Proton R3’s 1-2 finish might have grabbed the headlines at the recently concluded Sepang 1000km (S1K) race, but it was the team’s third entrant that came up the most surprising result that weekend.
Despite starting from the 26th grid, the all-ladies team of Leona Chin, Faye Kusairi and Nurul Husna managed to end the day with a respectable seventh-place finish, setting the record the best result achieved by an all-ladies team.
Unlike the other R3 drivers, the team of Leona, Faye and Nurul did not have prior experience of competing together in the Malaysia Championship Series (MCS). Faye and Nurul were selected via the team’s lady drivers search initiative while Leona is a professional who has been competing in the MCS. The 2019 S1K was in fact the first time all three would share the same car.
Despite their unfamiliarity with each other and R3, the inherent speed of all three drivers was evident during practice sessions for the race, consistently setting times that put them in the top eight. Their qualifying session however was compromised by a small technical issue, consigning them to start from the back of the M-Production class grid.
That did not dampen their spirit and during the race, all three drove with great skill and patience as they methodically worked their way up through the field. It was therefore unsurprising that by the time Leona crossed the line after nine gruelling hours, the ladies were celebrating an improbable seventh place finish.
“The S1K was extremely memorable and surreal for me. I am amazed we finished seventh from 26th on the grid but it proves how quick the Proton Saga and our trio of drivers really is. To be honest, I really feel that if we were given another chance, I think we can make it up on to the podium,” said Faye Kusairi.
“Our lady race drivers performed admirably and drove really well to mount a great comeback from their low grid position. To finish seventh in what is one of the toughest S1K races in recent memory is a great achievement and the best finish ever achieved at the race for an all-ladies driving crew,” said Gary Lee, Head of Team Proton R3.
