Malaysia send four sim racers to APMC 2026 in Thailand as esports gold target set

Malaysia will chase gold in sim racing this weekend. Four Malaysian esports drivers have been named for the Asia-Pacific Motorsport Championship (APMC) 2026, which runs from Friday, 23 October to Sunday, 25 October at Bira Circuit in Pattaya, Thailand. The squad is made up of Nabil Azlan (24), Iqbal Suji (28), Ethen Low (16) and Raja Amirul Syauqat (22).

Who is racing for Malaysia

The four were selected after finishing in the top two of their respective national qualifying competitions, earning the right to represent the country on the regional stage. The group spans a wide age range, from 16-year-old Ethen Low, the youngest of the squad, to 28-year-old Iqbal Suji.

The stated target is a gold medal, an ambition that reflects how quickly competitive sim racing has grown in Malaysia.

How the APMC esports category works

APMC 2026 is organised by the Royal Automobile Association of Thailand and brings together around 24 nations across six categories: karting sprint, karting endurance, karting slalom, auto gymkhana, autocross and esports.

The esports category is run on two PC racing simulators, Assetto Corsa and iRacing, and countries can enter drivers in one title or both. The route to Pattaya began with online qualifiers in each country, followed by selection by each national motorsport authority. On site, heats take place at the circuit's sim racing hub on 23 and 24 October, before a grand final on Sunday, 25 October that will be broadcast live.

Thailand is one hour behind Malaysia, so any session listed in local Thai time will start an hour later on Malaysian clocks.

Building on Asian Games momentum

Malaysia head to Thailand with fresh confidence in virtual motorsport. At the 2026 Asian Games esports programme in Aichi, Japan, which ran from 22 September to 2 October, Malaysia won gold in the Gran Turismo 7 event through Taj Izrin and Aiman Taj Madira. Malaysia also took silver in eFootball, finishing third overall on the esports medal table behind hosts Japan and South Korea.

APMC uses different games from the Asian Games event, and the drivers heading to Pattaya are a separate squad, but the result showed that Malaysian racers can compete with the best in Asia. The APMC esports grand final will be another chance to test that against a field from across the Asia-Pacific region.

Why sim racing matters

Sim racing sits at the meeting point of esports and real-world motorsport. Many national federations now run digital championships as a lower-cost pathway for young drivers, and events like APMC place virtual racing alongside karting and autocross under one banner. For a country with a strong motorsport tradition built around Sepang, it offers another route to international competition for young talent such as Ethen Low.

Key takeaways

• Malaysia will field four sim racers at APMC 2026: Nabil Azlan, Iqbal Suji, Ethen Low and Raja Amirul Syauqat.
• APMC 2026 runs 23-25 October at Bira Circuit, Pattaya, with about 24 nations.
• The esports category uses Assetto Corsa and iRacing, with a live grand final on 25 October.
• The squad was picked from the top two finishers in national qualifiers and is targeting gold.
• Malaysia won Gran Turismo 7 gold at the 2026 Asian Games.

FAQ Q: When and where is APMC 2026? A: It runs from 23 to 25 October 2026 at Bira Circuit in Pattaya, Thailand.

Q: Which games are used in the APMC esports category? A: Assetto Corsa and iRacing, both PC racing simulators.

Q: Who is Malaysia's youngest esports racer at APMC 2026? A: Ethen Low, who is 16 years old.

Sources: Lumi News, APMC 2026 official site, Wikipedia