Malaysian racing driver Loke Yin Yi has celebrated a major milestone in her international racing career, fighting through torrential rain at Fuji Speedway to secure a hard-earned P3 finish in Round 2 of the 2026 Kyojo VITA Championship. Representing KEGANI RACING ACADEMY JAPAN / SKILL DRVN VITA, Yin Yi lined up on the second row after qualifying her West VITA-01 sports prototype in third position. But with heavy rain hammering Fuji Speedway and standing water creating treacherous conditions, the scheduled 10-lap sprint quickly turned into a test of patience and survival.

Race officials deployed the Safety Car for the opening three laps, meaning the drivers were left with just six laps of green-flag racing once the action finally resumed on Lap 4. Yin Yi’s challenge became even tougher almost immediately. Contact at Turn 1 during the restart dropped her from P3 to fourth, while a sizeable gap began to open between her and the leaders. Rather than allowing the setback to derail her race, however, the Malaysian driver quickly went to work.

By Lap 5, Yin Yi had found her rhythm in the increasingly difficult conditions and launched her fightback. Showing impressive car control and confidence on the soaked circuit, she regained third place and held her position through to the chequered flag. The result marks Yin Yi’s first international podium finish in Japan, adding another significant achievement to a career that has already included back-to-back championship titles in the domestic SKILLDRVN One Make Race (OMR) Series.

“I’m really proud of how I found my pace in the heavy rain,” said Yin Yi. “Contact during the Safety Car restart dropped me to P4 and left a significant gap to the leaders. However, I kept my composure, found my rhythm quickly, and fought my way back into P3 to secure a podium finish. “In a shortened sprint race, there’s zero room for error; one mistake and your race is over. I’m thrilled to claim my first international podium in Japan, and there’s definitely more to come!”

Beyond the podium itself, Yin Yi’s result represents another step forward for the Kegani Racing Academy (KRA) and its SKILLDRVN driver development programme. KRA has been working to create structured opportunities for emerging drivers, with particular emphasis on developing female talent through training, grassroots competition and progression into international racing.

Yin Yi’s journey from the SKILLDRVN OMR Series in Malaysia to standing on the podium at one of Japan’s most famous circuits provides a strong example of that pathway in action. Her progress also supports the wider objectives of the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM) to develop Malaysian motorsport talent and increase the country’s representation on the international stage, while creating greater opportunities for women in racing.

At Fuji Speedway, Yin Yi had to deal with rain, standing water, a shortened race and an early setback. She answered all four with speed and composure — and left Japan with a podium trophy and plenty of momentum for what comes next. KRA’s Female Driver Development Pathway remains open to aspiring female racers looking to progress from foundational track training into competitive motorsport. The team also acknowledged the support of sponsors Sweet Tape and U Ply Hardware Trading Sdn Bhd.