The MUBA Auto Gymkhana Cup 2019 took place from November 30th to December 1st, 2019 in Indonesia. Auto Gymkhana is a new racing format recognized by the FIA and included in the list of races managed by the International Automobile Federation. With short and tight tracks, speed not exceeding 100km/h, and not requiring extremely powerful cars to participate, Auto Gymkhana has quickly gained popularity in Asia, Oceania, and even Europe.
The MUBA Auto Gymkhana Cup 2019 featured 28 racers from Indonesia, Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, India, Brunei, and Vietnam.
The representatives for Vietnam are two racers from the Redline Racing Team, including racer Nguyễn Hồng Vinh and racer Trương Nam Thành.
The race took place at the Skyland International Circuit in Indonesia. To emphasize driving skills, which is the number one factor in the Auto Gymkhana racing format, all racers used the same type of car with a reverse steering configuration.
In this race, Vietnamese racer Nguyễn Hồng Vinh performed excellently by overcoming the challenge of using a reverse steering car, which was unfamiliar to him, and achieved a ranking of 9th out of a total of 28 racers.
In addition, in the Team race category (two cars from the same team running together, requiring good driving skills), Vietnam also ranked 8th out of a total of 14 teams.
Entering the Top 10 in a speed race according to FIA standards is not easy, but this time Vietnamese racers have made a breakthrough for the racing scene in Vietnam.
Prior to this, in July 2019, three racers from the Redline Racing Team, Nguyễn Hồng Vinh, Trương Nam Thành, and Nguyễn Đức Duy, also participated in the Round 1 of the Asia Auto Gymkhana Championship (AAGC) 2019. This is a series of races initiated by the FIA with the aim of developing motorsport across Asia. The championship features races held in many countries such as India, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Thailand. The first round of AAGC 2019 took place in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
By participating in Asian races, Vietnam is gradually integrating into the international racing community. With proper investment, we can hope for significant development of racing in Vietnam and even anticipate the emergence of a Vietnamese F1 racer.
Trang Nguyễn (Forum.autodaily.vn)