GOOD TEST SESSION FOR HONDA MALAYSIA MME RACING TEAM
GOOD TEST SESSION FOR HONDA MALAYSIA MME RACING TEAM
Defending champion Honda Malaysia Racing completed an extensive two-day testing at Sepang Circuit late yesterday; signaling their clear intentions to retain the overall title of the Merdeka Millennium Endurance (MME) 12-hour race, which will be held on August 27.
Under the watchful eyes of team manager Zainuddin Taib and Yasuhide Mizuno, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Honda Malaysia, Japan GT driver Hiroki Katoh and Malaysia’s top saloon car driver Eddie Lew took the two-liter Honda Civic DOHC I-VTEC machines through a vigorous shakedown of the cars.
No press statements were issued but it is learnt that the two-day session concentrated on testing various parts of race machines and to work on the car setting. Drivers Hiroki and Eddie, who partnered youngster Farriz Fauzy to victory last year, also said that they are not authorised to speak about the tests.
“I am sorry but there will be no press statements today. We will have to wait for Honda Malaysia’s official announcement on all team matters,” said Zainuddin, who clearly very satisfied with the outcome of the test session by the looks of his happy face and the body language.
The team crew, which comprised of engineers from Japan and supporting team members from the Honda assembly plant in Ayer Keroh, Melaka, were also all smiles and in optimistic mood as they packed home for more works on the cars in their garage.
In their bid to defend their title, the Honda Malaysia Racing Team has made further enhancements to the car performance including chassis improvements and suspension.
The 2005 edition will mark as the third year that Honda Malaysia Racing is competing in the 12-hour endurance race. As in its previous participation, the team would be competing in Class A for production cars above 1900cc.
Asked about the drivers’ line-up for the two cars for the MME race this year, Zainuddin said: “That, too, you will have to wait for the official announcement. That’s all I can say at the moment.”
While it is clear that the team would be retaining the winning partnership of Hiroki, Eddie and Farriz, there are talks about some changes in the drivers’ line-up for the second car.
Last year, the other partnership of Japan GT drivers Kunimitsu Takahashi, Hidetoshi Matsusada and Malaysian Tommy Lee, a three-time winner of the 12-hour race, took third overall after finishing behind second-placed Jeffrey Wong, a winner in 2001, and the father and son partnership of J.P. Chin and T.J. Chin.
It was the second test for the Honda Malaysia Racing Team, which ran the Honda Civic machines with Hiroki and Eddie two days after the Japan GT Championship Malaysia race on June 28.
The team would be conducting one more test at the circuit early next month before the race week. By then, the full drivers’ line-up should already be known.
Hailed as Asia’s biggest race, the Merdeka Millennium Endurance race has attracted top drivers from Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore apart from Malaysia’s top drivers since its inception in 2000.
The Red Bull X1-R Racing Team, which was officially launched in Kuala Lumpur last Tuesday, will have a Japanese lady driver in Kazumi Mikami, a seasoned racer who is currently competing in the Formula Toyota Championships in Japan. She will partner actress Deanna Yusof and Philippa Yoong in an all-women’s team.
With a month to go before the race, a total of 37 cars have already confirmed their participation in the grueling 12-hour test of man and machine which is also a challenge of stamina and sustaining power; speed and perseverance, organised by SIC as part of the National Day celebrations.
