Beyond racing, UMW Toyota Motor will introduce new GR and GR-Sport models and expand its GR Garage network
UMW Toyota Motor has announced that the Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Festival will continue for a fifth season, which is set to make an even greater contribution to the Malaysian motorsports scene.
This year’s activities will focus on four key areas, which include both on-track and online racing, as well as the introduction of new GR and GR-Sport models and the enhancement of the GR Garage network and activities nationwide.
This season’s Vios Challenge one-make series will feature three rounds and a total of six races. Round 1 will kick off in March (18-20), followed by Round 2 in June (24-26) and the third and final round in September (23-25). Out of which, two of the rounds will be held in Sepang International Circuit with one street racing planned.
The series will once again be divided into four classes: the Promotional Class for local celebrities; the Super Sporting Class for elite and professional drivers; the Sporting Class for amateur and gentlemen drivers; and the Rookie Class for young drivers.
In total, more than a half a million ringgit in prize monies is up for grabs, including RM70,000 and RM50,000 which will go to the overall champion of the Super Sporting and Sporting Class champions respectively, making the Vios Challenge the most lucrative motorsports event in the country for the last five years.
New to this year’s Gazoo Racing calendar will be the Vios Sprint Cup, which is run independent of the Vios Challenge. It will feature two rounds scheduled for April and July in tandem with the Malaysia Championship Series (MCS). Each round will feature two races with a total of more than RM200,000 in prize monies at stake.
Gazoo Racing will also continue to make its presence felt in the national series by once again participating in the prestigious Sepang 1000KM Endurance Race (S1K) in November. The race will also see the second running of the Vios Enduro Cup which will put up RM30,000 in prize monies.
Online racing will also continue with the 5th season of the GR Velocity Esports Championship. First held in 2018, the online racing series has attracted almost 1,000 participants with more than 1 million online spectators. UMW Toyota Motor continues to have the distinction of becoming the first and the only Malaysian car company to be directly involved with E-sports motor-racing activities.
As aforementioned, several GR and GR-Sport models are set to be introduced this year. Owners will be able to attend GR driving clinics, experiences and activities to equip them with the necessary experience and skills to ensure they can take full advantage of their vehicle’s potential.
UMW Toyota Motor will also expand its network of GR Garages nationwide. This will include offering a comprehensive aftermarket parts list as well as merchandises for GR and Toyota owners. Three-time Vios Challenge Super Sporting Class champion Tengku Djan Ley Tengku Mahaleel, who was also instrumental in the development of the Vios GR-S, will continue as its Malaysian Ambassador.
