Racing downtown, the day KL roared to a different beat

Jalan Bukit Bintang on a Friday is NEVER like this..

As a city dweller, it's no secret that we utterly enjoy the sheer serenity and bliss of unclogged traffic and jam-less journeys to our desired destination. Now, if you are a KL city dweller, you will also know that these are ideals that are only ever achievable during the big festive breaks, i.e., Chinese New Year and Eid. I tread lightly here with the caveat that Malaysians love their cars to a fault and will leave it at that. 

For city dwellers whose vocations and livelihoods depend on gainful employment in the city, those are the most blissful days of driving in the city one a will ever get to enjoy. And if you own a manual transmission vehicle, regardless of what your vehicle's engine displacement is, those are the days you actually discover more than the first and second gears - the ones you know so very well - and go from second to third gear, to fourth and even (wow!!), fifth - where the speed limits might allow it, of course. No reason to go off breaking all the rules now, even if that empty straight in front of you is as tempting as a glass of water is to someone who has just crossed the Sahara in mid-summer. Those cameras are still there and still working, believe me.. 

So, on the weekend of August 7th to 9th, KL-ites.. well.. me.. had the unexpected pleasure of driving into the city with virtually no traffic. I could have skated into town if I wanted to, though the last time I did that I ended up with two titanium pins holding my humerus bone together.. Anyway, it was to say the least, unusually - though deceptively - calm in the city that weekend, as KL-ites gave up their cars for a weekend in favour of public transportation to descend into the city centre (bar me, of course). For those who didn't, they stayed home or went about the usual business of clogging another part of the Klang Valley. To bad, you guys missed the party!! 

Why, you may ask? 

Well, for the first time in recent memory (despite almost a couple of decades in the motorsports industry, my memory is not that long), the streets of Kuala Lumpur were for the very first time, closed off for the inaugural KL City Grand Prix weekend. 


A street circuit, like the one in Singapore? 

That was what one lady said to me as I was wandering about the city centre one afternoon during the construction of the KL City Grand Prix circuit. I said, "sort of, Kak. Though this is different." She shrugged nonchalantly and went on her angry way. 

Now the idea of a street circuit in the heart of the capital city is not exactly unheard off, actually. The country's national oil company had on several occasions over the years shut off Jalan Ampang, Jalan P Ramlee and Jalan Binjai before, for their infamous street demos ahead of the Malaysian Formula 1 weekend. BUT, the difference is that, on those occasions the streets were only shut for no more than a day. 

The idea of a street circuit in the country is also not exactly unheard off either. After all there was the Formula e in Putrajaya, but then some argued it was held along the boulevards of the nation's administrative capital, flanked by office buildings where dwellers do disappear on the weekends making it feel like a ghost town anyway. And the roads were only technically closed off to vehicular traffic for no more than 36 hours, thereabouts. 

Ken Smith Motorsport - Winning the 

1973 Penang Grand Prix

Then there was the Penang Island Grand Prix, which was held in the 1970s / 80s, some as part of the Formula Pacific races, which were a series of races that incidentally also included the most infamous street grand prix of them all - the Macau Grand Prix (so, "no, Kak, not Singapore"). Of those from that era, the Macau GP is the only one that continues to run until today. 

Now, speaking from some experience, the thought of closing down the major arteries of the city is a mammoth undertaking, one that comes with mountains of consideration, multiple landslides of bureaucratic red-tape, and finite planning that can make even the most evil man on earth sob like a child. 

And as expected, there were plenty of unhappy campers who had to endure the many inconveniences and unpleasantness spawned from this endeavour. Can hardly blame them, really.. we'll get to that. Headlines screamed the plethora of wrongs, heck, the entire yellow pages A-to-Z catalogue of issues. As Alex Yoong put it to me, "it was to be expected".

In a conversation I eavesdropped in, some folks did ask why it had to be done in the city, when the country already has that butterfly-shaped circuit out in the ladang kelapa sawit (palm tree estate). Another guy answered, why not? "bila depa katup habih jalan nak masuk pi PJ tu, trafik lagi burok dari ni, orang buat bising, depa tak stop pun. hat yang tu pun bukannya buleh nak tengok apa-apa? Hat ni depa tutup buleh lah tengok mentokar racing." (Translated: "when they closed off the road to go into PJ -- I am assuming he means Jalan Universiti which is now a maze of one-way streets that no human can possibly decipher -- people complained but they didn't stop the work. And with that one, it's not like you get to look at anything nice, here you can see nice racing cars".) But that guy was a minority, poor man. 

Well, can't please everyone. 

But the organisers, to their credit, persevered, and the reward was an FIA Grade 2, tough, tight and challenging street circuit that had some of the country's most iconic landmarks as an enviable backdrop, with an equally enviable assemblage of incredibly fast and loud race cars in the city, the likes of which most of us city dwellers might not regularly see. 

Now, there's always something rather special about street circuits. The majority of drivers I've worked with, interviewed, or know have a love affair with it. Racing fans love it. TV loves it. You have to admit it looks great on TV when the cars zip past the landmarks that are unique and particular to that city. Even the entire Formula e championship is built around street circuits in some of world's major capital cities. 

Don't get me wrong, closed circuits have their own unique features, virtues and atmosphere, and the action is different. But, street circuits does one thing better - it brings the racing much closer to the people. Being down with the crowd at the KL City GP, you could see the sense of excitement or at least, curiosity on their faces, some buried underneath the folds of that nasty scowl.. heck, I am an optimist.


It's a bird.. it's .. Super-what?

Granted, KL-ites have seen Jean Alesi, Pedro Diniz, Felipe Massa, Jacques Villeneuve, Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton power their F1 cars on the streets of KL before. Malaysians have even seen their own Jazeman Jaafar at the wheel of an F1 car on Jalan Ampang. 

