A new chapter in Malaysian grassroots motorsport development is set to unfold as Unihub Auto Sdn Bhd and DMW 1 Automobile become the first UMW Toyota Motor dealer team to recruit a driver from outside the existing Toyota racing ecosystem for the Toyota GAZOO Racing Malaysia Vios Challenge.

The newly formed Unihub & DMW 1 Motorsport Team has partnered with Kegani Racing Academy (KRA) to field emerging female racer Loke Yin Yi in the Sporting Class category during Round 3 of the Toyota GAZOO Racing Malaysia Vios Challenge, taking place on 25 and 26 July at the Petronas Sepang International Circuit.

The move represents a significant step towards broadening opportunities for aspiring racers in Malaysia by creating a pathway from grassroots racing programmes into one of the country’s most competitive one-make racing championships.

Loke arrives in the Vios Challenge with an impressive résumé despite being relatively new to motorsport. She made history by becoming the first driver to secure back-to-back overall championship titles in the KRA SKILLDRVN One Make Race (OMR) Series, claiming the crown in both 2024 and 2025. Her rapid rise has continued this year, where she currently leads the SKILLDRVN Swift Professional Series championship after securing victories in the opening two rounds.

Her racing credentials extend beyond local competition. Earlier this year, she competed as the sole foreign participant in Japan’s Kyojo Vita Championship, earning a commendable fourth-place finish. Closer to home, she has already demonstrated her capabilities in Toyota machinery, collecting four podium finishes in the Vios Classic Challenge, including one victory and three second-place results alongside KRA mentor Kenny Lee.

Although Round 3 will mark her first outing in the third-generation Toyota Vios race car used in the Vios Challenge, expectations are high given her consistent performances across multiple racing platforms.

According to Unihub Auto Sdn Bhd Assistant General Manager Brandon Lee, the collaboration reflects the team’s ambition to support Malaysian motorsport development while strengthening its own presence in the championship.

The partnership with KRA aligns closely with UMW Toyota Motor’s long-standing commitment to nurturing racing talent through the Toyota GAZOO Racing programme. While Toyota’s Young Talent Development Programme has successfully produced several notable drivers over the years, this latest initiative seeks to widen the talent pool by identifying promising racers from outside the traditional Toyota racing structure.

Based in Puchong, Selangor, Unihub Auto Sdn Bhd and its partner dealer DMW 1 Automobile from Kudat, Sabah, see the project as more than just a racing programme. The team aims to establish itself as a platform for driver development, offering talented racers a structured route to progress through Malaysia’s motorsport ranks.

For Kegani Racing Academy, the collaboration validates the effectiveness of its grassroots development model. Founded to provide comprehensive motorsport education, KRA combines classroom learning, simulator training, on-track coaching and competitive racing experience through its SKILLDRVN racing programmes.

The academy’s flagship SKILLDRVN One Make Race Series was introduced in 2023 to create an affordable and accessible entry point into motorsport. Using identically prepared Suzuki Swift race cars and strict technical regulations, the series focuses on driver skill, sportsmanship and cost-effective competition. The programme has since evolved into the SKILLDRVN Swift Professional Series, allowing corporate-backed teams to compete with graduates from the academy’s development system.

KRA Principal and Chief Coach Kenny Lee described the partnership as an important milestone in the academy’s mission to cultivate a new generation of Malaysian racing talent. A former Vios Challenge competitor himself, Lee believes the championship offers an ideal platform for drivers seeking higher levels of competition and exposure.

Beyond Malaysia, KRA has also expanded its vision internationally. Last year, the academy established KRA Japan in partnership with Fujii Engineering, introducing its grassroots racing development concept to Japan. The initiative is designed to facilitate greater collaboration between the two countries while exposing Malaysian drivers to Japanese motorsport culture, technical standards and racing ethics.

As Loke Yin Yi prepares for her Vios Challenge debut, her journey from grassroots racing champion to national-level competitor highlights the growing opportunities available for aspiring racers in Malaysia. More importantly, the collaboration between Unihub & DMW 1 Motorsport Team and KRA could pave the way for a new generation of talent to make the leap from grassroots competition to professional motorsport.