The inaugural 2015 KL City Grand Prix had its fair share of action, but the highlight was when Fairuz Fauzy came from last on the starting grid to secure a podium finish by finishing second in the GT Cup race yesterday. The day’s racing was the culmination of the three-day event, which kicked off with practice on Friday and qualifying on Saturday.
Fairuz started from 18th place after switching over his machine class from GT3 to GTM following a crash in qualifying on Saturday which badly damaged his Lamborghini Gallardo FLII. The 32-year-old Malaysian ran his Gallardo into a wall, and it could not be repaired in time for the race.
Automobili Lamborghini however agreed to loan a Huracan to the OD Racing Team driver, and he repaid the faith shown in him by finishing second in the GT Cup race in 40 minutes and 49.8 seconds, 36 seconds behind Japan’s Naoki Yokomizo from Direction Racing, who led from start to finish in his Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo LP620. In third place was Frank Yu, racing under the GT3 class.
Fairuz had moved up the field into third and with 10 laps to go, was behind second-placed Malaysian Adrian d’Silva in a Ferrari F458 GT3. Four laps later, d’Silva had to slow down due to technical problems and was overtaken by Fairuz, who was understandably elated by the result.
“It was a tough weekend for us and I am happy all came out well. We had problems from day one. Our first practice was cancelled and I had the least track time among the drivers. I missed qualifying yesterday after my big shunt and I thought my weekend was over.
“I only got news this morning that I got a car on loan. A great rebound from yesterday but driving an unfamiliar car from another category (Super Trofeo) is very challenging, but I managed to finish the race. The Huracan is a much more advanced car but in terms of braking, not as good as my GT3 car. Still, it’s a great result for me,” Fairuz told reporters after the race.
Nexus Infinity driver d’Silva eventually finished second in the GT3 class and was sixth overall in the GT Cup after crossing the chequered flag behind Yu.
Meanwhile, the V8 Supercars Street Challenge saw Todd Kelly winning the 12-lap showcase event, which was run with five entries. The 35-year-old Australian from the Nissan Motorsports team just managed to hold off Volvo Polestar Racing driver Scott McLaughlin to take the honours.
Kelly grabbed the chequered flag with a time of 17 minutes and 19.783 seconds in his Nissan Teana, just 0.279 seconds ahead of New Zealander McLaughlin. Another Australian, Will Davison of Erebus Motorsports, finished in third place in his Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG with a time of 17:20.520s.
The challenge marked the end of a successful showcase in Malaysia – next year will see a full-blown Championship round of the V8 Supercars series being held here.
As for the KL GP itself, race organiser GT Global Race was chuffed with the way the whole event ran – despite some issues, it said that it had worked hard to ensure that the race could proceed according to the programme.
The company’s president and CEO M. Arrasu said that spectator attendance was significantly higher that what was predicted, with a crowd of about 250,000 reportedly present for for event. He said that preparations for the second event next year will commence early to manage the expectation of all its stakeholders.
“The preparation for next year actually began today. We will do a post-mortem on the event and map out the plans for next year. Generally, everybody was happy, especially with the attendance. All the sponsors were happy and I am confident that we can get more sponsors next year and make the event even better,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Mhd Amin Nordin added that KL GP 2016 will be aggressively promoted and the weaknesses encountered this year will be overcome.
View more of the action in our 2015 KL City Grand Prix photo gallery.
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I think it was a huge success, barring two things.
1. Not enough cars. It was more like promotional race rather than real race.
2. The concrete walls were not aligned properly. Macam ular kena palu, macam main letak je. They should do proper survey markings to get proper alignments.
I hope they will return next year better.
Hmm, V8 Supercars was an exhibition race so we only got 5 outta 20+ cars. But can you imagine a proper championship race? There’d be so many more collisions! And safety car laps zzz…
this year for the V8 Supercars it only a demonstration race before the real championship calendar start next year
Huge success your ass! What do we KL people benefit from this?
Before crashing the Lambo, you need enough donation to own one. Open to public such as myvi team, saga team, a better way to avoid illegal racing which kill others’ family on the highway.
worst comment ever!
Ok ok the next comment should be like this:
Avoid illegal racing your ass!
That won’t avoid illegal racing, it only pollutes environment and 30 million people suffer from road closing
Same Loor,3 horrific days of traffic diversions inconveniencing 900,000 motorists to make 100,000 people/cronies SYIOK SENDIRI.
The Sepang track is idling after the F1 race.Why cant they utilise Sepang?
Anyway,I am sure cronies,now, are celebrating at 7 star hotels by organising SYIOK SENDIRI events.
Congratulations for him… btw the ladies really look gorgeous :)
support our Motorsport…don’t ask what benefit. but what you have done for our Motorsport..
Some people they don’t know about Motorsports because it doesnt have in their brain. What they only know blaming people. i’ve been work more than 30 years here in KL City, Oh yes i hate traffic jam but i still can ride a train and bus. i still have my both leg to walk to place i want. Nowaday people are lazy one.
http://s1.paultan.org/image/2015/08/20150807KLCGP-3-DD-52.jpg
Who’s hand?, lower right corner.
Anyone care to share the name of the model in the first picture?
Organiser said it’s a huge success??
I can only conclude this is such a SYIOK SENDIRI event… for the organiser… and whoever dUmno cronies that were involved and had a cut to make money out of this.
Hope this event will return next year. Whoever keyboard warrior said ” this event waste money la”, “trafffic jamm la”, just think about this, This are the same event like Macau n Monaco race.
Even i manage to spoke with Pitcrew from V8 Australian team, he said the driver told him that driving in highspeed with KLCC and monorail as backdrop, that is different.
Ok… Macau and Monaco race…
Do u know that’s actually F1 race?
N not some mat rempit drag racing SYIOK sendiri crap ók? ?
Macau = F1 race ????????? palaotak u syiok sendiri !!!! OK ???
If Macau do F1 race, for sure alot of accident. Stupid people using F1 nickname.hahaha
Lol some people thought this was an F1 race
I have to concur that the event was better than expected. The turnout was indeed huge, you can see people standing on both side at most parts of the circuit.
Although the ticket sales will be a bonus in some way to the organiser, it is however not their real objective. Ticket sales is easily overshadowed by the exposure to the sheer number of spectators which in turn attracts corporate sponsor that come in hundred of thousands, if not millions of ringgit.
Ok Francis….
Attract corporate sponsors.
Do u have facts to back that claim of yours? I’d be interested to know.
As far as my eyes can see this is just some amateurs race which benefits a very small group of ppl.. whom I call cronies of certain factions.
I stand corrected.
Muslims should be banned from all aspects of the race.
is it our 4 flat minister told u that?
How can a race which also features scantily clad women be halal for Muslims. Muslims should be consistent. Since their special rights which they claim are divine rights then they should also stay away from all things haram to Muslims.