SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Landan Matriano Lim was only 11 years old when he discovered a hobby that would change his life.

Lim’s dad went to a racetrack to drive his sports car and brought his son along to play on the go-karts. However, his competitive nature took over.

“I challenged myself to get faster and faster because there were people plenty faster than me, and I wanted to get to their level. So, I continued to do so, and without coaching, I was able to go off of my ability and what I could see from other people,” aspiring professional racecar driver Lim said.

As his passion developed, he swapped the go-kart for a racecar, and Lim said this was a big shift because of weight distribution. He had to now train to keep his body balanced in a car that weighed 1,000-2,000 pounds. He compared it to being on a rollercoaster while trying to drive a car.

“I have to work out every day to sustain and prepare my body to be able to handle a car like that. We’re handling 2 G’s of force in a court. So taking turns at an average of 80 miles an hour really takes a toll, and the races are 30 minutes long.”

As taxing as this extreme sport is, that’s what makes Lim love it even more. He wanted to take the first step in Formula 1 racing which is Formula 4. As you progress and get faster times, you can move up the ladder and compete with 20 of the best in the world.

He sent out emails for a training management team in December of 2022 and Eric Jensen, president of Jensen Global Advisors called him to try out at their Houston track.

“He immediately was saying, I’ve got the speed, I’ve got the personality, and he would love to take me on my journey to become a professional racer so, come the following months I signed with Jensen,” Lim said.

Lim has only had seven months of experience in professional racing, but he is already showing great promise.

“I’m of course trying to place at the top, I would love to run up the front and that’s what I’m working to do. I’ve had two top-15 finishes this season so far.”

He said his first competition was in New Orleans and it meant so much because it was his home track where he fell in love with racing.

“I had friends and family both surprise me being down there for my first race, but I also had the racing community that I had been with the entirety there supporting me and cheering me on. So that did wonderful things mentally, going into it to ease myself and have more confidence,” Lim said.

Formula 1 racing only accepts the top 20 of the best racers in the entire world.

Indy Car is another competition for the best of the best in only the United States. Lim said that he would love to see himself up there, but his main dream is to cement himself in the professional world of racing.

“I would be happy with a place in F1, a place in Indy Car, in the World Endurance Championship, any of the above, as long as I’m in a race car, I’m having fun,” Lim said.

His next Formula 4 competition will be in October, and he will compete at Virginia International Raceway.

“What I want to do is be a part of a team who puts together a car, puts together all of this effort to make an investment in this team, and then put all of their faith in me as a driver to put the entire team on the podium,” said Lim.

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