Sepang International Circuit And TOC Automotive College Partner To Develop Local Motorsports Talent
Sepang International Circuit (SIC) and TOC Automotive College (TOC) are forming a long term partnership to promote and develop local motorsports, local talent as well as the SIC as the Motorsports Hub of Asia. This partnership will see the parties scout for and nurture new local motorsports athletes and engineers, and also accelerate the development and awareness of the motorsports industry in Malaysia as well as Asia.
It will be a multi-level approach to promote the local motorsports scene with educational courses, practical training, as well as local and international exposure. This includes setting up joint program, activities and projects to grow local talents who will support the motorsports discipline; not just the race drivers, but technical support like race engineers as well.
One of the plans to promote motorsports interest at the local grassroots level is for motorsports teams to “adopt a secondary school”. SIC and TOC plans to conduct school tours at the racing venue where key experts of the industry will provide insights on motorsports racing. Additionally, they also aim to give youths a first-hand experience in motorsports; the collaboration between SIC and TOC will provide valuable training sessions and hands-on learning opportunities for all automotive enthusiasts. With this partnership, TOC and SIC aims to inspire other like-minded individuals to gain interest in the automotive industry and to position Malaysia as a thought leader in the motorsports field.
“SIC’s Motorsports Development Division programme aims in developing young talents for world championship racing, be it as a racer or engineers. Our role is to nurture these young individuals who want to make a name for their country in their respective motorsports career path. It will reflect in the industry’s sustainability especially within the aspects of Malaysian motorsports as a whole. Our vision is to enable more Malaysians to be part of a Malaysian race team in a World Championship Race,” said Dato’ Razlan Razali, Chief Executive Officer of Sepang International Circuit.
“TOC is extremely proud to kick-start this collaboration with Sepang International Circuit. Malaysians have a strong history of interest in the fields of motorsports and automotive technology. By developing local talents in these fields, we believe there will be an increased number of local automotive professionals who will positively contribute to making SIC the premium Motorsports Hub not just in Malaysia, but in the region,” added Adelaine Foo, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of TOC.
Since its launch in 2004, TOC has placed over 2,000 Malaysian students in the local automotive industry. Subsequent to the introduction of Diploma in Motorsport Technology by TOC in 2012, it is estimated that 10% of TOC’s graduates ventured into the motorsports industry worldwide, which includes racing venues such as SIC. This will continue to drive TOC to produce more talents for the industry, which is one of the key priorities for TOC as part of the Memorandum of Understanding.
Over the past decade, SIC has served as an excellent platform for TOC graduates to further develop their skills in the motorsports industry. It is also a regular tourist attraction and has hosted international motorsports championships such as the F1 Grand Prix and MotoGP since its inception in 1999.
For more information on TOC and SIC:
www.toc.edu.my/
www.sepangcircuit.com/
