TOYOTA GAZOO RACING GEARS UP FOR A THRILLING 2025 SEASON

Hits full throttle with 4 VIOS Challenge Rounds, 3 competitive classes, next-level eRacing, and a new wave of Malaysian racing talent.

• 4-ROUND championship – across professional, amateur, and rookie racers
• 5 new Rookies – Rising stars selected through a rigorous national development program
• Unveiling Toyota GR Malaysia eRacing Championship – Expanding into world-class sim racing platforms
• Nationwide Campus Tour – Bringing virtual motorsports to university students across Malaysia

SHAH ALAM, 25 April 2025 — UMW Toyota Motor is turning up the heat in 2025 as it unveils an exciting new chapter for Toyota GAZOO Racing Malaysia. With a refreshed VIOS Challenge lineup, the launch of the Toyota GR Malaysia eRacing Championship, and new talent development initiatives, the 2025 season promises more action, innovation, and community impact than ever before.

“Motorsports is in our DNA. Over the past nine years, we’ve seen the power of racing bring people together, develop talent, and inspire passion,” said Datuk Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor. “We’re not just continuing that journey — we’re taking it to the next level.”

VIOS CHALLENGE 2025

The VIOS Challenge remains Malaysia’s most watched racing series, drawing over 30 million viewers since its debut in 2017. The 2025 edition of the Toyota VIOS Challenge kicks off with an adrenaline-packed season featuring 4 rounds of racing across 3 distinct categories:

Super Sporting Class (Gold Championship for professionals),
Sporting Class (Gold Championship for amateurs), and the
Rookie Class (for selected young talents development program)

The season opens this weekend (25–27 April) at the Petronas Sepang International Circuit, setting the tone for a high-stakes year, which will see racers battling it out for their share of RM800,000 in prize monies.

2025 RACE CALENDAR

Round	Date	Venue
Round 1	25–27 April	Sepang Circuit
Round 2	27–28 June	Sepang Circuit
Round 3	8–10 August	Sepang Circuit
Round 4	October ‘25	TBC

Competing in identically-prepared 4^th generation Vios Challenge race cars, 36 competitors registered for the championship will have to rely on pure talent, individual driving skills, race craft and technical preparation to extract the very best from their machines powered by a1.5-litre engine with a 5-speed transmission. Competition is almost assured of being door-to-door with the top three winners in each class often coming down to a final charge to the chequered flag.

This season’s Super Sporting Class will see a line-up of big guns, including the return of former class champion Boy Wong who will be racing for newly entered Modern Racing Team; another former champion Mitchell Cheah who will spearhead Prima Pearl TD Racing’s charge; and seasoned campaigners Freddie Ang (Telagamas Toyota); Eddie Lew (Laser Motor Racing) and William Ho (Toyotsu Racing).

Several newcomers will also join the professional class led by last year’s Sporting Class champion Kenneth Koh of PCM Group Racing Team who earned a promotion into the big leagues. Another new entry is Timothy Yeo who will pilot the number 23 RH Kalulong Motorsports Vios.

The Sporting Class meanwhile, will field a total of 20 drivers 12 of whom are new to the championship. They include four female drivers made up of former Rookie Class driver Adele Lew representing Team Fokus and gymkhana champion Ng Aik Sha driving for GTA Race Team who is also making her saloon car racing debut. Lew meanwhile, will be competing alongside brother Elson, also a former Rookie and in the same class but representing BAE Racing by ES Yang, while father Eddie is in the Super Sporting Class.

The Sporting Class will also see the return of Singaporean racer Daniel Inosuke Ooi with BAE Racing by ES Yang and newcomer as well as Thailand Super Series driver Varunchit Wattanathanakun with RUK Team Nexzter PMC 52. Other former Rookies returning to the championship will include Nabil Azlan driving for Wheelcop in the Super Sporting Class; last year’s Rookie Class champion Adam Mikhail who will be driving for G-Mart Motorsport; Mika Hakimi who will be driving for S&D Tama Motorsports; Raja Amirul representing TD Racing; Jwan Hii who will drive for Hong Huat X Armada KK Racing; Yazid Imran who will lead the charge for FIA Boulevard Racing; and Brandon Ho for Axle Sports.

BUILDING MALAYSIA’S NEXT RACING STARS

Since its inception in 2021, the Toyota GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Programme has become a key platform for grooming Malaysia’s future motorsports stars. To date, 22 drivers have graduated, with over 10 currently competing in local races, and 4 already earning victories and championships on the international stage.

The program offers a critical bridge for young drivers transitioning from karting and simulator racing into saloon car racing.

In 2025, the program attracted more than 180 applicants. Candidates were shortlisted based on personality, marketability, discipline, and technical ability, and underwent rigorous training to prepare for competitive racing.

Of the 4 Rookie Class champions crowned so far, 2 have emerged from karting and 2 from sim racing backgrounds — a testament to the strength of the program across disciplines.

The 2025 Rookie Class features:

Aydan Khaliq (18) – Professional karter
Harkiesh Geeva (19) – Recreational karter and sim racer
Justin Rahul Dev (21) – Simulator racer
Ian James (23) – Simulator racer
Genevieve Ooi (20) – Amateur racer

ENTER A NEW DIMENSION: TOYOTA GR MALAYSIA ERACING CHAMPIONSHIP

After pioneering the Malaysian eRacing scene since 2018, Toyota is taking competitive virtual motorsports to the next level with the launch of the all-new Toyota GR Malaysia eRacing Championship.

Previously centred around Gran Turismo, this year’s championship evolves to a more sophisticated and challenging format — featuring platforms like Assetto Corsa, RaceRoom and iRacing used globally in professional sim racing leagues. This expansion broadens the scope for aspiring digital racers to test their skills in a realistic and more diverse racing environment.

Qualifiers kick off this May, leading to an adrenaline-charged finale.

In addition, Toyota will continue its Campus Tour series, hosting exclusive on-campus qualifiers at selected universities across Malaysia. These outreach efforts aim to inspire the next generation of digital motorsports enthusiasts by bringing the competition directly to young Malaysians.

“Malaysia has shown time and again that it houses world-class sim racing talent,” said Datuk Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor. “From the early days of the Velocity Championship to the GR GT Cup, and now this next-level eRacing championship, our evolution reflects Toyota’s relentless pursuit of innovation — not just in the cars we build, but in the people we nurture. To be a champion, you must master every challenge — and we’re building champions for both the real and virtual tracks.”

In another first for 2025, Toyota will integrate virtual racing directly into its development pipeline. Taj Izrin Aiman, four-time GR GT Cup Malaysia champion and GR GT Cup Asia 2024 winner, joins the development program. He also represented Asia at the GR GT Cup World Finals in 2024.

Mobility is more than vehicles—it’s about access, opportunity, and connection. At Toyota Gazoo Racing, we believe performance should be inclusive, empowering communities to dream bigger and go further. Whether it’s nurturing young talent, supporting grassroots motorsports, or expanding the reach of safe, reliable mobility, we’re racing toward a world where no one is left behind. Because when we Move Your World, we move it together.

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