But, those were demo-runs and not actual races. And they were F1 cars, which everyone in Malaysia is very much familiar with. (Another disclaimer: In past demos, the national oil company had showcased other teams from touring cars / endurance championships and rallying but F1 was always the highlight.) 

This time, the KL City GP was bringing to light other motorsport championships that many have never seen, let alone heard of, unless of course you are a petrolhead and religiously follow all the different race car series that exist in the world, and there are many. 

On top of the KL City GP GT Cup race, there were three championships which were being featured: the junior formula single-seater, open-wheel Formula Masters China Series; the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia Series; and finally, the Australian V8 Supercars Championship - arguably one the most exciting championships to hit our shores. 

Wait.... what? What exactly were we being shown here? 

It is probably fair to say that quite a big chunk of the population is familiar with F1, after all we've had 17 years of it here on our own soil. It is also probably fair to say that the vast majority of Malaysians know MotoGP quite intimately, having had the boys on two wheels race in our backyard in Shah Alam and Sepang for a quarter of a century.. oh yeah, *note to self - 2015's Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix will be Malaysia's 25th edition .. 

It's also a fact that a significant portion of Malaysians are also familiar with the Malaysian Cub Prix Championship, the country's strongest and best-organised national motorcycle racing championship - hands-down - with average attendances in the tens of thousands at each round. 

So, when whispers of the KL City GP began to circulate, quite a few people that I spoke to were left wondering. As one gentleman kindly put it to me, "if it isn't F1 or MotoGP, what is it then?" OK, pakcik*, here's my attempt to summarise the championships you saw over that weekend - disclaimers apply in favour of my need to simplify:

The Formula Masters China Series - Once upon a time, there was a junior formula championship in existence in this corner of the earth where young go-karters could go to in their pursuit of a racing career in single seaters. It lasted a good while, but like all good things, it started to wind-down. So that category evolved, in name at least, and got a temporary lease of life before eventually fading away, though it did not disappear completely. Anyway, in 2013, a new junior formula category was born - the Formula Masters China Series, taking the honour of being the new platform for young talents to progress their racing ambitions. 

The formula car uses a Tatuus FA010 carbon monocoque chassis, which is FIA F3 standard and is powered by a Formula Evo 2.0 FSI engine from Volkswagen. What is a bit different to its predecessor aside from how it looks is that it comes from and belongs to the same family as its elder racing category siblings - the Scirocco R-Cup China, Audi R8 LMS Cup (where Alex Yoong races), Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia and Porsche Carrera Cup Asia. They're all under the Volkswagen Group China umbrella and adopt the group's ideals towards talent development. 

The Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia - is the younger sibling to the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo Championship, which began in Europe in 2009. After three years in Europe, its growth ambitions took them East to Asia in 2012 with races held in Shanghai, Okayama and Sepang. Comprising a line up of both gentleman drivers and young upcoming GT racers, the championship is touted as the fastest one-make series utilising the jaw-droppingly good-looking and very handsome Lamborghini Huracán. 

After seeing one in action and getting to sit in for a no holds barred ride in a Lamborghini Gallardo recently, the only thing I could think of was - oh mamma mia, è una bella macchina così! per favore, perché??!

Anyway....  the new Huracán has been developed in collaboration with Dallara engineering and is built on the direct-injected V10 engine from the road car. In race trim, the car can generate over a whopping 600bhp...  

Finally, the V8 Supercars Championship - put it this way, the US has its NASCAR, Australia has its V8 Supercars (disclaimer: that comparison is meant as purely perspective). Born down-under with New Zealand in the mix, the V8 Supercars sits in its own wonderful category and is Australia's 3rd most attended sport event and 4th most watched with broadcasts to over 105 countries and territories. The best part is that it's growing, and growing outside of Australia. 

In 2010, the FIA granted the V8 Supercars international status allowing the championship to include events outside of Australia which saw the cavalry race in China, the Middle East and the USA. In August 2015, the championship came to KL as an exhibition event, and what's interesting is that from 2016, Kuala Lumpur will be a championship round, with ambitions to lock in two further venues in Asia from 2017, the same year as the Gen 2 Supercar role-out, designed to allow for the participation of more manufacturers into the series. Interesting. I'm keeping my eye on that. 

Anyway, the action on the weekend itself did not disappoint and is fairly well documented, so I'm not going to write about the results here. Check out the videos, web-reports on the KL City Grand Prix youtube channel or website. 

Craig Lowndes did say it was going to be loud, and bang on the mark mate, it was! And that's another thing that street circuits does better than closed circuits. With it being in the city, the closeness of the circuit to the buildings helps amplify the sound of the monster engines under the bonnets, elevating the sense of excitement on the ground. 

And the excitement was infectious. I could tell that the majority of the motoring enthusiasts that I did bump into at the KL City GP were in their element. Not a single one remained in the comfort of the stifling and gagging air-conditioned media centre, opting to check out the array of supercars on display in the paddock. As they extracted facts from the mechanics, engineers and team owners, it was like being a kid in a petrolhead's version of legoland-meets-universal studios, with the use of the "oohs!!",  "aahs!" and "wow!" being the predominant and prevalent choice of expressions. 

Who needs English.. bahh! #lol

Hello.. I'm a professional race car driver and I'm Malaysian

Daniel Adam Woodroof

But perhaps what was probably more relevant to us, is that the KL City GP was also an opportunity to shine the spotlight not just on the different racing championships, but also the Malaysian drivers that are involved in them. 

In other words, dear Malaysia, motorsports is more than Formula 1 and MotoGP, AND there are many Malaysians who fly the flag in other racing championships around the world, both on four and two wheels. 

Ahead of the weekend itself, I got to speak to two Malaysians - Afiq Ikhwan Yazid (Super Trofeo) and Daniel Adam Woodroof (Formula Masters) - both of whom were thrilled about racing at the inaugural KL City GP and the excitement was naturally palpable. 



