PROTON R3 Motorsports scored a sensational 1-2 victory to regain the Sepang 1,000km Race (S1K) overall title at Sepang Circuit last night with their top driver Syafiq Ali winning his second personal crown.
Partnering Malaysia’s Drift King and a two-time Sepang 12-Hour Malaysia Merdeka Endurance Race (MMER) winner, Tengku Djan Ley Tengku Mahaleel, the duo completed the required 181 laps around the 5.543-km track in eight hours 17 minutes 2.164 seconds in their Proton Preve.
In a race that witnessed total domination of the Proton R3 Motorsports, Tengku Djan’s younger brother, Tengku Ezan Ley, who partnered James Veerapan in a Proton Suprima S took second place, finishing a mere 0.421 seconds behind the teammates.
Defending champions Honda Malaysia Racing Team (HMRT), which entered three cars, took the next two top places with the partnership of Eddie Lew and Aaron Lim, who were trying to retain the title they won last year, completing the final step of the podium.
Driving an all-new Honda Jazz machine, they passed the chequered flag a lap behind the winners.
On board the sister Honda City, Muhammad Farriz Fauzy and Alif Hamdan took fourth place with the third HMRT entry of Tan Zhong Zheng and Mohd Henzee Hamzah took sixth place covering 177 laps.
Glocomp Racing with drivers Ong Chee Yong, Ramsey Rizal Radzmi and Mohd Afdzal Mohd Nazri took fifth place in their Proton Satria Neo machine; completing 172 laps.
Flagged off at 1pm by SIC chief commercial officer Sharmila Nadarajah under cloudy skies after an early morning shower, the race proceeded in ideal conditions as competitors had dry track throughout the eight-plus-hour competition.
Singapore’s 16-year-old Daim Hishamuddin, who penned himself into the history books as the youngest ever competitor in the event, finished in 21st place.
Overall results (top 10): 1 Syafiq Ali-Tengku Djan Ley (Proton Preve) 181 laps (8:17:02.164s), 2 James Veerapan-Tengku Ezan Ley (Proton Suprima S) 181 laps (8:17.02.585s), 3 Eddie Lew-Aaron Lim (Honda Jazz) 180 laps, 4 Farriz Fauzy-Alif Hamdan (Honda City) 177 laps, 5 Ong Chee Yong-Ramsey Rizal Radzmi-Mohd Afdzal Mohd Nazri (Proton Satria Neo) 172 laps, 6 Tan Zhong Zheng-Mohd Henzee Hamzah (Honda Jazz) 172 laps, 7 Keifli Othman-Yong Boon Pin (Suzuki Swift Sport) 170 laps, 8 Nattaavude-Suttipong-Nattapong Hortongkam (Toyota Altis) 167 laps, 9 Yee Kok Jun-Foo Yung Cheh-Nurul Husna Nasharuddin (Proton Satria Neo) 167 laps, 10 Desmond Yee-Winson Eu (Proton Satria Neo) 166 laps.