KUALA LUMPUR, April 5 -- For Alister Yoong, racing is not just a career - it is an obsession that never quite switches off.

The 23-year-old, son of Malaysia's first and only Formula One driver Alex Yoong, has officially turned professional after signing with France-based Switch Racing for the 2026 season - the latest milestone in a journey more than a decade in the making.

Unlike many drivers who start almost as soon as they can walk, Yoong only entered the sport at 13 through karting. 

Within two years, he was already winning races, eventually clinching the Formula 4 South-east Asia Championship in 2019 at just 15.

What followed was a steady climb through the ranks. 

Yoong went on to become a multiple Formula 4 race winner...