World-Class Drivers In Action At MSS This Weekend

KUALA LUMPUR, May 24 (Bernama) -- This weekend, the best of Malaysian and international drivers from Europe, Taiwan and Australia, including aspiring Formula 1 pilots, will test their mean machines in Round 2 of the Malaysian Super Series (MSS) at the Sepang Circuit. The promoter and organiser of the series, Sepang International Circuit (SIC), will introduce a new format for its GT Asia Series and Sports Production Championship, as well as the Touring Production and Malaysian Touring Challenge (MTC). "Unlike previously, the two MSS races –- the GT and Sports Production Championship, and the Touring Production/MTC -- will be run as mini-endurance races in a 60-minute contest," SIC chief executive officer Razlan Razali said in a statement here Wednesday. He said SIC would open the Main Grandstand for free in an effort to further promote motor racing, increase the interest for the sports and develop motorsports culture among Malaysians. Those wishing to enter the paddock, however, will be charged a US$15.86 (RM50) entry fee. For the MSS GT and Sports Production Championship, as well as the Touring Production/MTC, the race this weekend will be their second of a five-round championship, having run their opening round during the support race to the Formula 1 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix event in April. Following the opening round which saw a sensational four-car pile-up at the start of Race 2, the GT Championship is currently led by Frank Yu from Team Clearwater Racing of Hong Kong while the Touring Production Challenge has joint leaders in Perajun Krishnan and Kenny Lee. "The opening round was run as a sprint race. For Round 2, it'll be an endurance race which we're trying out for the first time. This is in line with our requirement for the Malaysia Merdeka Endurance Race (MMER) and the S1K (Sepang 1,000km Race) that only cars used at the MSS, can be used for the two big races. "I strongly believe that this will be more interesting for the drivers and the teams. Both MMER and S1K are hugely popular with them and I'm confident that we'll have more entries in Round 2 as part of their preparations for both the MMER and the S1K," Razlan said. The MMER, which runs for 12 hours, is scheduled for Aug 28 to 31. The fourth edition of the S1K will take place in early November at the 5.543km Formula 1 track. Created from the successful European series, the championship starts in Sepang before proceeding to Japan, Taiwan and China before the grand finale in Shanghai in November. -- BERNAMA