Johor Motorsports Racing (JMR) have written their names into the history books of international motorsport, becoming the first-ever Malaysian team to secure a class victory at the demanding 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps endurance race in Belgium on Sunday.

The sensational triumph saw the Malaysian national anthem, Negaraku, echo proudly across the iconic European circuit as the royal racing duo of YAM Tunku Abdul Rahman Al-Haj Ibni Sultan Ibrahim (Tunku Panglima Johor) and YAM Tunku Abu Bakar Al-Haj Ibni Sultan Ibrahim (Tunku Putera Johor) conquered the world’s most prestigious and testing standalone GT3 race.

Sharing the wheel of their high-performance machinery alongside elite teammates Ben Greene and Jordan Love, the squad delivered a flawless tactical display to take the checkered flag at the top of the podium in the highly competitive Pro-Am category.

The landmark victory came in what was JMR’s third consecutive appearance at the prestigious endurance classic.

Achieving the feat together as siblings added a deeply personal layer to an already monumental milestone for Malaysian motorsport, crowning years of dedicated effort to establish a competitive presence on the global GT racing stage.

Reflecting on the historic milestone, Tunku Abdul Rahman expressed immense pride and gratitude for how every variable came together over the intense weekend.

“I am extremely happy and grateful for this historic success at the world’s biggest GT3 race,” he stated. “Our machine functioned really well throughout the race, and we even received extraordinary support from General Motors (GM). The whole team performed superbly over the weekend. We could feel the determination of every team member as we sought victory. As drivers, we are limited to certain aspects; everything depends on the cooperation of the entire team. Alhamdulillah!”

The 24 Hours of Spa is notorious for throwing unpredictable elements at drivers, with dense traffic, changing weather conditions, and zero room for error testing the absolute limits of human and mechanical endurance.

Tunku Abu Bakar highlighted the chaotic nature of the event, describing the sheer relief and exhilaration of crossing the line victorious in only his second personal appearance at the venue.

“This is an incredible feeling, achieved in my second appearance in the race,” he remarked. “Every hour during the race was chaotic. It felt like we’ve won the entire championship. Alhamdulillah, I am very proud of the effort put in by the whole team in achieving this victory.”

Bagging this historic achievement, the celebratory mood for the Southern powerhouse will soon shift back to intense preparation.

The team will not have long to rest on their laurels as they turn their attention to the upcoming challenges of the global endurance calendar.

JMR is scheduled to continue their campaign in the Far East, shifting their operational focus to the historic 50th edition of the Suzuka 1000KM endurance race, set to take place at the iconic Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture, Japan, from September 11 to 13.