Latest news with #MTCC
New Straits Times
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- New Straits Times
Hakim could get Moto3 wild card ride
KUALA LUMPUR: Rider Hakim Danish Ramli could get a wild card to race in Moto3 this season at the Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia on Oct 24-26. Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh had said that the 17-year-old has the opportunity to benefit from the National Sports Trust Fund (KWASN) if he shines in two championships this season. The Terengganu-born rider currently leads the Red Bull Rookies series after securing runner-up finishes in both race one and race two at the curtain raiser in the Jerez Circuit, last week. Sepang International Circuit (SIC) chief executive officer Azhan Shafriman Hanif said they still have plenty of time to get Hakim the wild card. "Hakim is leading the championship at the moment, we will try to get him the slot. "It's a good start for him but still too early to tell. "He has to be consistent throughout the whole year," said Azhan Shafriman at the Malaysia Touring Car Championships (MTCC) press conference in Sepang. "The rule of thumb is that we can announce the wild card slot 45 days before the race date itself. "We have been in discussion with Dorna Sports (MotoGP rights holders) and ZK Racing (Hakim Danish's team). Meanwhile Azhan said the MTCC, which will be held this weekend, will see a total of 82 cars on the track, with the F4 Southeast Asia Championship returning to the grid, alongside the Asia Classic Car Challenge/Caterham. In addition, the Porsche Sprint Challenge Indonesia is making its debut as the Companion Series. "MTCC is more than a name change, it represents a purposeful evolution of the Championship. "We have redefined the Championship with clearer classes, updated technical regulations, and a stronger focus on turbocharged cars to keep up with global motorsport trends. "With 53 entries already confirmed for Round 1, we are off to a strong start," he said.
New Straits Times
26-04-2025
- Automotive
- New Straits Times
SIC give touring car championships much needed refresh, turbo era begins
KUALA LUMPUR: In a bid to boost interest and excitement in the competition, Sepang International Circuit (SIC) has implemented wholesale changes to the Malaysia Championship Series (MCS) and have even changed its name this season. MCS - which is essentially the national championships for touring car racing in Malaysia - has now been rebranded and is called the Malaysia Touring Car Championships (MTCC) this year. The series will run at Sepang from May 2-Sep 7 (four rounds). SIC have placed a greater emphasis on clearer vehicle classification and have also allowed for turbocharged cars to compete this season. For the 2025 season, only race-prepped production model based cars will be allowed to compete. Newer models such as the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ also have their own class to compete in. This is to open up the championships to new talent. The Touring Production class will this season feature a single-driver format while in the MT2 category, Grade A drivers will face pit stop penalties to make the racing more balanced and exciting for competitors and spectators alike. SIC chief executive officer Azhan Shafriman Hanif is hoping the changes make the series more exciting. "We are not just changing the name, we are positioning the championships for bigger and better things," said Shafriman recently. "I believe this new format will make the racing even more intense and exciting for both drivers and fans. "We had a record 67 entries last year and are hoping to have 80 cars on the grid (this season)." The series began as the Malaysian Super Series (MSS) in 2002 before being rebranded as MCS in 2015. The series, however, struggled to attract fans over the past decade. The introduction of turbocharged cars comes as no surprise as many modern production cars use smaller capacity engines with turbochargers to improve fuel consumption and meet emissions regulations. HI-REV Dream Chaser won a hat-trick of MCS titles from 2022-2024 and it will be interesting to see if they can continue their dominance this season.\