Now, if you are a young racing driver, as Afiq and Daniel are, it is worth pointing out that the prevalent understanding and perception is that their ambitions ought to take them to F1, especially when that perception is fed on a constant diet made up of the abundant exposure to F1. The thing is, the KL City GP highlights that motorsports is more than F1, that there are other paths in motorsports, such as the path to becoming professional and successful race car drivers in other, non-F1 series. I mean, look at Le Mans, or WEC, or GTs, or DTM, or V8 Supercars, or IndyCar or SuperGT etcetera.. etcetera.. etcetera.. 

Which brings me to the crux of it.. education. My biggest hope from the KL City GP is that it would be able to provide Malaysians an insight into other championship series, especially those that are more relatable. More importantly, shed light onto those Malaysians who are racing in those championships and deserve our attention, like Afiq Ikhwan, who is incidentally, the only Malaysian inducted into Lamborghini's 2015 Young Drivers Programme. 

That makes me beam with pride. He'll be heading off to Italy soon to help develop the Huracán and I can't wait to hear more about that. Though he had a disappointing weekend, and the accolades went to another Malaysian in the form of Fairuz Fauzy, Afiq's achievements shouldn't be brushed aside altogether either. Yes, he still has a long way ahead of him, and lots to prove, so I'm hoping he'll bounce back, fighting harder! 

Perhaps it isn't too far fetched of an ideal to one day see a successful, professional Malaysian race car driver in any of the international championships, and not just in F1. And, Afiq is not the first as I can list those who have come before him who have notched up their own list of achievements that Malaysians can be proud of, like Fariqe Hairuman (touring cars and endurance racing), Eric Yeo (touring cars and endurance racing), Melvin Moh (who has been busy with AMG's driving academy), Dominic Ang (who is signed up for the Asian Le Mans series for the 2015/16 season) and Weiron Tan (the first and only Malaysian currently racing in the US Pro Mazda Championship, which is part of the Road to IndyCar ladder system) just to name a few. 

In my untrained eyes, I see events like the KL City GP as having the potential to be, at the very least, the catalyst in creating some level of awareness not just for championships other than F1, but also to the plight of other Malaysian race car drivers who have made this incredibly difficult and competitive industry their life's vocation.



Bigger and better 

And now that we know that the KL City GP is coming back in 2016, with dates yet to be confirmed, there is one more thing I wanted to bring up. Understandably with the 2015 event being the first, there are naturally plenty of things to build and improve on. 

But, there were a few aspects that got up a lot of people's skins, such as awareness, information and communication (and buy-in), which -- based on my random sampling of the public sentiment -- were glaringly absent. 

I will say this though - and not in defence of or as a malicious critique - but perhaps the organiser's priorities weighed more heavily in getting certain aspects of the event done over others. In my experience and observations, PR, advertising, promotions, media relations and marketing communications have tended to be secondary priorities that often come in late to the game. 

Perhaps an unfair general observation given that I am aware of and have had experience with two motor racing championships that balances every single aspect of running a championship beautifully and harmoniously well. But they've tended to be exceptions rather than the rule. Again, perhaps an over-generalisation on my part. 

Could that have been the case here? I haven't the faintest clue but I will say this to the organisers: given the reactions in the build-up (negative and positive); the response from the weekend itself and the reviews from the teams, drivers and championships - you've got yourselves a good baseline in which to build and grow next year's event to be potentially (and hopefully) even better. 

Building something like the KL City GP is like a symphony, no one person can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it, with every single section playing together in tune, in sync and in perfect harmony with each other, so that your audience can understand, buy into and appreciate the music you are trying to bring to them.. 

whoa, that's deep.. But, nuff said, I think.  



*pakcik - uncle

Doing the Yao, as Song and Satnam blaze new trails

With the 2015 NBA and NHL championships done and dusted, it was recently the turn of the life-altering sports ritual that is the Draft. Essentially, it is the gathering of the best young talents for plum pickings by executives and bosses of both leagues’ pro teams. It’s a process that was quite fittingly likened to by an SB journo/blogger as being a “gathering of tribal leaders.” Strangely apt as she went on the describe how the leaders would pick the best talents to be their warriors who from the moment they don the tribal insignia, their identity changes.

Of course, the draft season is nothing new with the NHL and NBA drafts being a time-honoured tradition in American sports. It is the occasion that promotes the work of scouts who are always on the lookout for that hidden gem with them mad ball skills or the magician with the puck on ice. 

So why were the 2015 NBA and NHL drafts so memorable, and potentially relevant for us in Asia compared to the deluge of football stories we immerse ourselves in? After all, as Adriana Lima puts it, fútbol - NOT soccer - is a stratospherically larger sport with an influence that touches every square inch of this blue Earth. And probably enjoys intergalactic relations too, as I am convinced they play 11-a-side on Luke Skywalker's Tatooine and on Leah’s home planet Alderaan before the Death Star destroyed it… 

But rather than unwillingly dive into an socio-sporting anthropology debate one might not ever find a way out of, I think it’s worth pointing out the two significant pieces of news that emerged from both the NBA and NHL drafts this year. First, on June 25, India leaped onto the NBA map when the Dallas Mavericks selected the first Indian-born in the draft. Two days later, the New York Islanders chose the first Chinese-born player in the NHL draft. 

Reaching Out

Now it is worth noting that while both sports have had depth in international talent for some time, what is interesting is the diversity with Asia now providing its own, albeit smaller, share of talent to contribute to the draft pool. 

