Alex Yoong facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alex Yoong
熊龙
Yoong in 2006
Born	Alexander Charles Yoong Loong (1976-07-20) 20 July 1976 (age 48) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Spouse(s)	Arriana Teoh ​ (m. 2002)​
Children	1
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	Malaysian
Active years	2001–2002
Teams	Minardi
Entries	18 (14 starts)
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	0
Career points	0
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First entry	2001 Italian Grand Prix
Last entry	2002 Japanese Grand Prix
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years	2006–2007
Teams	RfH, Charouz
Best finish	8th (2006)
Class wins	0
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	熊龍
Simplified Chinese	熊龙
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Xióng Lóng Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Hung4 Lung4 Southern Min Hokkien POJ Hîm-liông Tâi-lô Hîm-liông

Alexander Charles Yoong Loong (Chinese: 熊龙; pinyin: Xióng Lóng; born 20 July 1976) is a Malaysian racing driver. He also works as a sports commentator. Alex is famous for being the only Malaysian driver to ever compete in Formula One. He raced in 18 Formula One races between 2001 and 2002.

Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Alex started his racing journey in regular cars. He then moved to special racing cars called "single-seaters." In 1995, he won the Malaysian Championship. With help from sponsors, he raced in Formula Renault in 1996. Later, he moved to Formula Three and then Formula 3000. During his time in Formula 3000, he had a big crash but managed to get better. He also raced in Formula Nippon.

Alex made history in 2001 by becoming the first Malaysian to race in Formula One with the Minardi team. After leaving Formula One in 2002, he raced in other series like CART World Series and Porsche Carrera Cup. He also competed in the A1 Grand Prix series from 2005 to 2008, winning three races. Alex also took part in the famous Le Mans 24 Hours race. Today, he works as a commentator for Fox Sports Asia and helps develop young drivers for Lotus Racing.

Early Life and First Races

Alex Yoong was born on July 20, 1976, in Kuala Lumpur. His mother is English, and his father is Malaysian Chinese. His grandfather moved to Malaysia in 1933. Alex's father started racing cars in 1978, and his mother began rallying in 1983. Alex loved Formula One from a young age. His heroes were famous drivers like Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna. When he was eight, he got a Kawasaki 50cc motocross bike, which showed his early talent for racing.

His racing career started in 1992 when he was 16. Alex became the youngest driver in Malaysian motorsport history. He first raced in a special Proton car series. He won two out of five races there. Later, he raced a Toyota Corolla at the Macau Grand Prix and finished third. He then moved to a powerful 400-horsepower BMW racing car.

Climbing the Ranks

In 1994, Alex moved to the Formula Asia International Championship. He got a loan to help pay for it. He finished on the podium several times and won his first race in China. This success led him to challenge for the championship in 1995. He won the Malaysian national title and had eight wins in the Continental Championship, finishing second by just two points.

In the same year, Alex helped film a racing movie called Thunderbolt with Jackie Chan. Jackie Chan even said Alex was a "very good racing driver." Alex then got a chance to test Formula Renault cars in England.

Formula Renault Challenges

In 1996, Alex started racing in Formula Renault with Startline Racing. He had sponsorship from Silverstone tyres. In his first race, he showed great skill but had a collision and finished 20th. He often finished in the top six that season but couldn't win a race. In 1997, he hoped to win races, but a crash and an uncompetitive car meant he finished outside the top 10.

Formula Three Journey

Alex talked to his father about his racing future. He decided to try Formula Three to prove his skills. He joined Portman Racing Team. In his first race at Spa, he finished 16th among 30 cars.

During the off-season, Alex worked on his mental and physical fitness in Malaysia. This training helped him feel more confident in 1998. He continued with Portman Racing, using Renault engines. He consistently finished in the top ten, including two sixth-place finishes. Later, he switched to Alan Docking Racing and continued to get similar results.

The year 1999 was tough. Alex's sponsors stopped supporting him, and his family had to pay for his racing. He missed the first two races. But when he returned, he made a strong comeback. He finished sixth, then fifth, and even second in one race behind Narain Karthikeyan. These results helped him move up in the world rankings. He finished 11th in the championship.

Formula 3000 and a Big Crash

Alex then moved to the Italian F3000 championship. In his first race, he finished fifth. At the next race in Donington, he had an amazing drive in difficult, wet conditions. He was in second place, chasing the leader. Even after a safety car slowed him down, he set fast laps to catch up. He finished second, very close behind the winner.

However, he struggled to qualify for some races. In Belgium, he had a very serious crash. He collided with another car and hit the tire barrier at high speed. He was unconscious for 20 minutes. Doctors checked him carefully and found no serious injuries, but he was kept for observation. He still attended the next race, walking with crutches. He qualified ninth and finished ninth.

In the final race, he was forced off the track and later had brake failure. He finished 10th in the Drivers' Championship with eight points.

Formula One Dream

Alex Yoong in 2006.

