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Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Sdn Bhd (100995-U) Persiaran Kuala Selangor, Seksyen 26, 40400 Shah Alam Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. T (+603) 5102 6000 F (+603) 5191 9120 News Release PROTON SAGA TO LEAD SEPANG 1000KM CHARGE - Proton R3 to defend title in a brand new car during 2018 race - Team leveraging on proven reliability and experienced driver line-up to achieve podium finishes Subang Jaya, 21 November 2018 – Team Proton R3 (R3), winners of the Sepang 1000KM Endurance Race (S1K) in 2017 will be defending its title in the 2018 edition of the event with a new car spearheading its efforts. The Proton Saga will be competing in the S1K for the first time alongside the Proton Iriz in a two-car effort that R3 hopes will bring a second consecutive and fourth overall race win for PROTON. Reintroducing the Proton Saga to motor racing The Proton Saga was PROTON’s first model and therefore the car that introduced the PROTON brand to the world. It was also the first Proton used by the Company in motor sports. From circuit racing to rallying, the Proton Saga competed in a wide variety of events, winning against more fancied opponents and bringing fame and glory to Malaysian motorsports and PROTON. Aside from manufacturer backed efforts, the Proton Saga is also the car of choice for budding racers to get their first taste of competition. Its affordable price, robust mechanical components and long production run mean it’s easy to obtain a unit and modify it for competition use. There are numerous events still catering to the car including the MSF Saga Cup, which has classes for beginners, advanced drivers and racing professionals who all drive the Proton Saga. For the 2018 edition of the S1K race R3 built a race car based on the current version of the Proton Saga, which was launched in 2016. The high torsional rigidity (now 12,000Nm/deg from 10,000Nm/deg previously) of its body makes it an ideal platform for competition use while its balanced handling and proven mechanical package are suited to a 1000km race where cars are tested to the limit over 181 hot and fast laps. “The Proton Saga has a long history of competing and winning in various motorsports competitions and the S1K is the perfect platform to reintroduce Proton fans to our R3 racing division while reminding them about the racing heritage of our best-selling model. This will be the first time the current Proton Saga will be competing and it will be racing against very stiff competition but we believe in the ability of R3 to develop a competitive machine,” said Abdul Rashid Musa, Chief Executive Officer of Proton Edar. Proton R3 responsible for 15 years of racing success PROTON’s Motorsports Division, Proton R3, was established in 2003. Specialising in the research, development and production of race and rally cars, R3 has also been responsible for limited-edition R3 road cars as well as parts and accessories carrying the R3 brand name. Over the last 15 years, they participated in and won some of the most prestigious motorsports events both in Malaysia and throughout the region. Highlights include winning the Merdeka Millennium Endurance event in 2005 and 2006 as well as three victories at the S1K race in 2012, 2014 and last year, 2017. Page 2 of 3 PROTON SAGA TO LEAD SEPANG 1000KM CHARGE For this year’s campaign, the R3 race team will be made up of 21 crew members as well as 15 students from DRB- HICOM University of Automotive Malaysia in Pekan, Pahang. The four drivers who competed for the team in 2017 have been brought back with the winning driver pairing from 2017, consisting of veteran Admi Shahrul and James Veerapan, given the task of trying to repeat their victory at the wheel of the all-new Proton Saga. Fariqe Hairuman and Syafiq Ali will race in a Proton Iriz, which was on track for victory last year when a minor mechanical issue cruelly robbed them of glory. “While some teams may have three drivers per car, Proton R3 has chosen to go with just two as we want to maximise the amount of time each has behind the wheel. This allows them to build a good rhythm, which is important for setting consistent lap times in such a long race. Typically, races like the Sepang 1000KM require teams to go flat out for the first few laps before driving at a predetermined pace to preserve the car and components such as tyres and brakes,” said Gary Lee, Team Principle of Proton R3. “Consistency and reliability are vital to winning as pushing too hard can cause mechanical issues. We know it’s very difficult to make up for lost time in the pits, but by fielding two competitive cars Proton R3 was still able to win in 2017. This year we aim to get both cars on the podium, a tough task as the Proton Saga is a brand new car, but with teamwork and a little bit of luck, I am confident of adding more glory to the company’s record of racing success,” he added. -End- Page 3 of 3 PROTON SAGA TO LEAD SEPANG 1000KM CHARGE About PROTON PROTON Holdings Berhad is 50.1% owned by DRB-HICOM Berhad and 49.9% by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. Ltd. Established in 1983, it is the only full-fledged OEM car manufacturer that is complete with research and development (R&D) facility in South-East Asia and was established with three primary national policy objectives, which are, to spearhead the development of component manufacturing industries, to acquire and upgrade technology and industrial skills within the automotive manufacturing industry and to strengthen the international competitiveness of Malaysia’s industrial capability. 1985 marked a momentous year in Malaysia’s history when the country’s first national car, the Proton Saga, rolled out for the masses. Since then, its offerings include versatile and reliable four-door family vehicles such as the Saga and Persona, stylish executive sedans such as Prevé, the elegant executive D-segment Perdana as well as spacious and affordable multi-purpose vehicles like the Exora and Ertiga. There is also the sleek sporty Suprima S that is packed with performance and the bold and stylish Iriz than emphasises safety and is the most affordable 5-Star ASEAN NCAP car. PROTON is more than just a car company as its inception as a key driver of national development has seen the brand accelerate its learning curve through technology transfer with strategic partnership and technical collaborations. There is no doubt that it has helped grow the Malaysian economy through its progress and success in the automobile industry. By listening to the needs of customers, PROTON cars are now steadily on track to achieve the mission for the future, with PROTON set to become a marque which builds quality and safe cars with passion and soul; cars that are enjoyable to drive - and a pleasure to own. For more information, visit http://www.proton.com. For further information please contact: Group Corporate Communications Division, PROTON Mohamed Norin Abu Bakar at 012-288 5843 / tel: 03-8026 9674 / [email protected] Faisal Shah at hp: 019-321 8897 / tel: 03-8026 9389 / [email protected] Eyasmin Hameed at hp: 017-605 2072 / tel: 03-8026 9683 / [email protected] Jaylyn Jayathalagah at hp: 012-973 3137 / tel: 03-8026 9328 / [email protected] Lim Ai Mee at hp: 012-698 9189 / tel: 03-8026 9670 / [email protected] .