Yes, yes, the draft is all about scouting the best talent, but one cannot but be fascinated that the search is expanding beyond the traditional sphere of nations, particularly and especially for the NHL. But unlike their court-bound brethren in sleeveless tops and shorts, the NHL has almost always been and continues somewhat to be seen as being predominantly Caucasian, making this year’s draft all the more noteworthy. Compared to their lesser-dressed ball-dribbling hoop-hound brothers and sisters, it has been harder to break the ice in the NHL. Begrudgingly for someone who LOVES ice hockey way more than basketball, the NBA has been the more successful, making much bigger, bolder and faster global strides than their wrapped-up ice-hugging comrades. 

Moreover, the NBA’s international appeal is significantly well-spread thanks to the constant supply and export of mega personalities since the late 1960s and early 1970s. This thanks to names like Shaq or Wilt Chamberlain and Larry Bird before him; the magic Lakers era with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson, and finally the extraordinary man who singlehandedly Space Jammed basketball to a whole new plane of existence. His was a reign so supreme that even marketing executives at the world’s biggest sport football, were taking notes and wanted to be like Mike. That Mike, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, is of course, none other than, Michael Jeffrey Jordan. 

His Airness and his extraordinary band of brothers of past and present, have practically redefined how we look, watch and understand basketball, inspiring a new generation of would-be NBA players. 

Doing the Yao, all the way from Punjab

In Asia, while we were drowning in the greatness that is his Airness, in walked the 7ft 6in Mandarin speaking prodigal son of Shanghai, Yao Ming, who was the 1st overall, 1st round pick for the Houston Rockets in 2002. For Asian athletes, it really does not get any bigger than Yao, cutting a towering figure both physically and symbolically. 

Granted Yao Ming is not the first Asian with other players like Wataru Misaka (the first non-Caucasian Japanese-American point guard selected by the New York Knicks in 1947), Raymond Townsend (the first and only Filipino-descent NBA player from late 1970s) and Wang Zhizhi, who all came before Yao. But unlike his predecessors, Yao’s phenomenal prowess on court had ushered in the Ming dynasty era for the NBA, coincidentally in the new millennia. He single-handedly legitimised Asian basketball players and cemented NBA’s bridge into the Far East, especially when one considers that there are now more NBA fans in China than there are people in the USA. Yao’s impact is monumental. 

Anyhow, Basketball's global appeal is an ever expanding one, hitting all-time highs with an international pool of talent especially when considering that the 2014-2015 NBA season had a total of more than 100 international players, from 37 countries and territories. That is nations from as far as Bosnia and Herzegovina, to the Joga Bonito footballing nation of Brazil; even to the rugby-mad outback of Australia and the land of the All-Blacks Kiwiland, New Zealand. 

Aside from that already impressive statistic, what took place at the 2015 NBA draft on the New York evening of June 25 is at the very least, defining. The Dallas Mavericks with the 52nd overall pick out of the 60-pick draft called out the name of a young 7ft 2in 19-year old from the small village of Ballo Ke in India’s Punjab state just east of the Pakistan border. 

His name, Satnam Singh Bhamara. 

His selection is profound in that he is the first Indian-born player ever to be selected in the NBA draft, made even more significant just three months after Sacremento Kings signed Canadian Sim Bhullar, who became the first player of Indian-descent to sign an NBA contract and play in an NBA game. 

What was also interesting is unlike the other draft candidates who make their way through the collegiate system, Satnam was a member of the IMG Academy and part of a scholarship programme with 28 other student-cum-athletes from his native homeland. That and his selection is groundbreaking because it has opened up a whole new pool of potential talent from India in the future. 

What is also fascinating is how it all started for Satnam who after being exposed to the NBA a decade ago started modelling his game off of Dwight Howard and, more importantly perhaps, Yao Ming. Once again underlining the impact Yao has had on Asian basketball. The big man from Punjab now has the opportunity to do what Yao Ming did, this time for the vast cricket-mad Indian sub-continent and with an impact that could potentially reverberate even further. But I am getting ahead of myself.. 

Skating to a new Song

From the warm, sweat-drenched Basketball courts, something else was brewing in the colder icier climes of the NHL ice. When we in Asia think of hockey, we think of field hockey, played on a green grassy synthetic astro turf. In some psyches, ice hockey is the poncey version North Americans, Northern and Eastern Europeans, Baltic and Nordic nations and Russia play in the absence of grass, albeit with significantly more speed. 

Compared to the NBA, change comes at a much different pace in the NHL. It is unfair to compare apples to ice-cubes, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that African-American players had already begun to appear in the NBA as early as the 1950s with Chuck Cooper (the first to be drafted in the NBA), Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton (the first player to feature in the NBA finals) and Earl Lloyd (the first to play in the NBA) amongst those blazing the way. 

By comparison, it would take more than 30 years before the first African-American appeared in the NHL when Val James played with the Buffalo Sabres in 1982, though Canadian Willie O’Ree holds the accolade for being the first to break the colour barrier with the Boston Bruins in 1961. But, statistically, in a 30-year period since O'Ree broke the ice, up to the mid 1980s only 15 African-Americans or African-Canadians ever made it to the league. 

That ice-scape has however changed dramatically in the last two few decades, with more players of African-descent now not only active in the NHL, but playing pivotal roles in their teams and for their nations, like Montreal Canadiens’ alternate captain PK Subban and 2015 Stanley Cup champs Chicago Blackhawks' defenseman Johnny Oduya, to name a few.

So: two days after Satnam Singh Bhamara became the first Indian to be picked in the NBA draft, and a year after the Washington Capitals selected Australian Nathan Walker -  when the New York Islanders chose the 6ft Beijinger defenseman Andong Song on a balmy Florida evening of Saturday June 27 as their 2015 NHL draft-pick; China had slapshot itself onto the media spotlight in ice-hockey countries and ice hockey hit the mainstream national Chinese media. That's big given that ice hockey had only up to that point been popular in the country’s northeastern-most province of Heilongjiang. The headlines were fitting with Song dubbed “po bing zhe” - the ice breaker. 

