Proton S70 R3 Finishes 5th in Sepang 1,000 km – Catch It at KLIMS!
Proton S70 R3 Finishes 5th in Sepang 1,000 km – Catch It at KLIMS!
Last weekend, the 2024 Sepang 1,000 km (S1K) endurance race was won by a private team, as all three factory cars ran into trouble. Despite the chaos, the Proton R3 team managed to secure a respectable fifth place in the Malaysian Touring Car (MTC) class with their new S70 R3. The #82 car, driven by Ariff Azmi and Alister Yoong, was the only Proton car to finish the race.
Proton had high hopes for its sedan going into the race, even though it didn’t qualify in the top four. Unfortunately, the #81 car was taken out of the race early when Syafiq Ali was spun off and crashed into a wall on lap 8, forcing him to retire.
Things got worse for the #82 car, which suffered a technical issue and lost over 40 minutes in the pits, causing it to fall down the rankings. However, Yoong – the son of former Formula 1 driver Alex Yoong – and Ariff fought hard and managed to finish 27th overall, securing fifth place in the MTC class. This result was a positive outcome after a five-year break from racing.
"Team Proton R3, along with its drivers and the Proton S70 R3, has added to Proton’s proud racing legacy with a strong performance at the 2024 S1K race. While we aimed for another overall win, the team knew it would be a tough challenge, especially with a brand new car competing against teams that have been racing for three years and are much further ahead in terms of car development.
"In the end, we have no complaints, though an accident early in the race led to car 81 retiring, and a technical issue with car 82 caused it to lose time in the pits, taking it out of the overall race. While the result could have been better, we gathered a lot of useful data throughout the weekend, and finishing fifth in the MTC class gives us a solid starting point for R3 to push for success in the 2025 racing season," said Proton Edar CEO Roslan Abdullah.
Proton hasn't yet decided when the S70 R3 will race next, but car #82 will be displayed at the Kuala Lumpur International Mobility Show (KLIMS) from December 5 to 11."
The 2024 race was won by Hirev Dream Chaser, with the #1 Suzuki Swift Sport ZC32S driven by Hayden Haikal, Rahul Raj Meyer, and Daim Hishamudin. Starting from fourth on the grid, the trio stayed competitive at the front while other big teams faced technical issues. The heavily favored Honda Malaysia Racing Team (HMRT) suffered a double retirement, with the #27 City Sedan, which was leading late in the race, grinding to a halt just ten laps before the finish.
The #37 Toyota Gazoo Racing Malaysia Vios also faced a long pit stop, ending up 53rd overall and seventh in class. Meanwhile, the #1 Suzuki Swift Sport completed 181 laps in 8 hours and 14 minutes, finishing more than two and a half minutes ahead of the #38 Wing Hin Motorsports Toyota Yaris. The #96 Tedco Racing Honda Fit RS GK5 rounded out the podium.
Philippines