SEPANG, SELANGOR — Veteran racer Faidzil Alang has once again conquered the MSF Merdeka Race, securing a second consecutive overall victory in the ninth edition of the gruelling 111-lap endurance race at PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit.
It was a near-perfect weekend for Faidzil, who started from pole position, recorded the fastest lap of the race at 2:27.462, and remained at the front from lights to chequered flag.
Sharing the driving duties with Super Series Limited debutants Muhamad Nurazmi and Arif Hanafiah, Faidzil brought the #148 Papaya Autohaus Mercedes-Benz A45 home after completing all 111 laps of the 5.534km circuit. The result also secured the trio victory in the Super Series Limited class.
The winning crew finished 1 minute 44.184 seconds ahead of Syahrizal Jamaluddin and Muhammad Hasif, who claimed second overall in a Toyota Yaris. Third overall went to Kegani Racing Academy, with Kenny Lee, Loke Yin Yi and Daniel Storkensen completing the podium in their Toyota Levin while also taking the Super Compatto class victory.
For Faidzil, the victory was ultimately about discipline, consistency and teamwork rather than simply outright pace.
“This was the result of a team effort. We have been racing with the A45 for quite some time and achieving some strong results in the past, we had enough data to set-up the car well.”
The Papaya Autohaus crew made four pitstops during the race, more than some of their rivals, but focused on maintaining a competitive and consistent pace throughout.
“Knowing that we had to make more stops than others, we just concentrated on setting a competitive and consistent pace,” Faidzil explained.
With endurance racing placing as much emphasis on mechanical sympathy as outright speed, the three drivers also had to carefully manage the Mercedes throughout the 111 laps.
“All three drivers needed to be disciplined, drive carefully and be gentle with the car. It’s great to be back on top of the winners’ podium and to win the overall race a second time.”
Kegani Racing Academy fights back
Kegani Racing Academy’s third-place overall finish was arguably one of the weekend’s strongest comeback stories.
The Toyota Levin crew had fallen as far back as fifth during the race and lost approximately 11 minutes while replacing a damaged clutch hose. Despite the setback, the team fought its way back into contention with eight laps remaining to secure both third overall and victory in the Super Compatto class.
Lead driver and Team Principal Kenny Lee said the result was particularly satisfying given the challenges faced before and during the event.
“The car was good, the team did an exceptional job preparing it — we had a gearbox issue just days before the race weekend — and we had good pace throughout qualifying and the race.”
The team last raced the car in 2024 and maximised its time on track by making only three pitstops.
However, after establishing a comfortable class lead, the clutch hose failure threatened to undo their efforts.
“The crew took 11 minutes to get us back on track and from then on, I just started pushing. We regained the class lead with eight laps remaining,” said Lee.
Two-wheel endurance honours
The weekend also delivered a dramatic conclusion in the MotoMSF Merdeka 33-Lap Endurance Race, where Dhiraj Tan and Sankaran Shamugam emerged victorious.
The pair completed the race in the searing Sepang heat, finishing approximately one minute ahead of their closest rivals. Their victory also highlighted the importance of strategy and teamwork, with the winning combination opting for a 600cc Supersport machine.
Last year’s winners Mohammad Fahmi Abdul Wahaf and Mohd Radzi Omar finished second aboard Ducatis, while Tony Ng Wei Shyang and Ke Huanni completed the podium on Honda CBR600RR Supersport machines.
Former Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and CEV Moto3 Series rider Amirul Hafiq Azmi also returned to competition after moving into coaching duties, partnering Carmen Lee. Their race, however, ended in disqualification following a sporting infringement involving refuelling in pitlane.
A celebration of grassroots racing
The ninth edition of the MSF Merdeka Race brought together almost 200 racing machines and 300 competitors for a weekend of four- and two-wheel competition.
A total of 63 cars contested the flagship 111-lap race, while another 61 cars competed in the 75-minute Merdeka 75 Cup across the Saga Cup, MyVi Cup, CamPro Cup and Tuner Production classes.
The weekend also featured 13 cars in the Skilldrvn One Make Race Series, 15 superbikes in the MotoMSF Merdeka 33-Lap Endurance Race and nine Harley-Davidson motorcycles competing in the American V-Twin Cup by Prodigy Racecraft.
For MSF Principal Adian Yein Khalid, the event continues to underline the importance of grassroots motorsport in Malaysia.
“The MSF Merdeka 111-Lap Race is the cornerstone of grassroots racing in Malaysia.”
He added that the growing participation of regional and international competitors could help establish the event as an important proving ground for emerging talent.
Organised by Kelab Sukan Motor MSF Malaysia, the MSF Merdeka Race is traditionally held around Malaysia’s Merdeka celebrations and has established itself as one of the country’s key grassroots endurance racing events.
With Faidzil Alang once again standing on top of the overall podium, the ninth edition delivered another chapter of endurance racing, strategy and determination — and a reminder that at Sepang, winning 111 laps is as much about surviving the battle as it is about leading it.
