Nabil Azlan leads Malaysia’s esports charge with Assetto Corsa gold as all four national representatives gain valuable international experience in Pattaya.
PATTAYA, THAILAND – Malaysia continued its strong record in competitive sim racing at the Asia-Pacific Motorsport Championship 2026 (APMC 2026), with Nabil Azlan securing gold in the Esports Assetto Corsa category at the Bira Circuit in Pattaya, Thailand.
The 24-year-old delivered a commanding performance on Saturday, winning his Quarterfinal, Semifinal and Final to claim the championship title and put Malaysia on top of the podium.
Nabil’s victory marked another significant milestone in his esports racing career, improving on the silver medal he earned in the iRacing category at APMC 2025. His latest triumph also extended Malaysia’s gold-medal record in the esports discipline, with the country having won gold at every edition of the championship since its inaugural running in 2023.
Malaysia also recorded a strong showing through Iqbal Suji, who made his APMC debut in the Assetto Corsa category. The 28-year-old progressed through the qualifying rounds to reach the Final, eventually finishing sixth overall in a competitive field featuring some of the region’s leading sim racers.
In the iRacing category, Raja Amirul Syauqat demonstrated determination on his championship debut, advancing through the earlier rounds to secure a place in the Final.
Starting seventh on the grid, the 22-year-old was looking to challenge for a higher finishing position before a collision involving an Australian competitor dropped him to the back of the field. Raja fought to recover, engaging in a battle with the same driver over several laps, before regaining one position to finish ninth overall.
Meanwhile, 16-year-old Ethen Low gained valuable international racing experience in his first major regional championship appearance. The youngest competitor in the esports discipline advanced to the iRacing Semifinals, but a major setback brought his campaign to an early end.
Although Ethen was unable to progress further, his participation at such a young age represents an important step in his development as an emerging Malaysian sim racing talent.
All four athletes earned their places in the national squad after finishing among the top two competitors in their respective national qualifying competitions, sanctioned by the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM).
Competing against representatives from more than 15 nations, the Malaysian contingent showcased the country’s growing depth in esports motorsport, combining established competitive experience with emerging young talent.
The four athletes represented Malaysia under the MAM banner with support from Esports Integrated (ESI) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) through the Malaysia Esports Accelerator Programme (MEAP).
Hosted by the Royal Automobile Association of Thailand (RAAT), APMC 2026 took place from 23 to 25 October, bringing together motorsport athletes from across the Asia-Pacific region to compete for gold, silver and bronze medals across five motorsport disciplines.
For Malaysia, Nabil’s latest achievement reinforces the country’s standing in regional esports racing, while the performances of Iqbal, Raja and Ethen provide further encouragement for the continued development of the national sim racing programme.
