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Buckle up motorsport fans, new season of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) is just a few days away and round one will be contested in Kota Tinggi, Johor together with the 10th Malaysian Rally. Malaysia’s very own PROTON R3 Malaysia Rally Team has sounded an early warning with the unveiling of former World Rally Championship driver Chris Atkinson and also Alister McRae, brother of former WRC champion Colin McRae. They both will be piloting the Proton Satria Neo S2000.

Atkinson and McRae are considered as the strongest 1-2 driver combo for the APRC season for 2010. Chris Atkinson will start as the favourite, having participated in WRC from 2005-2009. During that 5 season he drove for Subaru World Rally Team in a Subaru Impreza WRX STI, accumulating 40 stage wins and 6 podium finishes.

Although he never has a real chance to showcase his talent in WRC, McRae cannot be taken lightly by his competitor. This former British Rally champion and Group N British Rally champion will undoubtedly be pushing very hard to add another championship trophy in his cabinet.

Their wealth of experience in world of rally will give Malaysia the advantage to aim for the championship come season’s end.

Here are some facts about the Satria Neo S2000 :

Chassis
Extensively modified from Satria Neo bodyshell to accept the S2000 components which includes the 4 wheel drive system. 35 metres of ChroMo Steel Tube is used as safety roll cage to comply with FIA regulations.

Engine
The engine is based on the Waja 1.8 engine with racing internals and increasing the capacity to 1998cc, which is positioned transversely and capable of producing 278bhp at 7600 rpm.

Transmission
4-wheel drive system specifically developed by Xtrac for S2000, using a 6 speed sequential gearbox with 3 plated limited slip differentials, and a handbrake release system.

Brakes
The brakes will feature front and rear Alcon 4 piston calipers. The front discs are 350mm for the tarmac version and 300mm for the gravel version while the rear discs are identical for both specifications.

Electrical System
Featuring the GEMS integral engine ECU and power management system with data logging and glass dash display.

Suspension
The suspension is MacPherson strut and wishbone design by MEM using Dynamics dampers. Anti Roll bars front and rear.

Wheels
Fitted with 8 x 18 inch alloy wheels for tarmac and 6.5 X 15 inch alloy wheels for gravel.

Weight
1150 Kg for the tarmac version and 1200 Kg for the gravel version.

PROTON R3 Malaysia Rally Team will be challenged by the usual suspect of Team MRF Tyres. They will field two Mitsubishi Evo X for the seven-round championship, with ace Indian drive Gaurav Gill and Japanese veteran Katsu Taguchi in the driving seat. Another experienced Japanese driver Hiroshi Yanagisawa and Yuya Sumiyama will be driving for the Cusco Team, also in Mitsubishi Evo X while Rifat Sungkar of Indonesia will be the lone Subaru Impreza WRX driver representing Pertamina Oil Team.

3-time APRC Champion Karamjit Singh will be given a wild card entry to compete this season. Singh will run as part of the GSR Pennzoil Racing Team in a Mitsubishi Evolution VIII, headed by Gunaseelan Rajoo. Joining APRC for the first time will be Malaysia’s household name Muhammad Rafiq Udhaya, driving a Subaru Impreza for Malaysia’s MRU Motorsports Team.

List of Previous APRC Championship Winners :

1988   Kenjiro Shinozuka Japan Mitsubishi

1989   Rod Millen New Zealand Mazda

1990   Carlos Sainz Spain Toyota

1991   Ross Dunkerton Australia Mitsubishi

1992   Ross Dunkerton Australia Mitsubishi

1993   Possum Bourne New Zealand Subaru

1994   Possum Bourne New Zealand Subaru

1995   Kenneth Eriksson Sweden Mitsubishi

1996   Kenneth Eriksson Sweden Subaru

1997   Kenneth Eriksson Sweden Subaru

1998   Yosio Fujimoto Japan Toyota

1999   Katsuhiko Taguchi Japan Mitsubishi

2000    Possum Bourne New Zealand Subaru

2001    Karamjit Singh Malaysia Proton

2002    Karamjit Singh Malaysia Proton

2003    Armin Kremer Germany Mitsubishi

2004    Karamjit Singh Malaysia Proton

2005    Jussi Valimaki Finland Mitsubishi

2006    Cody Crocker Australia Subaru

2007    Cody Crocker Australia Subaru

2008    Cody Crocker Australia Subaru

2009    Cody Crocker Australia Subaru

Follow us here on RaceRevo for updates of Asia Pacific Rally Championship Round 1, and more about PROTON R3 Malaysia Rally Team here.

Round 1 of 10th Malaysian Rally and the Asia Pacific Rally Championship 2010 will be on April 23-25.

Photo : PROTON Motorsport / Nazim Idris
Editorial : Nazim Idris

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