Final weekend noticed the 2024 Sepang 1,000 km (S1K) endurance race being gained by a privateer as all three works entries hit hassle. Amidst all of the chaos, the Proton R3 group managed to salvage a decent fifth at school within the new S70 R3 Malaysian Touring Automobile (MTC), the #82 entry pushed by Ariff Azmi and Alister Yoong being its sole finisher.
The nationwide carmaker had excessive hopes for its sedan main into the race, although it didn’t function anyplace within the high 4 in qualifying. The lead #81 automotive was taken out of the race early doorways, nonetheless, as Syafiq Ali was spun from behind and crashed right into a wall on lap 8, forcing him into retirement.
Worse was to hit the #82 automotive, which was sidelined as a result of a technical concern, shedding over 40 minutes within the pits and dropping down the order because of this. Yoong – son of former Method 1 driver Alex Yoong – and Ariff fought again valiantly to complete in twenty seventh general and fifth within the high MTC class, an encouraging consequence after a five-year hiatus.
“Group Proton R3, its drivers and the Proton S70 R3 have added to Proton’s proud racing heritage by delivering a robust efficiency on the 2024 S1K race. Whereas we focused one other general win, the group was conscious of the daunting process that lay forward to compete with a model new automotive towards groups who had competed in races for the final three years and have been a lot additional forward on the automobile growth curve.
“Finally, we now have no complaints though an accident early within the race prompted the retirement of automotive 81 whereas a technical concern in automotive 82 prompted it to lose time within the pits and dropped it out of general rivalry. So whereas the ultimate consequence might have been higher, a whole lot of knowledge was collected over the weekend and ending fifth within the MTC class has set a baseline for R3 to launch its assault on the 2025 racing season,” mentioned Proton Edar CEO Roslan Abdullah.
Proton says it has not selected the S70 R3’s subsequent aggressive look; nonetheless, the #82 automotive might be displayed on the Kuala Lumpur Worldwide Mobility Present (KLIMS) from December 5 to 11.
The 2024 race was gained by Hirev Dream Chaser within the #1 Suzuki Swift Sport ZC32S pushed by Hayden Haikal, Rahul Raj Meyer dan Daim Hishamudin. Ranging from fourth on the grid, the trio was constantly within the battle on the high because the bigger carmaker-backed groups confronted technical troubles. Nailed-on favourites Honda Malaysia Racing Group (HMRT) suffered a double retirement, the #27 Metropolis Sedan grinding to a heartbreaking halt whereas main late on, simply ten laps from the top.
In the meantime, the #37 Toyota Gazoo Racing Malaysia Vios was scuppered by an excellent longer stoppage than the #82 automotive, ultimately ending 53rd and seventh at school. Out in entrance, the #1 automotive accomplished the 181 laps in eight hours 14 minutes, over two and a half minutes forward of the #38 Wing Hin Motorsports Toyota Yaris; the #96 Tedco Racing Honda Match RS GK5 accomplished the rostrum.
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