Vios Challenge Season 9: Sepang Opener Serves Up Rain-Soaked Thrills, Last-Lap Drama and Rookie Stars
If you thought production-based saloon car racing was about predictable processions and polite overtaking, the Season 9 opener of the Toyota GAZOO Racing Vios Challenge at Petronas Sepang International Circuit last weekend (17-19 April) was here to recalibrate your expectations.
With 51 drivers on the grid, four competitive classes, and a record RM876,000 prize pool up for grabs, this is Malaysia’s longest-running one-make race series backed by a manufacturer.
Nine Years Strong, Bigger Than Ever
Since its 2017 inception by UMW Toyota Motor, the Vios Challenge has evolved from a national talent incubator into a regional motorsport platform. Season 9 cements that trajectory: identically-prepared 4th generation Vios race cars, powered by 1.5-litre engines with 5-speed transmissions, place the spotlight squarely on driver skill, racecraft, and technical finesse.
The grid reflects this growth. Three Thai drivers—Surasak Dakeng, Varunchit Wattanathanakun, and Mekkaradkeeta Kalantananda of RUK Team PMC 52—joins Indian representative Aditya Patnaik (Axle Sports), while five female competitors—Mekkaradkeeta, Ng Aik Sha, Sophia Zara, Nurul Auni, and Pay Jin Yao, add further depth to an already diverse field.
Super Sporting: Ady and Ang Trade Blows
In the premier Super Sporting Class, Laser Motor Racing’s Ady Rahimy converted pole position into a Race 1 victory, holding off defending champion Freddie Ang (Telagamas Toyota Vios) by a slender 0.6 seconds after 22 laps of intense pressure.
“It was a good clean fight with Ang. I managed to keep my composure and retained the lead despite coming under pressure.”
Ady’s margin fluctuated throughout the race—expanding to a full second before Ang’s late surge narrowed the gap. Teammate Nabil Azlan completed the podium in third.
Race 2 saw Ang reverse the script. Starting fifth, he charged to the front by lap three and capitalised on battles behind to build a 3.7-second lead. Heavy rain brought out the safety car, freezing the order and handing Ang a strategic win as the field navigated wet conditions to the chequered flag.
Sporting Class: Chaos, Comebacks, and Last-Corner Drama
If Super Sporting was about precision, the amateur-focused Sporting Class delivered pure theatre.
Race 1 became a masterclass in resilience. Adam Mikail (G-Mart Best Autosport), starting 10th after overnight repairs to his practice-damaged car, fought through the field and seized the lead on lap 7. He dominated the remainder of the 20-lap wet-weather contest, holding off Justin Toh (BAE Racing by ES Yang) by 1.4 seconds, with Teo Hong Zhou (Awesome Racing Team) third.
Race 2 began under safety car conditions for track acclimatisation. Choo Yong Choon (Heiwa Racing Team) took control early, but the real story unfolded behind him. Teo Hong Zhou, running comfortably in second, was overtaken by Justin Toh on the final corner of the final lap—a move executed under heavy rain—as the race ended. Choo won by 1.8 seconds, but the podium shuffle provided the weekend’s most talked-about moment.
Rookie Class: The Next Generation Accelerates
The GAZOO Racing Malaysia Young Talent Development Program introduced five promising newcomers to saloon car racing:
- Ethen Low (16), 2024 GT Cup Malaysia Student Race runner-up
- Imran Iskandar (17), simulator and saloon racer
- Ervin Lim (18), SWS Sprint Cup Malaysia 2024 Vice Champion
- Ngo Yong Jian (20), simulator racer and track day enthusiast
- Megat Damian (21), 2025 GT Cup Championship Junior Class third-place finisher
Ervin Lim converted his first career pole into a Race 1 victory, finishing 6.6 seconds ahead of Imran Iskandar, with Ngo Yong Jian third.
“Joining the Vios Challenge has been a longtime dream of mine since I developed an interest for motorsports. Being selected as a Rookie is indeed a great honor. I had a great start in the race and after the first corner, I just kept my head down and relied on all the training we’ve undergone.”
Race 2 saw Ngo Yong Jian seize the initiative, taking the win ahead of Imran (second consecutive P2) and Lim, who completed the podium.
“I knew I had the pace and I just needed to focus. The only difference between simulator racing and real racing is the G-force and the heat we experience inside the car but this is something that we have been prepared for in training and thankfully, the transition has been seamless.”
Vios Classic Challenge: Endurance, Strategy, and Last-Lap Heartbreak
Introduced in 2025, the Vios Classic Challenge gives previous-generation race cars a competitive second act. The one-hour format with mandatory pitstop attracted 15 drivers across nine cars.
Race 1 saw Raja Amirul Syauqat (Axle Sports) dominate until a gearbox failure on lap 23 ended his charge. That promoted the Thai pairing of Surasak Dakeng and Varunchit Wattanathanakun (RUK Team PMC 52) to victory, 5.2 seconds ahead of Loke Yin Yi and Kenny Lee (Kegani Racing Academy), with Mirza Syahmi and Khair Nur Adi third.
Race 2 delivered the weekend’s most dramatic finish. After leading for 15 laps, Loke handed over to Lee during the mandatory pitstop. Lee rejoined just behind Varunchit, who had taken the lead. Varunchit’s advantage lasted one lap before a backmarker slowed his progress, allowing Lee to retake P1.
Unwilling to concede, Varunchit kept the gap within one second for the final 20 minutes, mounting a last-corner, last-lap pass just three turns from the flag to win by 0.5 seconds. The Thai duo made it two from two; Lee and Loke held second, with Lucas Leong and Phua Eu Hoong (Clovertech) completing the podium.
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