27th August, Sepang - Team Proton R3 successfully retained their Petronas Primax 3 Merdeka Millennium Endurance (MME) to become the first team to win the coveted title twice as Tengku Djan Ley Tengku Mahaleel celebrates his second winners’ medal at Sepang Circuit today.

With new partners Faidzil Alang and Australian Damien French, Tengku Djan took his Lotus Exige 300RR over 271 laps around the 5.543-km Sepang Circuit within the 12-hour endurance race, which was flagged off by Finance Minister II Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcob at midnight.

In a close fight with Jaseri Racing Team and G1 Racing throughout the race, Djan, however, failed to break the team’s record of 279 laps last year, which he achieved with Super GT driver Genji Hashimoto and Tony Riccirdello of the Australian V8 Series.

Hashimoto entered a Lamborghini Murceilago with top Japanese drivers Takashi Inoue and Akira Hirakawa; but failed to qualify when the American Le Mans Series spec-car was involved in an accident with a Porsche GT3 during qualifying.

2003 overall winner comprising Firhat Mokhzani, Chin Tzer Jinn and Eric Yeo, who drove a specially prepared Nissan Skyline R34G was second after completing 268 laps and finishing just ahead of the Jaseri Racing Team.

Strengthened by three-time MME champion Tommy Lee, the team took second place with Sweden’s Sven Herberger and Datuk Mokhzani Mahathir completing the partnership as they managed an equal number of 268 laps.

Commenting on the victory, Tengku Djan said it was a difficuit race especially with the heavy downpour, which lasted more than an hour beginning from 3am.

“Obviously, we are happy with the results today and to become the first time to defend the MME overall title. With this win, however, our emphasis for next year would be to ensure success by using Class B and Class C cars. That will be the challenge for us,” the Head of Proton Motorsports added.

Honda Malaysia Racing Team continued their domination in Class A for production cars above 1900cc by scoring their fourth win in a row. The partnership of Eddie Lew, Farriz Fauzy and Super GT Hiroki Katoh scored a hattrick for themselves by completing 258 laps to finish fourth overall.

The battle for Class B for cars between 1601cc and 1900cc was won by the partnership from Danville Motorsports; comprising S. Vellumani, Lim Lee Hua and Phillip Tang.

The trio from Team Petronas, with Farique Hairuman, Syahrizal Jamaluddin and Fauzi Othman behind the wheels topped the battle for Class C for production cars below 1600cc.

Flagged off at midnight by Finance Minister II Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcob, a full grid of 77 cars started the race. Seventeen cars, however, failed to complete the race due to various reasons especially broken gearbox, brake failure, overheating engines and accidents.

While the race started off under a clear sky, the heavens broke open, bringing heavy showers for more than hour after a quarter of the race being completed from 3am; perhaps making it the most difficult race in the MME.

Only 50 cars of the 77 starters completed the 12-hour race. To catch the exciting news and the latest result, visit www.malaysiangp.com.my for more info

TOP TEN FINISHERS
(Number of laps after 12 hours)

1. Tengku Djan Ley/Faidzil Alang/Damien French (Lotus Exige 300RR) 271laps
2. Chin Tzer Jinn/Firhat Mokhzani/Eric Yeo (Nissan Skyline R34) 268 laps
3. Mokhzani Mahathir/Tommy Lee/Sven Herberger (Porsche GT3 Cup) 268 laps
4. Hiroki Katoh/Farriz Fauzy/Eddie Lew (Honda Civic) 258 laps
5. Ian Ross Geekie/Dilantha Malagamuwa/ Nick Thomas (Porsche GT3) 256 laps
6. Lai Wee Sing/Nobuteru Taniguchi/Brian Whilock (Honda Integra DC5) 246
laps
7. Chin Jit Pyng/Chin Tzer Pinn/Jeffrey Wong (Honda Integra DC5) 245 laps
8. S. Vellumani/Lim Lean Hua/Phillip Tang (Satria GTI) 236 laps
9. Eric Lim/Yeo Ian Hin/Tan Tee Keon (Subaru WRX STI) 234 laps
10. Farique Hairuman/Syahrizal Jamaluddin/Fauzi Othman (Honda Civic EK)
233 laps

CLASS WINNER

CLASS O (Open class for modified cars)
Tengku Djan Ley/Faidzil Alang/Damien French (Team Proton R3)

CLASS A (Production cars above 1900cc)
Hiroki Katoh/Farriz Fauzy/Eddie Lew (Honda Malaysia Racing Team)

CLASS B (Production cars between 1601cc to 1900cc)
S. Vellumani/Lim Lee Hua/Phillip Tang (Danville Motorsports)

CLASS C (Production cars below 1600cc)
Farique Hairuman/Syahrizal Jamaluddin/Fauzi Othman (Team Petronas)

 

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