2010 season's FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) was kicked off by its first round "Malaysian Rally" (also 2010 Asia Cup round one) which was held from 23-25 April at Johor Bahru, south of Malaysia. This year again CUSCO RACING will battle events of the series with two crews; Hiroshi Yanagisawa/Yoshimasa Nakahara, Yuya Sumiyama/Naoki Kase. Team uses two Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X which team started to use from previous season.
The event was started by ceremonial start on 23 April at heart of Johor Bahru followed by day1 competition with two loops of 4 stages on following day. Day 2 on 25th April also set two loops of 4 stages. Total competitive distance was 236.42km. SS1 set 14.62km long. On this opening stage, Yanagisawa made overshooting on a junction and lost 40 seconds from the leader. Following SS2, Sumiyama made overshooting.He got stuck in a ditch when he tried to reverse his machine to back on the course. He was not able to back to the course and retired from the day. Yanagisawa's tough situation also continued as he made other overshooting and other. Finally he hit a palm tree and damaged rear arm on SS4. He completed the stage, however concerning extensive damage, team decided to withdraw from the day on the liaison.
The new Group N regulation arrows to make turbo-restrictor larger from previous 32mm to 33mm.Team takes this benefit and makes improving Evo X's power and torque. After putting many efforts to analyze data or finding best setting during season break, team headed to this opening round. This season's APRC has new maker, Proton to register which is first Super 2000 spec machine for the series. But it was Yanagisawa who marked fastest time at event's shakedown. The machine had got better controllability from wider useable revolution due to torque up which brought team perfect preparation.
In other hand, crews worried about its stages character. The Malaysian round's stage area had moved on last year. Team skipped this event last season, so this was first time to face new layout which had huge different on its character. According to Yanagisawa who tackled those stages first time this year," There are many junctions and road is very narrow. Also there are many of complex junctions. Additionally both or one of side of the road has deep ditch. Palm trees come out from road side. It's kind of go through between tree and tree on cornering, therefore numbering of each corner on pace-note is not really much with my feeling. Grip of road surface is very changeable and even driving on same color of mad, it's easily change with how much running through. This is much tricky than previous Malaysian Rally's stages." In fact, both of CUSCO RACING's crews would struggle with this unique stage condition.
Both machines were repaired and started Day2 under Super rally regulation. Yanagisawa, however, off the course and got stuck on SS9. He eventually completed the first loop of the day, however it was timeout and he was not able to start following loop. Sumiyama also was not able to made good rhythm on the first loop. However, after made setting change on his machine, he got better feeling and finished the day in second place on individual Day2 result among Asia Cup entry. He got 5 bonus points for the day's performance. 
The next round of APRC and Asia Cup, "Rally Hokkaido" will be held from 22-23 May at Obihiro City, Hokkaido, northernmost main island of Japan. CUSCO RACING which is familiar with its home event stages will put best effort to gain best possible result and points.
Hiroshi Yanagisawa
"The stage character was too unique, so I was not able to use pace note well and to get good feeling. However machine condition is pretty well and our direction is on course I think. Also I set good time on the shakedown, so I would like to revenge at Hokkaido where we are familiar with."
Yuya Sumiyama
"Although the stage were renewed, it was better from my last event in Malaysia as it was first ever driving in Malaysia for me and I knew circumstance this time at least. On the point where I retired, there was deep ditch. I checked those ditched on recce, so it was my mistake. I had several small troubles such as tyre burst on SS2, so I learned to be calm on such a situation. On Day2, I had good rhythm after made setting change and was able to driving as I want, so I'm looking forward next round in Hokkaido."
RESULTS
APRC
1:Katsu Taguchi(03:19:07.7)
2:Gaurav Gill(03:34:11.9)
3:Rifat Sungkar(03:55:23.9)
4:Chris Atkinson(04:03:10.4)
Asia Cup
1:Gaurav Gill(03:34:11.9)
2:Rifat Sungkar(03:55:23.9)
3:Muhammad Udhaya(03:59:06.5)
