicker compared to the last 2 years. This should make a very big difference to my hopes of clinching the overall championship this time," said Hayden.

But his challenge this year in TSS is greater than ever as he'll also be making his debut in the Super Series Supercar GT4 class, piloting a Mercedes-Benz AMG GT4.

“Testing has been extremely positive and promising. Driving a GT4 car is entirely on a different level and it requires me to be very precise with everything. The speeds are definitely a lot higher and this also means different braking points."

As for his brother Aaron, the move to TSS isn't a surprise after a number of podium finishes in the TGR Vios Challenge and Gazoo Racing Sprint Cup. He'll be joining Pipekids Racing, the outfit that Hayden raced with last year.

“I’m really grateful that the team has placed their trust in me. I’m obviously very excited as this will be my first international race. My expectations going into Round 1 is to finish in the top 10 as this is an extremely competitive class,” said Aaron.

We're extremely excited to see more of our boys now in action over in Thailand. All the best to both of you!

22/04/2024

Lu and Laurin takes Race 2 victory!

In another pole-to-podium journey, the duo of Lu Wei and Laurin Heinrich came in victorious after fending off the rivals to take the overall + ProAm win in Race 2!

It's a moment to cherish for Harmony Racing as Jiatong Liang and Kailuo Luo didn't only win the silver category, but also took home third place overall.

In the Silver Am class, it was Origine Motorsport's Yuan Bo and Ye Hongli who came up on top for the class win in the 911 GT3 R.

And finally, Hiroshi Hamaguchi and Mineki Okura took the Am class win after the 27 laps of nail-biting racing around Sepang.

2024 Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia Sepang - Race 2 Results

Overall
1. #4 Origine Motorsport - Wei LU (CHN) / Laurin HEINRICH (DEU)
2. #30 Craft-Bamboo Racing - Qi CAO (CHN) / Daniel MORAD (CAN)
3. #77 Harmony Racing - Jiatong LIANG (CHN) / Kailuo LUO (CHN)

ProAm
1. #4 Origine Motorsport - Wei LU (CHN) / Laurin HEINRICH (DEU)
2. #30 Craft-Bamboo Racing - Qi CAO (CHN) / Daniel MORAD (CAN)
3. #888 Triple Eight JMR - H.H. Prince Abu Bakar IBRAHIM (MYS) / Jordan LOVE (AUS)

Silver
1. #77 Harmony Racing - Jiatong LIANG (CHN) / Kailuo LUO (CHN)
2. #41 Audi Sport Asia Team Absolute - James Kuai YU (CHN) / Akash Neil NANDY (MYS)
3. #36 FAW Audi Sport Asia Racing Team - Franky Congfu CHENG (CHN) / Adderly FONG (CHN)

Silver Am
1. #87 Origine Motorsport - Bo YUAN (CHN) / Leo Hongli YE (CHN)
2. #18 Porsche Center Okazaki - Hiroaki NAGAI (JPN) / Yuta KAMIMURA (JPN)
3. #500 TEAM 5ZIGEN - HIROBON (JPN) / Yu KANAMARU (JPN)

Am
1. #19 The Spirit of FFF Racing - Hiroshi HAMAGUCHI (JPN) / Mineki OKURA (JPN)
2. #51 AMAC Motorsport - Andrew MACPHERSON (AUS) / William Ben PORTER (AUS)
3. #75 Garage 75 - David TJIPTOBIANTORO (IDN) / Christian COLOMBO (ITA)

20/04/2024

From Pole to Race Win!

To start things off for the day, the torrential rain had soaked up the track and delayed the race by one hour. Some might say rain tires would be the obvious choice in this situation, but some opted to risk in and ran slicks instead.

Franky Cheng and Adderly Fong showed that even the wet track couldn't stop their relentless charge to the finish line as the duo took the Race 1 win at Sepang earlier today!

The #36 FAW Audi R8 emerged victorious after fending off Bian Ye and Edoardo Liberati in the VSR Lamborghini Huracan. Coming in third was the pairing of Yuan Bo and Leo Ye Hongli.

