Inaugural Asia GT Festival Attracts More Than 30,000 Visitors

The inaugural Asia GT Festival came to a close last Sunday after three days of racing, food, music, and various lifestyle activities at the Sepang International Circuit.

A total of about 30,000 people were at the festival between 15th to 17th March, comprising a good mix of tourists and also locals who mostly came with their families or groups of friends.

On Saturday, Round 1 of the GT4 category ended with Phantom Pro Racing’s Alex Fontana and Chris Chia taking a 1-2 podium finish in the team’s debut race.

As for the GTC category, Evan Chen of Arrows Racing emerged victorious, ahead of Zhang Dasheng and Zhou Bihuang of YCRT. Arrow Racing’s Kelvin Wong and Miguel Kong took third place to complete the podium.

The GT3 category on the other hand saw Nick Yelloly and Junsan Chen taking home the first ever victory for FIST-team AAI after a fierce battle against local racer Jazeman Jaafar who drove with Craft-Bamboo Racing AMG.

Sunday’s race session kicked off with the Saga Cup race which was flagged off by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir, where over 70 first generation Proton Sagas competed.

The Saga Cup was organised by the Malaysia Speed Festival (MSF) with the objective of developing and growing the Malaysian motorsports industry.

And then, there was the round 2 of the GT4 category which was won by Rainey He and Sunny Wong of Phantom Pro Racing, followed by Liao Yang and Will Bamber at second place, and Alex Fontana and Chris Chia of Phantom Pro Racing finishing third.

The results of the GTC category were same as Round 1, with Evan Chen of Arrows racing winning once again in his Lamborghini Huracan.

Besides the races, the main highlights included the Celebrity Bazaar which featured a series of pop-up stores by local celebrities such as Amy Search, Elly Raja Lawak, KTown Clan, and Raja Mawar among others.

There were also food trucks, family-friendly activities like wall climbing, flying fox, and a giant water tub for children.

For petrolheads, there was an automotive lifestyle marketplace where brands such as Toyota, Touch ‘n GO, Bufori, Proton, Tom Stickers, and LIMA Auto Scooter showcased their products.

The Festival ended with a mini music showcase by local rappers Joe Flizzow and SonaOne, who were joined by seven members of 16 Baris – a collaborative platform featuring up and coming Southeast Asian hip-hop acts.