KUALA LUMPUR — Former Formula 1 sensation Alex Yoong expressed concerns over the alarmingly low spectator turnout in Malaysia’s motorsports scene.
Speaking at the Sepang International Circuit, where he wowed fans, Yoong voiced his worries about the dwindling support for motorsports in the country.
“The attendance for motorsports has consistently been low from Malaysians since the 90s… since Sepang was built, and the situation has never changed,” Yoong said.
“Attendance has declined even more since we lost the Shah Alam and Pasir Gudang circuits (due to redevelopment).
“When Sepang was built, everyone believed that we didn’t need the Shah Alam and Pasir Gudang tracks, but the reality is that for grassroots racing, we need small, focused facilities that are affordable and accessible for people to come and race or even learn to race.
“Sepang doesn’t fulfil that. It is a world-class facility, but it’s not Sepang’s fault. Once we lost Shah Alam and Pasir Gudang as feeder tracks, it became much harder for people to race.”
The Axle Sports founder also said that the lack of spectators turning up for sporting events is not only a motorsports problem but a general issue in Malaysian sports.
He also mentioned the shift in the younger generation’s interest towards eSports compared to physical sports.
“The support for Malaysian sports only stays within sports like badminton and football.
“The passion of Malaysians towards sports has changed over the years, and it’s not something healthy.
“Many young Malaysians are focusing more on eSports these days, and we at Axle Sports have taken this opportunity to train more young racers to represent Malaysia one day,” Yoong added.
The 47-year-old racer, who became the first Malaysian to compete in the 2001 Italian Grand Prix, also stated that his multifaceted organisation has taken the forefront of a movement aimed at reshaping the future of racing in Malaysia.
“With simulation driving, the pool of talent is really vast, and we train them properly to ensure that they feel comfortable and perform greatly when driving race cars.
“We envision a day when Malaysia will claim a world championship in motorsports through sim racing drivers.
“We need more young racers in the motorsport world, and our academy is producing a new generation of racers who could potentially follow in the footsteps of legends like myself, Kenny Lee, Fairuz Fauzy, and Fariqe Hairuman,” he said.
Speaking about his team’s participation in the Malaysia Championship Series, he said that his team has an advantage by performing well with the resources they already have.
“Our team is doing great compared to the other teams as they rely on new engines for speed and wins.
“Our racers are in good form, and we hope to do better as a team in this championship,” added Yoong.
Race Two of the Malaysia Championship Series will continue tomorrow, while the series final round is scheduled to be held from September 22-24. — August 26, 2023