*Dr Latun, popularly known as the ‘Racing Dentist ’, dropping a heart from the pits while racing in the competitive Sodi Ladies Expert Category in karts. (Photo Credit: Dr Latun)*

Most motorsports careers start with a similar story: an opportunity to race, an eye-opening exposure to the adrenaline, and the urge to chase that flow state of high-octane action. Dr Latun Fatin Lyana, dubbed the ‘Racing Dentist’, however, kickstarted her professional motorsports career on a different path.

“Coming from a family that heavily prioritised education, doing well in school was simply my main responsibility. I was fortunate enough to get good grades, attend a boarding school, and eventually pursue dentistry,” she shares “But the truth is, I was just going with the flow. I wasn’t studying out of a deep, burning passion; I was just living on autopilot, fulfilling expectations, and casually playing sports or video games to pass the time.”

The turning point came during her Bachelor’s Degree in Dental Surgery at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), when she got her first car: a Tiffany Blue model. It was a catalyst that sparked her passion for the automotive scene, giving her a sense of identity outside her studies.

Still, as a young student who knew nothing about cars, Dr Latun experienced what many beginners (especially women) go through: she was scammed and cheated when purchasing car parts.

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“Those early experiences of getting scammed were why I started my business, RS Bangsawan Sdn Bhd. Our core concept is ‘Premium Parts, Premium People.’ We focus heavily on educating the public and ensuring that enthusiasts get well-maintained, 100% original parts.” she recalls.

Outside her studies, Latun joined local car clubs and actively participated in auto shows with her Tiffany Blue car. Despite being a young university student surrounded by a majority of much older men, she credits those experiences with pushing her to step outside her medical bubble, mingle with the public, and build her confidence.

As she puts it: “My appreciation for car culture really grew from that beautiful transition of just living on autopilot, to finally discovering a passion that made me feel alive.”

During the MSF Megalap Time Attack, Dr Latun took 1st in the Ladies category and fought through to a top-5 finish in the Open category, also awarded with SuperGal (Fastest Female). (Photo Credit: Dr Latun)

Earning Her Official Racing License

Growing up in a family with no motorsport background, Dr Latun’s entry into racing stemmed directly from the car clubs she frequented as a university student. They hosted go-karting events and track days like “Maximum Attack” at the Sepang International Circuit.

“When I first tried go-karting, I wasn’t naturally skilled at it at all — I just had a genuine interest and thought it was incredibly fun. Because I had zero basics in motorsport, I knew I had to learn through pure experience,” she recalls. “So, I started getting formal coaching for both indoor and outdoor go-karting, as well as touring cars at Sepang. I joined local competitions just to gain experience and have fun.”

In a twist of events, Dr Latun cheekily shared that during her training, she had a strict and fierce coach who pushed her hard on track. That same coach is now her husband and business partner, Kimie Majid.

A racer with strong ties to the local Malaysian grassroots racing scene, he is a key figure for RS Bangsawan Sdn Bhd. He was a prominent competitor in the Malaysian Speed Festival (MSF) Championship, where he drove #86 in the Jazz Cup. “Talk about fate, right? So, what started as just joining events for fun eventually gave me both a racing career and a life partner!” she recalls.

Eventually, Dr Latun managed to secure her official Motorsport Association of Malaysia (MAM) license when she participated in the MSF Merdeka 2020 and was selected as the second driver for a local race team. Securing a MAM licence is no easy feat. It demands specific medical clearances, general prerequisites, and rigorous driver training, alongside mandatory yearly renewals.

The dentist also shared how concerned her parents were when she initially decided to race competitively.

“When I told them I wanted to race at the Sepang International Circuit competitively, their immediate reaction was naturally out of fear and concern for my safety. They couldn’t understand why I would want to risk my life — and my hands, which are my livelihood as a dentist — in such a dangerous sport.” she mentions.

Eventually, once they saw her dedication and how happy racing made her, they transitioned from being worried to becoming her biggest supporters.

