REVIEW – PETRONAS PRIMAX 3 MERDEKA MILLENNIUM ENDURANCE 2007

MERDEKA MILLENNIUM ENDURANCE SHOULD REMAIN AS A 12 HOURS RACE, SAYS STUCK

While a proposal to turn Sepang’s prestigious Merdeka Millennium Endurance into a 24-hour race fast gaining momentum, racing legend Hans Joachim Stuck believes the race should remain as it is and instead build further as a prominent 12-hour international endurance race.

“Making the MME a 12 hour race will make it just another LeMans, Nurburgring or even Dubai 24-hour race. It will just be another 24-hour race. Nothing more … they should keep it as 12-hour race. It’s unique and exciting,” said Stuck, who had a heartbreaking debut at Sepang after his Petronas Syntium Team was forced to retire from the front with just 55 minutes before the checkered flag.

Twice overall winner in LeMans and three times at the Nurburgring 24Hours Endurance Race, Stuck, who partnered his son Johannes and Malaysian Fariqe Hairuman, said the endurance race in Sepang provided plenty of excitement for the drivers and fans as a 12-hour race.

“It’s half sprint and half endurance … it’s a good racing period, it’s a perfect combination … 12 hours is just nice,” Stuck said, adding that at the moment, there was only one international 12-hour endurance race in Sebring, Florida and it is commanding huge interest among the world class participants.




“Sepang should remain as a 12 hour race … at least for this side of the world,” says Stuck, who said that he would love to come back again next year to compete in the MME. The event was introduced by Sepang International Circuit (SIC) at the turn of the millennium to promote Sepang as an international hub for motorsports activities ans as part of the National Day celebrations.

“If you ask me, I really love this track. The track has everything … fast corners, challenging turns and it is very demanding. I am sure other foreign drivers that had never competed here would love to race in Sepang as well,” said Stuck, who partnered his son Johannes and Malaysian Fariqe Hairuman, completing 275 laps before retiring due to electrical problems to their BMW Z4M Coupe race car.  continue to page2