The Sepang 12 Hours race replaces the popular Malaysia Merdeka Endurance Race (MMER) which has been organised by SIC since 1999. The partnership with SRO Motorsports, organisers of the highly successful Blancpain Endurance Series, will further elevate the profileand stature of the Sepang 12 Hours.
“We have been working on this partnership with SRO Motorsports Group for some time and I am delighted that it has come to fruition. SRO Motorsports Group brings with them a wealth of knowledge and know-how which will go a long way in transforming the Sepang 12 Hours further into a world-class race,” said SIC CEO Dato’ Razlan Razali here tonight.
“I would like to thank the SRO Motorsports Group Founder and CEO, Stephane Ratel, for his interest and commitment to this exciting collaboration,” Dato’ Razlan added.
The Sepang 12 Hours will be one of the highlights for SIC this season. By organising this event in December, it will provide the opportunity to attract competitors from other championships and events such as the Japanese Super GT, Macau GP and Bathurst to name a few.
SRO’s ambition is to bring together teams from Asia, Australia and Europe in this true test for man and machine, with the gruelling heat and humidity making the event one of the toughest challenges of the season.
The Sepang 12 Hours event is open to Touring Production and GT machineries, with SRO Motorsports Group concentrating on the latter. The focus will be to bring SRO’s experience and race networks in both the GT3-GT4 categories and in running long-distance events to Malaysia and to develop the Sepang 12 Hours to one of the must-participate events on the international motorsports calendar.
SRO Motorsports Group will adapt the full technical and sporting regulations of the Total 24 Hours of Spa. Benjamin Franassovici, who has developed the Avon Tyres British GT Championship into one of the most successful national GT series, will be the project manager for SRO Motorsports Group.
Stephane Ratel, Founder and CEO of the SRO Motorsports Group, said at the announcement tonight: “At SRO Motorsports Group we are very pleased to collaborate with the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) on this project. It is an important step for us, since we are building partnerships with high profile GT events in the Asia-Pacific region. Initially, the Sepang 12 Hours will be run as a standalone event, but it could well be a stepping stone for a fully-fledged Asia-Pacific Series.”
The partnership was announced at a special Appreciation Night organised by SIC to recognise the contribution of all clients, partners and media to all international and local races organised by SIC. The Appreciation Night, which saw the attendance of approximately 300 guests, featured awards presented to 3 agents with top sales achievements - who each also received a trip to a circuit outside Malaysia to watch an international race, from the F1, MotoGP and World Superbike Championship calendar respectively. During the dinner, the guests were entertained by performances from the band The Chings, the hand percussion team from the Akademi Seni Budaya Dan Warisan Kebangsaan (Aswara) and a trance dance by dance troupe Stadium First.
"The SIC name may be at the forefront of all our races but we never forget the invaluable contribution from clients, partners and the media in making these events a success. Additionally, even though we are unable to recognise the fans through events like this, they are always close to our hearts. We have many exciting upcoming plans tailored to enhance the race experience for motorsports fans, which I believe will also benefit our clients, partners and agents," Dato' Razlan commented.
-www.sepangcircuit.com
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