Now it is worth pointing out that Song is not the first Asian to break into the NHL. That merit belongs to a Chinese-Canadian named Larry Kwong who donned the New York Rangers kit in 1948. Though his shift lasted literally a New York minute, he left a legacy that has endured for well over six decades. Since Kwong, there have been others, notably Korean Jim Paek (the first Asian-born player to twice win the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1990s), Hiroki Miura (first Japanese player ever drafted into the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens in 1992, though he never actually played a game) and Yutaka Fukufuji (the first Japanese Asian-trained goaltender drafted by the LA Kings in 2004). 

That Song is the first Chinese-born player drafted to the NHL is significant and could not have come at a more opportune time for China. For this sports-crazed nation who incidentally is also bidding to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, Song’s NHL draft-pick has not only boosted their Olympic bid. It's also potentially ignited and lent the necessary weight toward the nation’s drive to diversify, intensify and amplify its winter sports portfolio, especially when compared to its neighbours, Japan and Korea who already have a solid winter-sports programme. Last week's draft-pick decision has been seen as an important boost to China's sporting ambitions. 

Whilst it is still a long way off before Song actually hits the ice in an NHL kit with Song looking to continue playing at another top prep school and earn a NCAA (collegiate championships) spot for the 2015/16 season, the impact of the decision is already leading some seasoned NHL observers and pundits to equate Song's potential influence and impact on Chinese ice hockey as being as profound as Yao Ming’s. 

While there is real cause for enthusiasm in China, it is a two-way street with some observers also suggesting that through these turn of events, the NHL is taking cue from its ball-dribbling basket-bound cohorts in wanting to size up what is potentially a very, very lucrative sports market in Asia's most populous nation. 



Stirred, not shaken

Admittedly the penetration of ice hockey into the Asia generally is not as strong as basketball, largely due to infrastructural and resource limitations, underdeveloped awareness and untapped interest. But that could all change now. 

While the growth potential of ice hockey is incomparable to the likes of badminton or football, in the prophetic words of the three stripes, impossible is nothing, given that Japan, Korea and now, China are leading the way for Asia. What's also interesting to note is that of the 72 member states in the International Ice Hockey Federation or IIHF (full, associate or affiliate), 16 are Asian nations (including Arab states, excluding Central Asian republics) with Japan being amongst the oldest members (1930). Korea and China are relatively recent additions having joined the IIHF in the early 1960s. 

Malaysia's Jazura Girls Ice-Hockey team after winning the Lion City
Ice Hockey Tournament in March 2015 (Photo: Team Facebook page)

And much closer to home, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore are IIHF members too. In Malaysia, the administration and organisation is still at its infancy with little to none international competitive exposure, YET. But there is a promising pool of talent with our Malaysian girls who won the Lion City Cup Ice Hockey Tournament earlier this year. Now, with the path, however small, opening up towards legitimising Asian ice-hockey players vis-a-vis our NorthEast Asian neighbours, all this information is perhaps a nice boost given that the 2017 SouthEast Asian Games in Malaysia will feature two winter sports for the very first time - ice skating and, drum-roll please - ice hockey! Realistically, it is a dream but there are, at the very least, "what ifs" in the making. 

Bottom line, is it suffice to say that now that the NBA has drafted a player from India, and the New York Islanders have selected it’s very first Chinese-born player in the NHL draft is bringing both sports to the verge of a revolution? Perhaps not, but what it does mean is the continued shift in attitudes towards talent, to some extent, irrespective of where that talent springs from. Perhaps there are other considerations, like economics and global marketing rights expansion in the world’s most populous regions? 

Whatever the motivation, conversely these events could also spell a shift in attitudes towards certain sports. A more globally connected world at a click of a mouse or a tap of a keypad has had an influence on sports that might have been predominantly geographically and/or genealogically stereotyped, be it basketball, ice hockey, alpine skiing or whatever. That it has potentially paved the way for a greater embrace for diversity in sports - in as wide of a sense as possible, is to little naïve ole' me, really refreshing.

Somehow this sprung to mind - Veni, Vidi, Vici
So, go forth Song and Satnam!! 

more: the best moments from the 2015 NHL Draft
more: a review of the 2015 NBA Draft

Silverstone sizzler sets up stage for an epic WEC season

A couple of years ago, Allan McNish described the 24 Hours of Le Mans as the entire Formula 1 season in one day. It is the one race that I absolutely look forward to, love watching, even if it robs me of sleep and denies me of any rest. 

Goodness knows how the drivers who do their double, triple stints feel and my hats off to them all, in every category, seriously.. Now when i look back at that i am really glad that the folks that made it happen made the FIA World Endurance Championship happen, it’s like having a mini Le Mans all the time and having a great build-up to that incredible highlight race in June. 

Granted Le Mans is a really special race, one that I would dare go so far as to suggest as being incomparable to any other. That it’s historic, even legendary goes without saying, the 24Hrs of LeMans is glorious without being overtly ostentatious. It’s pure racing without the theatrics other than what’s delivered in terms of the drama out on track. 

I'd be lying if I said I don't miss working with Andre.

And when a few years ago a driver that I had come to know and adore by virtue of working closely with him in a popular Japanese race car series told me that he was going back to Europe to commit to a certain German automobile marquee to compete at LeMans and then subsequently in the then newly formed WEC, I had mixed emotions. At one end of the emotive spectrum I was sad, partly because my selfish self would no longer get to work and hang out with him, and at the other end I was elated with what was and is an incredible opportunity. Bravo André! 

I can never forget the look on André Lotterer’s face when he told me the news when we met up in Tokyo some years back. The twinkle in his eye was unmistakable. When he made his debut at the 24Hours of Le Mans in 2009 as practically one half of a duo* in a private team, his impressive 7th place had caught the attention of the Audi works team. The following year, André, along with another fellow gaijin driver from their time in Japan, Benoît Treluyer and Swiss driver Marcel Fässler took on the Audi works colours at Le Mans and finished 2nd. 