Off track, Dr Latun swaps the steering wheel for the scalpel as a practising dentist with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). (Photo Credit: Dr. Latun)

The Birth of the Racing Dentist

Unlike most racers who jump at the opportunity to transition into higher categories after a fair amount of time in karts, Dr Latun hones her racecraft by doubling down on karting. With the massive amounts of capital and time required to transition, karting gives her the seat time she requires at a fraction of the cost and logistical headache.

Her racing journey and the hustle to fund it started while she was an undergraduate student. The dentistry student relied heavily on side incomes to fund her track days. “I did freelance design work, creating shirts, banners, and marketing materials. I also sold small used car parts to keep cash flowing for my track days. And of course, I relied on rezeki (blessings) whenever a sponsor came along,” she shares.

Once Dr Latun graduated and started working as a dentist, she had a bit more disposable income to join events. Beyond her clinic hours, she started taking on more opportunities to fund her passion, such as giving talks, participating in marketing campaigns, and personal karting coaching. All the extra income goes straight back into racing, allowing her to gradually improve her gear and equipment.

Dr. Latun completing her first stint in the Sport Production setup with Team RSB Prodrag Ftuned and putting the Honda Jazz Singlecam L15A (A) during the Merdeka Race MSF Enduro 2020 at the Sepang International Circuit. (Photo Credit: Dr. Latun)

Racing Across Different Disciplines

When preparing for the physical and mental demands of the track, she takes a highly methodical approach. To deal with the vibrations, she started doing targeted neck, core, and cardio workouts, and learned to relax her grip. She also doesn’t use simulators but instead relies on hours of real seat time to adapt to driving all sorts of karts: brand-new, well-used, and even in poor condition.

Over the years, Dr Latun built a solid foundation. She secured second place in the highly competitive Sodi Ladies Expert Category in karts. She was also one of five women selected to compete in Round 3 of the Asian Endurance Series (AES) GoKarting Championship, where she recorded one of the top five fastest lap times among female drivers and secured a second-place finish with an all-female team.

Stepping up to production cars, Dr Latun raced at MSF Merdeka 2020 and supported local time attack challenges such as MegaLap Time Attack MSF 2023, Maximum Attack, and the 8 Hours Track Day. Beyond driving, she was also one of the managers for Team 101 RAB Torro Rosso, who emerged as the Overall Champions of the 2025 K Car Global Sepang 24H Endurance race after completing 416 laps over a gruelling 24-hour period.

Recalling the win, she shares the challenge of handling an eight-driver roster with intense precision, calculating fuel consumption, lap times, and the exact timeframes for each driver.

“In endurance racing, the driver is essentially a diagnostic tool. I had to translate the exact feedback from my hands and the kart’s grip into highly precise, clinical-like data for my pit crew, so they could execute the perfect strategy.” she says.

*Dr. Latun locked in, helmet visor down, and totally focused inside the cockpit before taking on Sepang Circuit during Track Day Maximum Attack. (Photo Credit: Dr. Latun)*

Balancing Dentistry, Racing And Running A Business

Juggling life as a dentist, businesswoman, and racer can be undeniably hectic. Dr Latun finds her balance by planning her calendar down to the smallest detail. “I schedule absolutely everything: work shifts, business management, hobbies, important dates, social events, and even my exercise routines like piloxing, jogging, or playing badminton. Even the smallest daily tasks go into my calendar,” she shares.

In her dental career alone, she balances shifts in the government public service with practice at a private clinic — a contrast she genuinely enjoys. Moving between the two constantly teaches her to adapt, driving her to give her absolute best to every patient, regardless of the setting.

When asked if she struggles to anchor her identity as a racer while shifting between the highly controlled environment of dentistry and the adrenaline-heavy atmosphere of the track, she says: “I don’t! In fact, I see dentistry and go-kart racing as having so many similarities. In the clinic, my hands are fine-tuned for tactile sensation — feeling subtle tensions, applying the exact right amount of pressure, and utilising specific hand strength for delicate procedures. At the same time, as a dentist, your eyes must be incredibly precise, and you have to be highly alert to your patient’s condition and your surroundings.”

