Naza Kia is donating the Kia Picanto which won the GP-4 category at this year’s K4GP Sepang 24-Hours Endurance Race to the team that drove it, Adi Haslam Motorsports (AHM). The team, led by wheelchair-bound Adi Haslam Abdullah and his fellow disabled driver and former TV3 host, Ras Adiba Radzi, will use the car in future motorsport events.
The bi-annual race happened back in February, when the Naza Kia sponsored Picanto completed 378 laps to win the GP-4 class, which is for cars with automatic transmissions. AHM’s Picanto also made history for being the first Malaysian team with disabled drivers to participate in the K4GP and the first ever Korean car to enter the race.
“We are pleased to have given a team with disabled racing drivers a chance at competing in a major motorsport event. By donating the Picanto to Adi Haslam Motorsports, the team will be able to compete in more races and realise their dreams,” said Naza Kia’s COO, Datuk Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar.
Adi Haslam said the team intends to enter the Picanto in the K4GP Sepang 4 Hours race in December as well as two other races next year. “We want to thank Naza Kia Malaysia for donating the Picanto to us and giving our team a chance at participating in more races.
“Not many disabled drivers from Malaysia have had a chance to participate in motorsport events. Our participation in the K4GP Sepang 24-Hours Endurance Race in February was the first time I had entered a car race in 16-years and I would like to thank Naza Kia Malaysia for that opportunity and we will soon give that opportunity to other drivers,” said Adi Haslam.
For the next race, AHM plans to field a team comprising of only disabled drivers. In the February race, Adi Haslam and Ras Adibah were the only two disabled members in a team of four. Their Picanto features a hand-operated throttle and brakes for the disabled drivers.