When the trio returned to compete at the 2011 edition of the race, their car would be the sole car flying the Audi flag in the race after the works team lost two of their other cars in spectacular fashion. It was to be one of the most sensationally extraordinary races I have ever watched. My heart was in my throat as I watched the final 30 minutes of the race with André at the wheel keeping Peugeot behind them. 

The gap couldn’t have been any closer - 13 seconds! When I saw an exhausted, emotionally and physically spent André climb out of the car with tears in his eyes at parc ferme, the waterworks turned on in my eyes as well. It was the one and only time I have ever cried (for joy!) for any of the drivers and/or riders I have ever worked with. 

The fight for the throne 

Anyway, it is hard to explain the fascination of Le Mans, suffice to say if you are a petrol head and a racing fan, it is a MUST watch. And when you now have the World Endurance Championship on tap, one really is spoilt for choice.. Well, at least I am. And when each race is described as embodying the spirit of LeMans, I get goosebumps. 

Though I will openly admit that I am not the best-schooled person in the intricacies of the FIA WEC, the complexities of its rules and regulations or the mind-bending technical information, I cannot deny the heightened sense of emotions that the racing aspect of the WEC gives me. And it was evident with the opening round of the championship at the 6 Hours of Silverstone. 

Prior to the weekend I was already drawing the rather obscure comparison to the protagonists in A Song of Fire and Ice (to those who have not read the books - Game of Thrones) to each of the different marques vying to rule over the WEC kingdom. 

In my warped sense of imagination House Audi were like the smarter, stronger, savvier and more together version of the Starks of Winterfell and the Porsches the precociously savvy and cunning version of House Tyrell. Then there’s the outsider, House Toyota akin to the Targaryens, resourceful, forceful, kinda cool and just waiting to pounce. 

Not forgetting the still work-in-progress Nissan whom I’ve decided to liken to House Martell of Dorne. They will join the cast along with the other three houses at Le Mans. And, you can't ignore the other players like the iron-born Rebellion Racing, a rather impressively strong-willed House Greyjoy. Like Nissan, Rebellion will be there at LeMans. 

And finally imagine if House Peugeot aka WEC's House Lannister were to return? They would probably say, "HERE ME ROAR!" I swear, one more and you would have seven players in the battle of the seven kingdoms.... 

It’s the epicness of it all, I tell you. 

A Fight to the end

OK.. OK... putting aside George R R Martin’s epic saga, the 6Hours of Silverstone was a real treat. To a large extent, it really did seem that the Starks.. I mean, Audi would be a strong contender this season having dominated the endurance racing programme for a good chunk of this millennia. As Giles Richards of the Guardian puts it, “after a difficult run in 2014, that [Audi] should come out of the blocks with a win was proof again, were any needed, that they remain the benchmark against which all other marques must test themselves."

And the Silverstone race was proof that 2015 is going to be an epic WEC season, with the trio of Lotterer, Fässler and Tréluyer putting the four rings back on the top step of the podium after a really closely-fought tooth and nail battle with Porsche and Toyota. 

Left to Right: Tréluyer, Fässler and Lotterer - Photo: Audi Sport Team Joest

Deep deep down I do have a bit of a soft spot for the four rings, bias perhaps but also because every time I watch them race, they always seem to have to work so damned hard to get it (cue the epic orchestral music). The fact that the gap to the chasing Porsche was so close at the end, it really was a tale of how Lotterer, Tréluyer and Fässler had to fight really hard especially after a poor start. Brilliant. 

What makes it even more exciting is that we know how strong Porsche is with their pace in testing sending rival engineers, drivers and team bosses scratching their heads as to how to beat them. 

The thing is, WEC is nothing like F1 with the contrast in the technical regulation being an obvious differentiator. The fact that there is considerably more room for regulation interpretation, the manufacturers take on different approaches. What that means is that each different manufacturer has different aces up their sleeves, enabling them to capitalise on their complicated systems to maximum effect where they need it. For instance, where Porsche may have the advantage on the straights, Audi is better able to make their tyres work for longer. 

Then there was the drama near the end with Audi holding on to a very slim lead, knowing full well that Porsche had managed to gain an advantage on fuel. That already slim lead was shaved even further when Fässler had to dive into the pits to refuel. 

That gap nearly became non-existent when the lead Audi was then slapped with a drive-through penalty for using more tarmac than was allowed while overtaking an Aston Martin. In my twisted imagination I could actually hear the evil queen Ravenna from Snow White laughing wildly. 

It was a thrilling run to the finish line with the Audi holding on to the lead with all their might. Congratulations Audi, the team that #welcomeschallenges. It’s frustrating that I had to “listen” to the race and rely on the youtube highlights only because it’s not broadcasted on the networks available to me. Perhaps that’s why my imagination goes a bit bonkers. 

The Forest beckons 

Now that the opening test of arms is done and dusted, the WEC Game of Thrones turns it attention to the next 6 hour battle that will take place through the Ardennes Forest at Spa Francorchamps, Belgium. Audi will definitely want to carry the momentum and fighting spirit from Silverstone, a difficult ask but one I think for a team that welcomes challenges, they may be happy to rise to the occasion. 

Porsche will want to tighten up their offensive strategy taking full advantage of the long, fast, flowing 7km Spa circuit and have already recruited the likes of current Force India Formula 1 driver Nico Hulkenberg in the No. 19 Porsche 919 to beef up their offensive. 

Then there’s Toyota, who will want to reignite the form that led them to victory in Belgium en route to claiming the Iron Throne.. damned.. I mean the WEC world title last year. 

