Tengku Djan and Naquib Azlan had only one thing in mind, redeeming themselves after a disappointing premature end on the 2021 Sepang 1000KM. This year, after 181 laps and over eight hours of racing, the duo did more than just reaching the checkered flag. They were also crowned as the winners of the 2022 edition of the endurance race!
The weekend already started off great for the pairing where they secured pole to start the race from. However, they still have the whole race to brave through, as well as the rivals who were constantly trying to take over the lead.
Rivals like the #39 Wing Hin Motorsport Toyota Yaris of Hayden Haikal and Hii Wan Jian, and #100 Hi-Rev Dream Chaser of Mitchell Cheah and Brandan Paul Anthony were always around to corner, waiting for a chance to prance. Tedco Racing was also a name to be wary of, where their #15 Jazz was one in the MTC field as well.
The race was also made dramatic after a number of safety car deployments, erasing the gap that the leaders once gained in the race. And after another safety car deployed in the eleventh hour, the race to the finish line was on between the #37 Vios fighting against the #39 Yaris.
As we reach the end of the 181st lap, the clear winner emerged. With a gap of just 6 seconds from their pursuers, Tengku Djan and Naquib are the winners for the 2022 S1K endurance race, followed by Hayden Haikal and Hii in second. It was also a better year for Hi-Rev Dream Chaser as they claimed the final spot on the podium for the MTC category.
SP2 G
It was also an intense fight in the SP2 field, where the #900 Hi-Rev Dream Chaser showed great potential in being a podium runner. But the unfortunate horrors of S1K struck them where a gearbox linkage failed during their run, effectively taking them out of the race.
The win was instead claimed by the #34 Empire M Racing of Syahrizal and Shazull Hisham, who took over the lead and crossed the finish line with 171 laps in hand. Coming in second place was the #44 R Engineering HMRT driven by Tauhid Anwar, Ishayet Hossain, and Andrea Cecchellero. It was a multinational line up on the SP2 G podium as taking third place was the Japanese trio of Ken Urata, Makoto Fujiwara, and Masahiko Ida of RWorks Riyoz.
SP2 V
RWorks Riyoz enjoyed a better outing in the SP2 V class where two of their cars took the top two spots. It was a fruitful outing for the pairing of William Chong, Takashi Ito, Hafez Kamaruddin and Ahmad RIdhuan when they too the class win with 168 completed lap. Their sister car of #4 Suzuki Swiftt trailed about a minute behind to finish in second place.
Coming in third place was the #667 Applied Performance X LW, driven by Jansen Tan Lye Wee, Lim Wei Cheik and Steve Toh Se Wai.
The first ever Perodua Myvi was also classified in this category and while the #83 JV Motorsport did not have the fastest pace in the straight lines, they brought home a P10 finish which was something even they themselves did not expect!
Vios Enduro Cup
We like the idea that the cars from the Vios Challenge were given the green light to enter S1K and fight in their own category. This year saw an increased entry where there were 14 cars fighting for class supremacy.
And in this fight, the entries from 23 Motors showed there were untouchable as they dominated the class with a 1-2 finish. The father and son pairing of Al Farouk and Abdul Miqail took the class win after 8 hours and 33 minutes of racing, followed by the #123 Vios of Ady Rahimy and Amir Husin.
The returning class champion gave all their might in this race, but third place was still a great finish for the #8 Carroof Motorsport driven by Mirza Syahmi, Aiman Haziq, and brothers Khair Nur Adi and Khair Nur Adli.
Alister Yoong, Mikko Nassi and Pham Kam Thang went home with a fourth place finish in class, with the trio of Shafiq Samsudin, Ahmad Nadzrie and Kelvin Yap taking the final spot on the podium for the Vios Enduro Cup.
The Sepang 1000km might be a demanding race where 13 of the 68 cars failed to finish, but it did not stop those with determination from competing and trying their best to reach the checkered flag.
The youngest who competed in this race was 16-year-old Nurul Auni Nasharuddin in the #9 Vios, with the oldest being her own 61-year-old father, Nasharuddin Abd Aziz, sharing the same race seat. Joined by Mohd Yuszaidi, the trio finished the race P6 in class.
2022 Sepang 1000KM Podium Finishers
MTC
1 - #37 Toyota Gazoo Racing Malaysia Toyota Vios - Tengku Djan Ley/Naquib Azlan - 181 laps
2- #39 Wing Hin Motorsports Toyota Yaris - Hayden Haikal/Hii Wan Jian - 181 laps
3 - #100 Hi-Rev Dream Chaser Suzuki Swift - Mitchell Cheah/Brendan Paul Anthony - 181 laps
SP2 G
1 - #34 Empire M Racing Honda Jazz - Syahrizal Jamaludin/Shazull Hisham - 171 laps
2 - #44 R Engineering HMRT Honda Jazz - Andrea Cecchellero/Tauhid Anwar/Ishayet Hossain - 170 laps
3 - #111 Rworks Riyoz Honda Jazz - Ken Urata/Makoto Fujiwara/Masahiko Ida - 169 laps
SP2 V
1 - #289 Rworks Riyoz Suzuki Swift - William Chong/Takashi Ito/Hafez Kamaruddin/Ahmad Ridhwan - 168 laps
2 - #4 Rworks Riyoz Suzuki Swift - Karurosu Honda/Ito Rina/Ohno Takahisa/Ng Kim Ngee - 168 laps
3 - #667 Applied Performance X LW - Jansen Tan Lye Wee/Lim Wei Cheik/Steve Toh Se Wai - 167 laps
Vios Enduro Cup
1- #23 Motors Toyota Vios - Al Farouk/Abdul Miqail - 166 laps
2 - #123 23 Motors Toyota Vios - Ady Rahimy/Amir Husin - 165 laps
3 - #8 Carroof Motorsport Toyota Vios - Mirza Syahmi/Aiman Haziq/Khair Nur Adi/Khair Nur Adli - 165 laps
4 - #61 Axle Sports Toyota Vios - Alister Yoong/Mikko Nassi/Pham Kam Thang - 162 laps
5 - #28 Race Rally KL Toyota Vios - Shafiq Samsudin/Ahmad Nadzrie/Kelvin Yap - 161 laps