One down, one to go. Are you ready for Race 2 tomorrow?

20/04/2024

Um, you can't park there, sir.

17/04/2024

Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia returns to Sepang Circuit!

That's right, the 2024 season opener for the GT World Challenge Asia will kick off this weekend at no other than our Sepang International Circuit, featuring a healthy field of 33 entries this time around.

With most of the big brands present in the list, you can expect a tight and fierce battle at the 2x 1 hour race format running this weekend.

While there are quite a number of newcomers into the series, we also can't wait to see returning faces like Craft-Bamboo, Absolute Racing, D'Station Racing, and of course, Triple Eight JMR!

Got nothing lined up this weekend? Let's fill up the grandstands and immerse in the atmosphere firsthand!

04/04/2024

Sit back, and enjoy.

22/03/2024

Sepang 12 Hours is back!

Well, let’s get that right. It’s actually now the Motul 12 Hours of Sepang. But hey, as long as it brings an endurance race with fast machines racing on it, you can call it whatever you want!

After its return last year, it sure is an encouraging sight seeing the entry list grow, and the race actually running for 12 straight hours.

Aside from the usual suspects of GT3 and GTC machineries, the organizers had also introduced the TCR class as an addition to the categories competing, bringing the 2024 entry list up to 17 cars.

How was the race? Under the scorching Sepang heat, it was drama from the start to the checkered flag where GT3 AM runners R&B Racing took the overall win in the #44 Porsche 992 GT3!

We have more photos in store for you guys. Stick around as we’ll bring more out for you soon!

20/03/2024

Piston Project is spreading their wings as they're collaborating with Insane Motorsport from Thailand to compete a full season in the Idemitsu Super Turbo Thailand 2024!

Racing under the Mugen Thailand Singha RPM by Insane Motorsports banner, the team is fielding two cars for this season. The Honda CRZ Turbo drive by Net Thanatthithadakul in Super Turbo Class D4 & Honda Brio drive by Roni Risman in Super Turbo Class D5.

And their first round went as how anyone would like it to be, having secured P1 in their respective classes! Net had qualified pole for her race and stuck to the position until the checkered flag, and Roni converted his P2 race start into a victory at the end of the race.

Round 2 was almost a carbon copy for the both of them as they yet again won their respective classes, but there was a slight drama for Roni as he suffered a puncture that required a pitstop. That however was not enough to stop his momentum as he went on to finish in P1 once again!

17/02/2024

When we heard Viper Niza Racing was going to enter the Asian Le Mans Series - Official, we thought we’d be seeing the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 in action again. But boy were we surprised as they showed up with their spanking new Ligier JS P320 LMP3 race car instead!

Replacing their JS P3 which had seen plenty of action years before, the P320 features a range of updates like the improved Nissan V8VK56 engine, 95% new bodywork and an adapted cooling system.

For the 2023-2024 ALMS conquest, Josh Burdon joined the driver lineup during the first two races, but it was the usual faces of Douglas Khoo and Dominic Ang who raced in all of the 5 races in the calendar.

They might have had a rocky start in the season where they got caught in some nasty incidents, but they’d definitely ended the tour in a good note as they brought home a P5 at the final race in Yas Marina!

If anything, we sure can’t wait to see them back on the track, hopefully on the next ALMS season!

12/02/2024

JMR X Triple Eight concludes 2023/2024 Asian Le Mans with a double victory!

With crashes and red flags, the Abu Dhabi outing for the Asian Le Mans Series presented a whole different challenge itself. But by keeping their heads down and a consistent pace, the #88 Mercedes AMG GT3 EVO took home not one, but two class wins last weekend!

In Race 1, the trio of Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jordan Love and Luca Stolz had put on a great display by taking the win after starting the race from P6. Securing the first win of the season, they'd start the next race from P5 in class which of course came with its own set of obstacles.

By the end of a gripping Race 2, the #88 Mercedes crossed the line in P2, but the team was surprised with a late penalty imposed to the class winner, promoting them to P1.