With the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps touted as the 24 Hours of Le Mans rehearsal, the round is already expecting a bumper grid, which is always exciting to watch. It's perhaps a shame that we wont see Nissan or Rebellion until Le Mans. Regardless, if Silverstone is anything to go by in terms of what's on offer by the main championship contenders, the 2015 FIA WEC season is turning out to be quite a tantalising and tasty affair. 

Guess what, after Spa, it's the big one - the 24 Hours of Le Mans

I say: Bring it! And I will be watching with John William's Duel of the Fates playing in the background:

*there were 3 drivers signed up for the race but one was injured in a non-racing accident just prior to the race.

Desert Rumblings as MotoGP heads to Losail

Picture: Losail International Circuit

It really looks like it's gonna be one of those weekends again. Every season when I put the calendar together and see a MotoGP and Formula 1 clash on the same weekend, I just know something's gotta give. And here we are, it looks like the first race of the 2015 MotoGP season and the Malaysian Formula 1 Grand Prix is on the same weekend.. 

Undoubtedly, the latter race is a lot closer to home, especially it being held on my home soil and "could" potentially be the last one, depending on what's announced on Sunday after the race*. But, let's not go there. 

On the other hand, the first MotoGP race of the season is going to be quite exciting with the prospect of a much closer and competitive field in the premiere class. So it would seem. What makes it even more exciting is having four of my fellow countrymen flying the flag for Malaysia as they battle it out under the Qatar floodlights in the Moto2 and Moto3 categories.

Perhaps it is a no-brainer for those inclined to prefer getting stuck in the action that will take place at the floodlit Losail International Circuit, over the action at Sepang. I know where my attention could potentially go. Thankfully, I think we can avoid an epic remote control duel with one happening before the other. The one race is at 1500hrs, and the other from 2300hrs (all local Malaysian time).

Suffice to note that with all the attention on the Malaysian Grand Prix over the weekend of 27 to 29 March and the scintillating prospect of another 1-2 result for the Mercedes AMG PETRONAS Formula 1 team, I thought I'd shift the focus slightly to the boys and gals on two-wheels. 


Rumble in the Desert

The MotoGP Grand Prix of Qatar - on top of being the first and only circuit to host a night-time race, has also earned itself quite a reputation for setting a spectacular tone to the start of every grand prix season. It was where the current defending MotoGP world champion Marc Márquez began his stunning 2014 campaign, winning the desert duel against Yamaha's Valentino Rossi. After taking that win, Márquez then went on to record 12 more race victories en route to his second MotoGP World Championship title.

Qatar was also where another Spaniard, Esteve "Tito" Rabat started his winning campaign in the intermediate Moto2 class. He won that race, then eventually took home 7 race wins, 14 podium finishes, 11 pole positions and a record points total of 346 on the way to his Moto2 championship title. 

Going back into the archives, who could forget Casey Stoner outgunning Valentino Rossi claiming his epic win in the desert on his debut race with the Ducati's back in 2007? Back then, the commentator said, "watch the birth of a new superstar." 

Now, four months after the Valencia Grand Prix last November, one post-season test and three pre-season tests later; arguably the world's best motorcycle racers return to the Qatari desert for what could very well be - at the very least - an interesting start to a brand new MotoGP season.

No doubt, some detractors may argue that a certain 22-year old Spaniard aboard a really superior Honda may have rubbed the shine off MotoGP somewhat over the past couple of seasons. Really? This isn't Formula 1 guys.

Remember when a certain Italian from Tavullia dominated the sport with 9 world championship titles across the different classes, with 6 of those earned in the premier class? 

His dominance not only catapulted him into the same league as Apollo and Athena but also earned him the adoration, familiarity and allegiance of fans from literally every corner of this planet. And, I am 99.99% sure that they have at least heard of, if not know of Valentino Rossi in the Andromeda Galaxy, some 2 million or so light years away. His impact and influence is that profound. 

Whether Márquez can have quite the same effect as motorcycle racing's messiah, remains quite a debatable subject. So, let's just leave it at that. 


Catch and Match

The other thing is, it is also really hard to predict if Honda can remain ahead of the pack and how much the other teams have caught up and matched the reigning champs. With all the pre-season tests done and dusted, I don't think it's wishful thinking to say that fans may indeed be in for a treat. I won't go so far as to predict, but all indications are pointing in that direction. 

Picture: Movistar Yamaha Racing Team

At the first two pre-season tests in Sepang, it did look like Honda were going to carry the same momentum from last season into this season, with a very very quick Márquez demolishing the circuit record at Sepang on the final day of the first test. 

Though that was noteworthy, what was far more interesting for me was how far Yamaha's YZR-M1s had caught up in terms of how well it handled and rode. With all the upgrades, including Yamaha's seamless gearbox, both riders are looking determined and poised to bring the fight to Honda. 

Then what was even more fascinating was the confidence oozing out of what seems like a revived Ducati camp, especially with a very happy Dovizioso talking about the speed and handling of Ducati's GP15 bikes. 

It does seem that the Italian outfit has been busy pulling out all the stops to make themselves a lot more competitive. Judging from the final pre-season tests in Qatar, which was dominated by the Ducati Desmosedici, it certainly looks very promising, one that Yamaha team director Massimo Meregalli believes will bring the Red Dukes to the forefront come the start of the season. 


Then as if it wasn't already an exciting prospect - the return of Suzuki to the fold, the inclusion of a very very successful team from the intermediate class and a couple of young graduates from Moto2 and Moto3 - does indicate a much healthier MotoGP grid, with 14 teams and 25 riders. 

Picture: Suzuki 

Not only does Repsol Honda Team boss Livio Suppo agree with Meregalli that it's good to have Ducati back battling at the front, he also adds, "Suzuki are not doing too bad as well, so the rules that allow the teams that were a little bit behind to have an advantage seem to be working well."