The Minardi Formula One team contacted Alex Yoong. They were looking for drivers with sponsorship. Alex found support from a Malaysian government-backed company. He tested a Formula One car at Mugello, becoming the first Malaysian to do so. He then got his Super Licence, which is needed to race in F1.

2001 Season

Alex made his Formula One debut at the 2001 Italian Grand Prix. He replaced another driver who didn't have enough sponsorship. Alex had electrical and gearbox problems during practice and qualifying. He retired from the race. At the next race in Indianapolis, he also retired due to a gearbox issue. At the final race in Japan, on a track he knew well, he finished 16th.

2002 Season

For 2002, Alex's new teammate was Mark Webber. In the first race in Australia, Alex had gearbox problems but finished seventh. This was his best finish in Formula One! At his home race in Malaysia, he had a good start but retired after a collision. In Brazil, he finished 13th, calling it his toughest race.

He sometimes struggled to qualify, missing the "107% rule" (a rule that says drivers must be within 107% of the fastest qualifying time). In Spain, he couldn't race because of car problems. In Monaco, he crashed during practice and qualifying. He retired from the race after hitting debris. He finished 14th in Canada and 10th in France.

Rumors started that Alex might be replaced. Minardi decided to let another driver race for two races to give Alex time to train. Alex returned for the last three races. He finished 13th in Italy and retired from the last two races due to engine failure and a spin. Minardi later announced he wouldn't drive for them in 2003.

Life After Formula One

After Formula One, Alex continued to race in different series.

Champ Car Racing

Alex Yoong (in front) competing in a Champ Car race at Brands Hatch in 2003.

He joined Dale Coyne Racing in Champ Car in 2003. In his first race in Mexico, he finished ninth. He signed a contract for the rest of the season, hoping for more sponsorship. However, he struggled in later races and had to leave Champ Car due to lack of funding.

Porsche Carrera Cup Asia

Alex found success in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia. He was invited to race as a guest driver. He qualified third and quickly took the lead, winning the race despite a gearbox problem.

V8 Supercars in Australia

In 2003, Alex joined a team to race in the Bathurst 24-hour event in Australia. He raced a BMW 320i. They had engine problems but still completed many laps. In 2004, he started working as a Formula One presenter for ESPN Star Sports. He also got support to race in V8 endurance events.

He raced in the Konica Minolta series, but a collision damaged his car. He then joined WPS Racing for endurance races. He finished 15th in the famous Bathurst 1000 race.

A1 Grand Prix Success

Alex Yoong at an A1 Grand Prix series meeting.

Alex Yoong won three races in the A1 Grand Prix series.

Alex drove for A1 Team Malaysia in the A1 Grand Prix series. This series helped restart his racing career. He became the lead driver for Malaysia. In the first race, he finished fifth. He had strong results, including a second-place finish in Indonesia. In China, he won a sprint race and finished second in the feature race.

In the 2006–07 season, Alex had even more success. He won both the sprint and feature races in the Czech Republic. He also won a sprint race in Mexico. For his strong performance, he received the Bruce McLaren trophy in 2007.

He continued with A1 Team Malaysia in 2007–08. He had some tough races and retirements. He later stopped racing in the series, having started 45 races.

Le Mans Endurance Racing

After the A1 Grand Prix season, Alex raced in the Le Mans Series and the 2006 Le Mans 24 Hours. He was doing well in the 24-hour race until his car's throttle got stuck, causing a crash. In 2007, he returned to the Le Mans Series and the 2007 24 Hours of Le Mans. His team finished eighth overall and fifth in their class.

Other Racing and Roles

• GP2 Asia Series: In 2008–09, Alex raced in the GP2 Asia Series for the Qi-Meritus Mahara team.
• Lotus Young Driver Programme: In 2009, Alex became the head of the young driver development program for Lotus Racing. He helps young drivers in Asia.
• Intercontinental Le Mans Cup: In 2010, Alex won the GTC class at the 1000km Zhuhai race, driving an Audi R8 LMS.
• Water Skiing: Alex is also a talented water skier! He won a silver medal in water skiing at the 1997 SEA Games. He returned to the 2011 Southeast Asian Games and won a gold and a silver medal. He had competed in the Junior World Waterski Championships in 1992 before focusing on car racing.
• Audi R8 LMS Cup: Alex is a driver in the Audi R8 LMS Cup. He has won multiple races and championships in this series, including the overall title in 2014, 2015, and 2016.

Personal Life

Alex Yoong married Arriana Teoh in 2002. She was Miss World 1997 Malaysia. They have a son named Alister, born in 2003. Alister is also a racing driver, following in his father's footsteps.

Alex's younger sisters, Aaliyah Yoong and Philippa Yoong, are both water skiers. Aaliyah became the youngest ever gold medalist in the SEA Games in 2011 for water skiing. Philippa also won a bronze and a gold medal in water skiing at the same games.

Alex is a big supporter of motorsports in Malaysia. He often works as a commentator for Formula One on Malaysian television and Fox Sports Asia.

See Also

In Spanish: Alex Yoong para niños

Images for kids

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  Alex Yoong racing in Formula Asia 2000 in Zhuhai.