Motorsports

SUPER GT VIBES FOR RACERS IN ROUND 2 OF THE VIOS CHALLENGE

By Edmund Lee

Posted on July 1, 2025

Sepang – A one-hour race defined a monumental moment for the 2025 Vios Challenge which made its international debut at the Malaysian round of the AUTOBACS SUPER GT Malaysian round. SUPER GT racing vibes resonated strongly with racers competing in Round 2 of the Vios Challenge as day two’s action on track went door-to-door all the way to the chequered flag.

Unlike the 10-lap sprint race on a half circuit the Vios Challenge is known for, Round 2 had the 36 drivers and all three classes of racing starting together taking on the entire 5.543 km length of the Petronas SIC International Circuit which made it twice as challenging for the racers. The race also included racers from Thailand, Singapore and India participating in all three classes of racing (Super Sporting, Sporting and Rookie) grouped together for a 1-hour race around the full length of the 5.543 km Petronas SIC International Circuit. This was a rare departure from the traditional 10-lap sprint race.

The Vios Challenge is also made even more special with UMW Toyota Motor and Toyota GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Title Sponsorship of the Malaysian round of the 2025 AUTOBACS SUPER GT series. The Vios Challenge was held in conjunction with the Malaysian round of the AUTOBACS SUPER GT Malaysian round. A total of 28,524 spectators attended the first day of the race weekend which was making its return to Malaysia after a 12-year absence.

In Race 1 for the Super Sporting Class for professionals, Laser Motor Racing’s Eddie Lew jumped into an early lead as soon as the race got underway, getting ahead of Wheelcorp’s Nabil Azlan while pole sitter and Laser Motor Racing’s second driver Ady Rahimy Rashid dropped 7 places into 8th position.

Nabil however, punched into the lead by the third lap with Telagamas Toyota’s Freddie Ang moving into second position as Lew also dropped into third by the halfway mark of the race.

In the end, it was Ang who claimed the chequered flag ahead of Nabil with Toyotsu Racing’s William Ho a further 18 seconds behind in third place.

“The initial plan was to attack in the second half of the race but as things unfolded in the race, it went from this to getting to the front and trying to pull away. In a one-hour race it is extremely challenging and it is critical to manage both the car and tyres,” said Ang who finished the 20 lap race a mere 0.7 seconds ahead of Nabil.

“He (Nabil) was on my rear bumper the entire time and every time I tried to pull away he was right there with me. I couldn’t do anything more and so I settled for being defensive and trying to just stay ahead.
“To be honest it was very taxing on the body, especially with the heat. We are all so used to the sprint race and therefore the second 30-minute stint this weekend really had you feeling body fatigue…it was extremely hot.”

While in Race 2, Team Prima Pearl SP Selatan’s Mitchell Cheah made the most of a second row start on the grid to shoot into the lead from the very start of the 1-hour race. Despite the safety car being deployed as early as lap 2, Cheah maintained his position up front as no fewer than four other drivers jostling for second and third places.

Laser Motor Racing’s Ady Rahimy did his best to chase down Cheah but eventually had to settle for second place after a close fight with his team mate Eddie Lew, Wheelcorp’s Nabil Azlan and Telagamas Toyota’s Freddie Ang who was also Race 1’s winner. Ang also prevailed in the door-to-door battle to secure third position and his second podium of the weekend.

“It was a good race overall. I gained two positions on the start but I also lost two positions later when we had a safety car situation. I subsequently fought back, regained the lead and managed to open up a two-second gap and from then on it was a question of maintaining consistency and managing the tyre wear,” said Cheah.

“Towards the final stages of the race I just kept my head down and focused on being consistent to the chequered flag. A 1-hour race is definitely not easy and you just can’t afford to push from the start like a sprint race.”

The Sporting Class Race 1 for amateurs meanwhile, was dominated by Hong Huat x Armada KK Racing’s Jwan Hii who delivered a dominant drive to finish 8 seconds ahead of Kulim Top Wheels’ Datuk Dr Ken Foo. In third place was Thai driver Varunchit Wattanathanakun representing RUK Team Nexzter PMC 52.

The race was essentially Hii’s from start to finish as he dominated from pole position to post the fastest lap time of 2 min: 52.409 seconds.

Then for Race 2 of The Sporting Class, Justin Toh and Elson Lew led a 1-2 finish for BAE Racing by ES Yang, while RUK Team Nexzter PMC 52’s Varunchit Wattanathanakun claimed his second straight third placing of the weekend.

Down the field for Race 1 in the Rookie Class, drama unfolded in the penultimate stages of the race as Aydan Khaliq took victory ahead of Rahul Dev, with Harkiesh Geeva in third position. Harkiesh and Aydan had been trading places for the race lead and with several minutes left to the finish, the former had been poised for what appeared to be certain victory until a mechanical problem denied him of the top spot on the podium.

“To be honest, I was very fortunate to finish where I did after Harkiesh lost his third gear despite leading the race for quite a fair bit. But that is part and parcel of racing,” said Aydan.

“Racing on the full track was also a bit more tiring…Mentally I was fit enough but after competing in the GR86 Cup Malaysia race I practically had to rush to the starting grid for the Vios Challenge.

“Nevertheless, competing on a SUPER GT race week is excellent exposure not only for me as a rookie but the entire Vios Challenge series as it projects local talent and racing internationally.

Then on Race 2 for The Rookie Class, saw Justin Rahul Dev taking victory ahead of female driver Genevieve Ooi, with Aydan Khaliq in third. It was both Justin and Aydan’s second podium finish of the weekend (Justin 2nd and Aydan 1st in Race 1), and Ooi’s best ever finish since joining Toyota GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Young Talent Development Program in 2025.

“The race this afternoon was quite tough and of course it was made more challenging due to the extreme heat. Most importantly, I kept it clean, consistent and stayed clear of trouble,” said Genevieve.

“I was in a good position yesterday until contact with another rookie which caused a puncture. After coming into the pit for repairs, there was nothing much I could do.”

On her sterling performance this race weekend, Genevieve added: “I’ve been working to enhance my physical fitness and to keep my mind focused. This is important in an endurance race and I have also learnt not to overthink things, so much so that it places unnecessary pressure on myself.”

Catch the 2025 Vios Challenge action or visit TGR Malaysia’s social media platforms at:
● Instagram: instagram.com/tgrmalaysia
● YouTube: youtube.com/@tgrmalaysia
For more information on race schedules, driver details and updates, visit: www.toyota.com.my/en/tgrmalaysia for full

ROUND 2, RACE 1 RESULTS

SUPER SPORTING CLASS