Naturally, it is virtually impossible to tell where all the teams stand or if Ducati can mount a serious title challenge, until everyone kicks up the sand in Qatar. But, based on what we've seen so far, all indications point towards what can potentially be a really nice 2015 MotoGP championship season.


Revving up the Intermediate Classes

Typically, whilst the general attention does tend to lean more heavily on the contest in the premier class, I always feel that the action in the intermediate classes is quite spectacular, if not as good or better. The action is almost always as thrilling and often times becomes a nail-biting affair. That's especially true when you see five or more riders abreast on the same piece of tarmac heading into a tight hairpin or a corner in a battle royal for track position, on every lap. *Phew*.

Unlike their big brothers in MotoGP, the boys and girls in the Moto2 and Moto3 categories didn't have such a great pre-season tests with the weather playing havoc to the teams' carefully laid out plans. So, it was much harder to see who could dominate this season. All the better as that uncertainty just makes it far more exciting to watch! 

Sure, Tito Rabat will want to be up there fighting to defend his title. Now unlike past Moto2 champs who all graduated to the MotoGP class, Rabat decided to stick around. And this year, his challenge comes in the form of 14 of the top 15 Moto2 riders from 2014, as well as two of the top three Moto3 riders from last season. 

Essentially, we can expect the likes of Mika Kallio, Tom Luthi, Johann Zarco, Luis Salom, Axel Pons and Simone Corsi to be in the mix. Don't forget, we have another Márquez in that contender seat - 2014's Moto3 World Champ Alex Márquez. 

Triple Treat in Moto2
 

Now, for us locals, there are three Malaysians represented in the Moto2 class - Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah, Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman and rookie rider, Zaqhwan Zaidi. Both Hafizh and Azlan are on the same machinery that the majority of the field will be using - Kalex, with Zaqhwan being in the minority on a Suter bike. 

If you're Malaysian and did watch that highly memorable 2012 MotoGP Malaysian Grand Prix, you would know who Hafizh Syahrin is, and that incredible race he had that year as a wildcard rider. That race alone launched the Klang-born boy into the stratosphere.

Picture: Hafizh Syahrin's twitter @HafizhPetronas

He has come a long way since that one race. After two successful seasons in the CEV Spanish Motorcycle Championship, Hafizh then graduated to the MotoGP stage to make his debut in the Moto2 category as a full time entry in 2014. His first full season saw him finish in the points 9 times out of the 18 races that were held, enough to earn him 42 points for his debut season and the best result for the pool of Malaysians in the MotoGP. 

When I caught up with him before the pre-season tests, he was naturally cautiously optimistic to indicate that his performance last season serves a good baseline for him to achieve more, albeit realistic targets. And at the Valencia and Jerez tests, Hafizh's performance demonstrated where the young Malaysian wants to be in - within reach of the top-10 riders. But, there's always something about Hafizh and when he topped the timesheets in the wet, he at least lived up to his nickname Pescao. 

Meanwhile, for his compatriot Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman, things might not have gone as planned in 2014. But one can't take away the fact that Azlan is one of the hardest working riders I know, especially getting to know him and watching him race through the ranks in the past. Like everyone else, the bad weather at the pre-season tests did throw a wrench into the works and affected everyone, even Azlan. As a baseline, I am hopeful he can improve on his 2014 results. 

The third Malaysian in Moto2 championship is Zaqhwan Zaidi. He was very optimistic when I spoke to him - coming off the back of an incredible regional and domestic 2014 season. But, the reality is that he is coming into a highly competitive level, one that he has not yet had any experience in. 

Being an unknown quality, Zaqhwan will be tested to the max at this level. It's good to see that level of confidence especially after winning the Malaysian Cub Prix championship, the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship and the Malaysian Super Series. His talent is undeniable, but riding a machinery that is one of the minority makes this year coupled with the fact that he has not had as much time on the bike as he would like, will undoubtedly make his debut in Qatar more about gaining experience. 

Whatever the outcome is, Malaysians ought to take pride in the trio of riders who will be representing the country at arguably the best motorcycle racing championship in the world.



Moto3's YoungGuns

This is a category that is so incredibly fun and highly entertaining to watch with so much happening on every lap at every race. And what makes it even more fascinating is that of all the riders in this category, only four, yes, four riders are over the age of 21. No kidding! 

The youngest this season at just 15-years and 343-days old, and probably where most of the attention has gone to in the off-season is the Estrella Galicia 0,0 team's French rider, Fabio Quartararo. Already everyone in the media have begun comparing him to Marc Márquez, and this even BEFORE the lights go off in Qatar. Unbelievable. It's worth keeping an eye on this kid due to his undeniable talent.

Though the 2014 Moto3 World Champ Alex Márquez has graduated to the Moto2 category and vice champion Jack Miller straight up to MotoGP, the competition in Moto3 remain a hotly contested one, with several new faces to the line-up in 2015. 

What makes Moto3 pretty cool is the fact that there are two ladies in this category - Maria Herrera and Ana Carrasco, the latter unfortunately sustaining a broken arm in the pre-season tests.

What's also cool for us would probably be Zulfahmi Khairuddin back for another season in the Moto3, this time with a new team (Drive M7 SIC Racing Team), a new bike (KTM) and a whole new attitude. 

When I spoke to him, he was very much aware that he is already one of the veterans in this category as well as the pressure on him to perform. But, he was optimistic and quite possibly a happier man. But, like Zaqhwan, Zulfahmi did not get as much time on his bike as he would have preferred. So, like everyone else in the intermediate classes, heading to Qatar will be more of a learning experience.

At the end of the day, it is really hard to gauge where everyone is at the start of every brand new MotoGP season. We just have to wait and see what happens when the riders descend onto the 5.4km fast-flowing Losail International Circuit with its nice combination of medium and high-speed corners this weekend...... 

Holding my breath... 


Postscript - all the videos may not be viewable here, and will direct you to MotoGP's YouTube page.