First Ever Vios Sprint Cup Race Starts This Weekend

The first ever GAZOO Racing Vios Sprint Cup starts this weekend (21 – 22 May 2022) at the Sepang International Circuit, within the Malaysia Championship Series. The Vios Sprint Cup is run in addition to, and independently, of the Vios Challenge, and will have 2 rounds within the Malaysia Championship Series (MCS), with each round featuring 2 races.

Like the Vios Challenge, the Sprint Cup retains the same one-make series format i.e. every racer will be on the track in an identical race-prepared Toyota Vios with stock engine & transmission, as well as suspension, tyres and fuel. This is to ensure a level playing field with emphasis on race craft, driving skills and experience. A total of 38 drivers will race in the inaugural Vios Sprint Cup this weekend. The event will see 2 1-hour races on Saturday and Sunday, with 2-driver teams competing in 3 generations of Vios to grab prize monies totaling RM60,000.

The line-up of local racers consist of professional, international drivers, gentlemen drivers, young drivers and simulator stars such as Tengku Djan Ley, Mark Darwin, Mohd Fariqe Hairuman Eddie Lew, Boy Wong and William Ho, as well as young sensations like Naquib Azlan, Hayden Haikal, Mika Hakimi, Nabil Azlan, Bradley Benedict Anthony, Timothy Yeo and Alister Yoong.

To level the playing field, the race prohibits the pairing of 2 experienced drivers. For example, experienced racer, Tengku Djan, will partner with teenager Mika Hakimi for Team Prima Pearl TD Racing. Meanwhile, another strong contender, Mark Darwin, will team up with another teenager – Bradley Benedict Anthony, for Laser Motor Racing. Axle Motorsports meanwhile, will field 2 teenager teams with the first pair of drivers consisting of Hayden Haikal and Naquib Azlan, and the second pair, Alister Yoong and Muizz Musyaffa.

Race 1 of the GR Vios Sprint Cup on Saturday will see both drivers driving in 2 separate qualifying sessions, with the faster driver required to start the 1-hour race before making a mandatory pit stop for a driver change. Race 2 on Sunday will start in reverse grid order based on the results of Race 1, with the slower driver of the pair starting the 1-hour race, and required to make a mandatory pit stop. Both races will be rolling-starts.

“Unlike the Vios Challenge which is usually confined to approximately 30 minutes of racing, the Vios Sprint Cup is designed to up the ante and to double the excitement on the track. Unlike a full-blown endurance race where racers pace themselves, this is a 1-hour sprint to the finish which means the drivers will be going all out for the duration of 60 minutes from the very first corner in order to maintain an edge,” said UMW Toyota Motor President Ravindran K adding that Toyota will also be introducing the GR Vios Enduro Cup in conjunction with year end’s Sepang 1000Km Endurance Race.

“Since UMW Toyota began committing itself to motor-racing in 2017, the objective has always been to see how we can contribute to not only the growth but to make Malaysian motorsports even more vibrant. The format of a one-make race has proven to be an incredibly successful formula, attracting not only professionals and experienced racers, but also newcomers and young talent. The GR Vios Sprint Cup continues this tradition but by changing the dynamics of the race, continues to generate enormous interest and participation which we hope will help to create more excitement in Malaysian motorsports.”

The overall champion in each of the 2 races at the GR Vios Sprint Cup stands to win RM10,000 cash, followed by RM8,000 for first runner up, RM6,000 for 3rd place, and RM4,000 and RM2,000 for the 4th and 5th respectively. In total, the Vios Sprint Cup will hand out prize monies amounting to RM60,000 per round. UMW Toyota Motor is also putting up an additional RM30,000 in prize monies for its Toyota dealer teams, making the Vios Sprint Cup the 2nd most lucrative racing event in Malaysia after the Vios Challenge.

You can head on down to the GAZOO Racing Vios Sprint Cup at the Malaysia Championship Series (MCS) this weekend (21-22 May 2022) at the Sepang International Circuit, or tune in to the races which will be broadcast live on www.toyota.com.my.