Honda Racing's Biggest Challenge

Former A1GP Team Malaysia Driver, Aaron Lim and his Honda Malaysia Racing Team (HMRT) expressed that the team's biggest challenge quest for the race title this year's Merdeka Millennium Endurance Race (MMER) is the extended nocturnal driving hours.

This year's 11th edition of the 12-hour endurance race held at the Sepang International Circuit will have the drivers race seven hours in darkness of night of the 5.543-kilometre track and just five hours of daylight.

Aaron said that the night driving demands extra attention and focus from the drivers, thus putting more stress and pressure on them.

"Rain may also be an additional challenge for us, and it is unpredictable", he added, in clear reference to the heavy three-hour early morning downpour in 2006. The downpour may have been the reason behind the organisers decision to switch the event from its midnight start to an 1100hrs start from the following year.

The HMRT will be backed and fully supported by a full-fledged local crew of 22 personnel from its Honda Malaysia plant in Melaka and its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. The team will be competing in the Touring Production Class, which will feature a host of Honda Civic FD2s, Honda Integra DC5s and the two-litre Toyota Altezza.

Aaron added that the other challenge for this year's 11th edition 2010 MMER would be the restrictions to one tyre maker, Pirelli, for all the competitors.

HMRT team leader, Loh Chin Wooi said that the team's preparation, which includes the training of 11 new members, have been progressing smoothly. He added that the new members will need to learn new ropes when they were selected to join the HMRT, to acquire new skills, beyond their usual day job.

"Of course, we are fully confident that the senior members in the team will be able to share and impart their knowledge onto the new members", adding that he is confident that his three drivers will be taking the team to the top of the podium.

The 11th edition of the Merdeka Millennium Endurance Race will be flagged off at midnight on 8 August 2010 and the chequered flag will be out 12-hours later at noon on the same day.