SEPANG, 13 Dec — Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) extends its highest appreciation to Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia and Chancellor of UTM, for her gracious support in enabling UTM students to gain first-hand exposure at the Asian Le Mans Series 2025, held at Sepang International Circuit from 13–14 November.
A total of 150 students, including those from B40 backgrounds and members of the UTM student racing team, participated in this high-impact learning experience made possible through the support of Yayasan Raja Zarith Sofiah Negeri Johor.
The initiative reflects Her Majesty’s commitment to inclusive education, social mobility, and equitable access to transformative learning opportunities.
The programme builds on the momentum of UTM’s recent Motorsports Talk with Johor Motorsports Racing (JMR) held on 4 December, which featured special appearances by His Highness Tunku Abdul Rahman Al-Haj Ibni Sultan Ibrahim and His Highness Tunku Abu Bakar Ibni Sultan Ibrahim.
Students were later given rare behind-the-scenes access to the JMR team paddock, where they observed professional race preparations, engineering workflows, team coordination, and real-time decision-making in an international motorsports environment.
Vice-Chancellor of UTM, Prof. Dr. Mohd Shafry Mohd Rahim, expressed UTM’s gratitude, saying that the experience exemplifies how meaningful learning extends beyond lecture halls.
“On behalf of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, we extend our heartfelt appreciation to Her Majesty, the Queen of Malaysia and Chancellor of UTM, for graciously enabling this invaluable opportunity for our students. We also convey our sincere thanks to the Royal Family of Johor and the Johor Motorsports Racing Team for their continued engagement and generosity in exposing our students to world-class, high-performance environments.”
From the student perspective, the experience proved transformative. Danish Akhtar Mohd Azli, representing the UTM Racing Team, shared that witnessing professional motorsports up close reshaped how students view engineering and teamwork.
“Motorsports was something we only watched on television. Being inside the paddock allowed us to understand the highest level of engineering application, discipline, and coordination required to compete on a global stage.”
Another participant, Caesarynna Januri anak Belaja, a UTM student from Sarawak, reflected on the broader impact of the experience.
“This experience changed how I see my future. It showed me that with the right support and determination, students like us can aspire to global excellence. Observing how teams handle pressure, technical challenges, and constant adaptation mirrors the real-world challenges we will face beyond university.”
Through this initiative, UTM continues to translate royal patronage into meaningful educational impact by nurturing graduates who are not only technically competent, but also inspired, resilient, and globally minded.
Source: UTM NewsHub