“That exact dental training turns out to be a massive advantage behind the wheel. The tactile sensitivity allows me to feel every bit of feedback through the steering wheel, sensing tiny shifts in grip and traction. Meanwhile, the precise vision and hyper-awareness help me multitask — monitoring my surroundings, calculating track lines, and managing the machine all at once at high speeds.” she says.

Surprisingly, patients find her more approachable because she races. It’s an identity Dr Latun wholly embraces, fuelled by her love for educating and sharing knowledge with people from all walks of life. She actively delivers public talks, ranging from community health lectures at local mosques to returning to her alma mater for the UiTM Dental Carnival.

She was even invited to speak at the Women in Medicine Symposium on ‘Embracing Your Dreams Beyond The Field of Medicine’, an event graced by Her Royal Highness the Queen of Perak, DYMM Tuanku Zara Salim.

With such a relentless pace, one has to wonder: is there even room for Dr Latun to have a “normal” social life?

“To be honest, the concept of a “normal” social life has completely shifted for me, especially since I am also a wife and a mother to a one-year-old baby! People often ask how I manage it all, but I firmly believe that it just comes down to knowing how to balance your hobbies, your career, and your family.” she recalls.

It certainly helps that racing is a shared passion with her husband, who paused his own racing pursuits to coach her, manage her racing career, and help manage the business. Together, they also organise massive track days at Sepang, such as ‘Honda Nation’, ‘Toyota Nation’, and ‘Maximum Attack’. Safe to say, her social life naturally revolves around her family, the incredible community they’ve built, and their shared love for motorsport.

Dr Latun on set with the national public broadcaster of Malaysia (Radio Televisyen Malaysia) and behind-the-scenes filming for Wanita Dalam Litar (Women on Track) — showcasing life in the fast lane and outside of it. (Photo Credit: Dr Latun)

What’s Next For The Racing Dentist?

On the local front, Dr Latun’s primary focus and next major milestone is to officially enter and compete in premier local racing series, such as the Malaysia Touring Car Championship, Malaysia Speed Festival, and Toyota Gazoo Racing Asia. Securing a seat at these top-tier local events for a full season is high on her radar.

Beyond the local scene, the Racing Dentist aspires to step up into international endurance categories. Despite the challenges of staying consistent in endurance racing while managing a demanding medical career as a dentist, she isn’t fazed by the scheduling or physical toll.

Expanding her mentorship efforts is one of her goals too. She already enjoys working with youth through programmes like F1 in Schools and GENIUS@Pintar, where they use go-karts to teach fundamental STEM concepts and steering control.

“I want to continue bridging the gap between science and motorsport for the next generation, showing them that no matter what background you come from, your dreams are never impossible.” she says.

Plus, the motorsports landscape in Malaysia has shifted noticeably even in the short span since she started racing in 2020. A big part of that is breaking down stereotypes about women in motorsports. “Outwardly, people see me as a soft-spoken, gentle, hijab-wearing Malay woman — but who says someone like me can’t participate in extreme sports?,” she shares.

Thanks to international movements and greater visibility, that stigma is fading. Dr Latun has noticed many more women who are genuinely brave enough to try go-karting and actively step into racing.

“Aside from financial backing and scholarships, I wish there was more grassroots encouragement for women to just take that first step without the fear of judgment. I know for a fact that because I didn’t start racing early as a child, polishing my talent has been a much steeper and harder climb. But my journey proves that when you have true passion, timing doesn’t matter — what matters is your sheer determination.” she recalls.

It’s similar to the path of one of her good friends, Loke Yin Yi, who started her racing journey late but worked incredibly hard and is now competing internationally. Other role models Dr Latun looks up to include Leona Chin, a trailblazer who has broken down many barriers in Malaysian motorsports.

She also deeply admires Michèle Mouton for her legendary rallying career in the Group B era, and Susie Wolff for her relentless push to create infrastructure for the next generation of female racers through the F1 Academy.

How Dr Latun Fatin Lyana Balances Dentistry…