KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian motorsports has witnessed the rise of two talents, Naquib Azlan and Timothy Yew, who have taken the industry by storm.
With their roots in sim racing, these young racers have seamlessly transitioned from virtual racing to dominating real-life racing in the Malaysian Championship Series (MCS).
Speaking to Scoop, Naquib Azlan, a rookie sensation driving for Wing Hin Motorsports in this year’s MCS, highlighted that the platform has benefitted and moulded him in transitioning himself as a real-life racer over the past couple of years.
“Coming from a background in sim racing, I transitioned to real-life racing in 2021 after practising extensively at home.
“My training, which involves sim laps, enhances my reflexes and muscle memory for on-track driving.
“The success I’ve achieved in numerous wins reflects how much sim racing has advanced, offering an affordable pathway for emerging drivers and indicating the future prominence of e-racing in motorsports,” said Naquib.
Newcomer Naquib Azlan says the MCS has shaped his transition into a real-life racer in recent years. — Scoop pic, August 27, 2023
Hailing from sim racing, Timothy Yew aims to secure the championship with unwavering consistency. — Scoop pic, August 27, 2023
Speaking about his competitors in this year’s championship, the 22-year-old aims to outperform his debut MCS appearance from last year, where he clinched third place overall after securing gold for Malaysia in the 2022 SEA Esports Championships (SEA EC).
“It’s not going to be an easy task as I need to compete against top racers like Mitchell Cheah and my own brother Nabil Azlan, who is equally competitive as me.
“I have immense respect for my competitors, and I believe that healthy competition pushes us to constantly improve and raise the bar. I look forward to challenging myself against him on the track,” added Naquib.
Meanwhile, Timothy Yew, hailing from a sim racing background and competing for Bae Racing, has been creating an impact in the Malaysian Touring Car category within the MCS as well.
Currently leading in the standings, Yew is determined to maintain his consistency and secure the championship.
He commended the organisers of the championship for their efforts in promoting the industry and hopes that such initiatives continue.
“We are at the top of the standings now, and with consistency, we can prevail in this championship.
“The organisers of this championship are doing a great job, and they need to continue this initiative to promote this industry.
“Bae Racing has been supporting many racers like me over the years, and with their constant support, I believe we will be able to participate in many more categories in the future,” said Yew.
The 26-year-old racer from Subang went into the last three laps of the race in P4 in his category.
However, he was forced to enter the pit by his team manager to avoid a penalty for having left the mandatory three-minute pit stop two seconds early.
In six laps, Yew recorded a best lap time of 2 minutes and 32 seconds. — August 27, 2023