Season 7 of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Vios Challenge kicked off in spectacular fashion at the Petronas Sepang International Circuit featuring the debut of the all-new 2024 Toyota Vios race car.

The weekend's races, which mixed it up with varying weather conditions, saw young drivers dominate across all classes, showcasing the potential of the new Vios and underscoring the rising talent within the series.

Young drivers shine in the Super Sporting Class

In the Super Sporting class, Naquib Azlan of Axle Sports, starting from pole position in Race 1, quickly took the lead and maintained a strong pace throughout the race. Despite the challenge from seasoned competitors like Tengku Djan Ley of TD Racing and Freddie Ang of Telagamas Toyota, Naquib secured a well-deserved victory.

His younger brother, Nabil Azlan of Wheelcorp, also impressed in his debut in the professional class, strategically conserving his tires to claim third place behind Tengku Djan.

Race 2 presented a different challenge with wet conditions, but Naquib continued to perform, finishing second behind Prima Pearl TD Racing’s Mitchell Cheah, who dominated the race with an 11-second lead. Freddie Ang rounded off the top three, ensuring an exciting conclusion to the weekend.

Intense competition within Sporting Class

The Sporting Class was equally competitive, with Race Rally KL’s Shafiq Samsudin claiming victory in Race 1, followed by Thai driver Panithan Rakpaibulsombut and PCM Group Racing Team’s Kenneth Koh.

Koh, determined to bounce back from his third-place finish, took the top spot in Race 2, securing his position as the overall leader in the class for Round 1. BAE Racing by ES Yang’s Teo Hong Zhou and Shafiq completed the podium in Race 2, demonstrating the high level of competition in this category.

Rookie Class offers a glimpse of the future

The Rookie Class, featuring graduates of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Young Driver Development Program, was dominated by 18-year-old pro karter Adam Mikail.

Adam’s remarkable performance saw him winning both races, even finishing ahead of some Sporting Class competitors in Race 2 despite the challenges of carrying extra weight ballast and starting from the back of the grid.

Brandon Ho and Amirul Afiq completed the podium in both races, showcasing their potential in what promises to be an exciting season ahead.

A new era for the Vios Challenge

Season 7 marks the introduction of the all-new Vios, which has leveled the playing field and brought new challenges to the drivers.

The new platform’s enhanced rigidity and improved aerodynamics, along with its new 1.5-litre engine and five-speed manual transmission, have required competitors to quickly adapt, leading to an even more competitive and thrilling racing series.

With a total of RM 630,000 in prize money up for grabs, the Toyota Gazoo Racing Vios Challenge continues to be the most lucrative and widely-watched motorsports event in Malaysia, drawing nearly 30 million online viewers and 220,000 on-ground spectators since its inception in 2017.

The next round of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Vios Challenge is scheduled to take place from 27-29 September 2024 at the Petronas Sepang International Circuit.

Overall standings - season tracker