Twice as exciting but every bit wheel to wheel action from start to finish, with the lead exchanging hands multiple times right up to the final corners of the race in
the first ever running of the GAZOO Racing Vios Sprint Cup at Sepang International Circuit.
The one-hour race around the 5.534km Sepang International Circuit saw a total of 18 cars and 36 drivers competing in a one-hour race.
In the end, victory belonged to the pair of Tengku Djan Ley Tengku Mahaleel and Mika Hakimi who drove the Prima Pearl TD Racing Toyota Vios across the finish line just half a second ahead of Axle Motorsports’ pairing of Boy Wong/Nabil Azlan, while in third was S&D Tama Motorsports’ Freddie Ang and Tom Goh.
Starting from pole position, Ang began the race for S&D Tama Motorsports but lost the lead in the very first corner of the first lap to Wong in the Axle Motorsports Vios, with Tengku Djan in the top five positions and never really appearing to threaten the top three positions.
From fourth on the grid, Tengku Djan paced himself, picking off the front runners one at a time before positioning himself as high as second in the 10th lap, 30 minutes into the race, and just as the pit window opened for a driver change.
“As the pit window presented itself, we looked at the overall race and decided that it was just the right time to pit for a tyre and driver change.
With the car running hot, it was better to make a pit stop and take that chance to cool the car down, cool the tyres down before going back on track to attack again,” said Tengku Djan.
“It’s a one-hour race and it’s a lot more stressful. Fitness definitely plays a role and it was definitely hot today as well.
For example, in a race where everyone is on identical cars, I close the windows on my car so I get better aerodynamic co-efficiency but that means you’re essentially cooking in the car and without fitness, you will mentally breakdown.”
Speaking of his team mate Mika, Tengku Djan added: “Mika has proven himself in the GAZOO Racing Young Driver Development Program last year and he had some really good races in the Rookie Class.
After a few sessions preparing for the Vios Sprint Cup he came straight up to the
pace.
The pace is definitely there but there are some areas he will need to look into for example a little more aggression so that he can pressure the car in front more efficiently.”
