It's down the wire on track for the Season 6 finale of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival/GR Vios Challenge

Things are shaping up for a sizzling end to the third round and season finale of Season 6 of the GR Vios Challenge that forms a core component of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival. Yes, it has been 6 scintillating seasons of motorsports with each and every race delivering edge-of-your-seat action and the upcoming final round will definitely not disappoint in that respect.

Slated for the 30 September to 1 October 2023 weekend, the race will go down at the Sepang International Circuit and promises the potential of seeing a new champion crowned in each of the 4 categories.

The numbers don’t lie about the festival’s appeal to fans from all walks of life. In 6 seasons of racing (from 2017 to 2023), over 18 million spectators have caught the action live, alongside the online viewers that tune in every round to catch the livestream.

It’s open to the public and Toyota promises that even off the track, the action is equally packed with specially curated performances by regional singers and bands that provides something for the entire family.

Key to creating an all-encompassing entertainment festival centred around motorsports was achieved by combining the entertainment elements with the sporting attractions. The latter was done by recruiting celebrities and popular local personalities to participate in the Promotional class of racing as well as keep the crowd engaged once the chequered flag has been waved.

The festival is something that’s never been done in Malaysia before and it firmly places Toyota at the forefront of motorsports here by making it accessible to the masses.

Over the 30 September to 1 October 2023 weekend, the Season 6 finale will go down and the possibility of seeing 4 new champions crowned in the Rookie, Sporting, Super Sporting and Promotional classes is akin to motorsports history in the making.

Furthermore, it’s not just bragging rights at stake, the champions of the Sporting and Super Sporting classes will take home the prize money of RM 50,000 and RM 70,000 respectively. In fact, over half a million Ringgit in prize monies was put up throughout the season, making the GR Vios Challenge the most lucrative motorsports event in the country.

However, the celebrities in the Promotional class can also look forward to another bonus on track during the season finale. They’ll be the first to get behind the wheel of the all-new fourth generation Toyota Vios that’s been prepped for motorsports duty.

Following this, the rest of the field will also switch to the new Vios for Season 7, meaning some truly sharp looking race cars on track.

Also Read: Racing in the night, Race 2 of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Vios Challenge Season 6 this weekend promises thrills and spills

While the Rookie class racers will unfortunately not get to pilot the new Vios for Season 7, they will always benefit more as part of Toyota’s contribution towards the development of young racing talent in Malaysia.

Toyota provides a racers’ as young as 15 years old, a safe, affordable and competitive platform to develop their skills under the Gazoo Racing Young Talent Development Program. The program has seen a total of 18 young drivers between the ages of 16 and 20 over a period of 3 years, successfully transition from simulator racing and karting to saloon car racing in the GR Vios Challenge.

Utilising the GR Vios Challenge for the development of younger drivers has proven to be a very effective and structured platform as it enables young drivers to progressively develop themselves and transition to higher classes of racing.

They start in the Rookie class against their peers and once the racers have demonstrated improvements on track, they move up to compete in the amateur class (Sporting) before going door-to-door with the professionals in the Super Sporting class.

Also Read: Review: 2023 Toyota Vios (AC100) - It came, it saw, it conquered? Almost...

Some of the graduates of the program have since gone on to compete in other racing series locally and abroad with many continuing to enjoy considerable success and achievements, earning them the label of Malaysia’s future racing champions.

Aside from the racing action, if you’re more into the entertainment scene, the season finale will be hosting an array of activities and attractions over the weekend which includes a concert, meet and greet session with the racers, a Tempatan Fest and the sale of merchandises.

Day 1 will include artistes such as:

• Hip-Hop singer KMY KMO
• Local rapper Luca Sickta
• Malaysian Pop and Alternative Rock group OAG

Day 2 meanwhile will comprise performances by:

• Indonesian Alternative Rock band Iqbal M
• 16 Baris featuring Joe Flizzow, MK, SonaOne, ALYPH, AbangSapau, Killa Driz, Sophia Liana, Gard, Pele, Fuego & DJ CZA

Alongside the development of junior drivers and motorsports in the country, Toyota is also the only manufacturer that currently has a presence in the online racing (eSports / eRacing) realm with the GR GT Cup Championship.

Also Read: Toyota Gazoo Racing GR GT Cup crowns champs; winner to represent Malaysia in world finals

Just like the GR Vios Challenge, the GR GT Cup Championship is also in its 6th season that just concluded recently. These initiatives have contributed significantly towards developing local talent into world class simulator racers, providing a steppingstone for Malaysians to compete at the Asia Regional and World championships.

Combined, all these initiatives have greatly elevated the Toyota brand domestically. Coupled with the launch of GR and GR-Sport variants, it has reaffirmed the brand affinity in addition to winning the hearts of younger generation of buyers and potential customers of performance-oriented models.

The season finale is shaping up to be one of the most exciting events in the country, and not just from a motorsports’ perspective. Don’t miss the race, rock and rap action at the season finale at the Sepang International Circuit. Entrance is free and everyone is welcomed.

Also Read: Catch racing in its purest form online as Toyota Gazoo Racing's Vios Challenge brings the night action to you live

You can register for the event by clicking here or for more information, you can visit the website by clicking here or hitting up their social media pages on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.