PROTON CHAMPION OF MALAYSIAN 1.6 TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
PROTON finished the 2011 Malaysian Super Series Championship (MSS) as champion in the 1.6 Touring Car Category. Driver Faidzil Alang drove a textbook race in the fifth and final round of the season at the Sepang International Circuit to clinch the coveted title behind the wheel of a Satria Neo.
PROTON team mate Syafiq Ali in the Proton Gen2 sealed a PROTON 1-2 in the championship with the two drivers concluding what has been a dominant performance all year long.
An all-PROTON front row dominated the final 10-lap race of the year with the younger Syafiq starting from pole position, just 0.037 seconds ahead of the more experienced Faidzil.
"The results today conclude what has been a triumphant year for PROTON in motorsports, particularly for the Satria Neo that has excelled in both circuit racing and international rallying," said PROTON's Director of Group Marketing and Branding John Doody Chacko.
"It's phenomenal that PROTON's commitment to be better is now beginning to translate into excellence and this is a tremendous boost in supporting our efforts to enhance brand awareness and acceptance on the domestic, regional and international fronts."
He added that the Satria Neo's solid performance in 2011 has helped to successfully establish a strong foundation for PROTON in international motorsports.
Meanwhile, Head of PROTON Motorsports Datuk Abdul Razak Dawood said: "We've done very well in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship winning all the 8 major individual titles. We are now focussing on our R3 Racing team and after completing all the 5 rounds of the MSS and fininishing 1-2 in the championship, we are now in our final phase of preparation for the Sepang 1000km or S1K next week. We've completed most of the development work and the emphasis next week will be on endurance."
The team has tested the potential drivers and will be announcing the driver line-up for the race next week.
About PROTON Motorsports Division
PROTON Motorsports specializes in the research, development and production of race cars, special and performance-driven road going models and performance parts for the Proton range of vehicles.
About PROTON
PROTON, established in 1983, is Malaysia's largest manufacturer of automobiles, and the only full-fledged OEM car manufacturer in South-East Asia. With operations in key markets from UK to the Middle East, and across South-East Asia and Australasia, especially in countries like China and Iran, PROTON produces cars to suit a range of consumer demands and preferences.
Its offerings include versatile and reliable four-door family vehicles, two-door hatchbacks for the young-at-heart, luxurious and stylish executive sedans, spacious and affordable multi-purpose vehicles, as well as the world-renowned sports cars from Lotus. Most importantly, PROTON models are now developed with Lotus Engineering, offering customers superior ride and handling experience in every drive.
PROTON’s inception as a key driver of national development has seen the brand accelerate its learning curve through technology transfer with strategic partnerships and technical collaborations. By listening to the needs of customers, PROTON cars are now steadily on track to achieve the mission for the future, with PROTON set to become a marque which builds cars with passion and soul; cars that are a delight to drive - and a pleasure to own.
