The atmosphere at the Shah Alam D1 Grand Prix media booth is a frantic one as reporters and photographers jostle for the Drift King’s attention. Outside, the roar of engines and the sounds of screeching tyres make conversation nearly impossible. 

Keiichi Tsuchiya, however, is a picture of calm amidst all the excitement about him. The 50-year-old, who looks younger than his age, sits comfortably. His hands are clasped together and a slight smile on his face lights up the cramped booth. Flanking him are two shapely models in tube tops with the D1GP logos emblazoned on their chests. 

A glint in Tsuchiya’s eye suggests a predilection for mischief, but he is on his best behaviour right now. 

This is Tsuchiya’s third visit to Malaysia. He says he started drifting at age 18 on the mountain roads of Japan. But Tsuchiya realised early on that racing on the streets would lead to nowhere. So, at 21, he decided to go legal and made his début at the Fuji Freshman Race in 1977. That same year, he managed to convince car magazines and tuning garages to produce a video of his drifting skills.