With these excellent finishes, the team collected a total of 74 points, earning them second place in the overall GT standings. Not bad for a debut in ALMS!

11/02/2024

This might not be a Dragon, but it sure has the spirit of one!

Wishing you a joyous Year of the Dragon, fueled by passion, speed, and the determination to cross every finish line!

09/02/2024

The Rally Sprint is back, again!

Looks like this event is gaining its popularity and they're back for the 2024 edition, kicking off at MAEPS, Serdang!

02/02/2024

If you were offline in the past few days, the F1 world has some bombshells for you.

To start things off, someone had the brilliant idea suggesting F1 was going to return to Sepang. And while the news spread like wildfire, it was extinguished pretty instantly with Petronas denying the motion.

However, the second bombshell came out of nowhere. After a disappointing 2023 season, it seems like Lewis Hamilton would like to try his luck somewhere else as the seven-time world champ is going to move to Ferrari!

Lewis will be replacing Carlos Sainz in 2025 in a "multi-year" deal, bringing huge shock to the F1 world.

Of course, our minds are now wondering, would this be what Ferrari needs to get back on top?

And at the same time, where will Sainz be moving to in 2025? Or most importantly, who'll be partnering George Russell in Mercedes?

The season has yet started but the drama had already begun!

29/01/2024

You don't see a Mercedes GT3 racecar everyday, and JB motorsport lovers were in for a treat as JOHOR Racing and KFC Malaysia brought this no-frills speed machine to a special event organized for youths and enthusiasts, as well as to mark their commitment in backing up JMR for 2024!

And to top it off, the brothers of YAM Tunku Abdul Rahman Al-Haj Ibni Sultan Ibrahim, Tunku Panglima Johor, and YAM Tunku Abu Bakar Al-Haj Ibni Sultan Ibrahim, Tunku Putera Johor, were also present at the event. Both of them are more than familiar with the racecar as they raced it in championships like the GT World Challenge Asia, and most recently, in the Asian Le Mans Series - Official.

Both of them shared their personal journeys and experiences, inspiring students from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, and Kolej Vokasional Tanjung Puteri to pursue their passions within the motorsport realm. The students were then treated to an immersive encounter with the princes' race cars, the Mercedes AMG GT3, providing a firsthand look at these high-performance vehicles on racing circuits worldwide.

KFC Malaysia Head Chandrasagran Munusamy, expressed the brand's pride in giving back to another Malaysian brand and expressed excitement about working on this partnership to grow the motorsports industry in Malaysia.

"With the expertise of Johor Motorsport Racing and the on-ground experience of the esteemed YAM Tunku Panglima Prince Jefri Ibrahim and YAM Tunku Putra Prince Abu Bakar, we hope to foster a better understanding of the sport and ultimately propel more Malaysians onto the international stage," he said.

The next time this GT3 racecar will see action is in the 2024 ALMS Round 3 over at Dubai and we wish JMR all the best in this outing!

05/01/2024

Asian Le Mans Series - Official returns with a bang!

Who would've thought that after their last lap in 2020, Asian Le Mans Series would take a hiatus from Sepang Circuit. The pandemic had forced them to run round after round in the Middle East, making us wonder if they'd return to Malaysia at all...

But late last year, the endurance race series made a grand surprise by including the 5.543km circuit into their calendar, marking it's return after a two-year absence!

Although no night races this time, they did return with a solid grid, featuring almost 40 cars from three different classes.

And taking the crown in the first race was the trio of Al Harty Ahmad, Louis Deletraz, and surprise, surprise, Nikita Mazepin! They took the win in the #99 99 Racing Oreca 07 Gibson.

The LMP3 win was secured by the #17 COOL Racing of James Winslow, Alex Bukhantsov, and Danial Frost.

Finally, the super-competitive GT3 class saw Christopher Haase, Gilles Magnus and Alban Varutti emerging as the victors in the #42 Sainteloc Racing Audi R8 GT3 EVO 2.