May 13, 2009
THEIR job is simple – dressed to the nines and put on their megawatt smiles for the cameras at Formula One races.
But unlike the foreign WAGs, the wives and girlfriends of local racers do not enjoy the same glamour and attention.
Rain or shine, they have to follow their husbands and boyfriends to race tracks, helping them to monitor sector timings from the pit and cheering them on from the stands.
Outside the track, some of them have to roll up their sleeves and get all sweaty and dirty in the garage.
These are just some of the things the local WAGs have to live with.
“In the weeks leading up to a race season, we practically live in the garage (at the track),” said Florence Ho, 32, wife of local driver Ringo Chong.
“He’ll be working on the car with his mechanics, while I play the role of ‘kopi-soh’ (coffee lady) cum cleaner cum car polisher all in one.
“It was tough, but it was very sweet as we were together all the time.”
Chong, 42, is a driver training consultant based in China.
He races for Singapore in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia (PCCA) and the Aston Martin Asia Cup (AMAC) where he finished third during the leg of the F1 Singapore GP support race last year.
Ho met Chong in 1998 at the Singapore Motorshow and got married to him eight years later.
They have a 21-month-old daughter Renee.
Before she met Chong, Ho had no interest in motor sports at all.
“I knew about F1 only after I met Ringo. It’s more of being able to understand his passion and sharing his (emotional) highs and lows. I married him along with his motorsport dream,” said Ho.
But it is not all work and no play for the local WAGs.
Lynn Ang-Teo, wife of local race driver Greg Teo and marketing director for Citispa, a local professional slimming and beauty spa, gets to attend advanced driving courses sponsored by her husband.
She hopes to attend the Porsche Driving School in Brisbane to enhance her driving skills.
“Greg pays for my driving courses because he encourages my interest in motor sports, but I think he just wants to make sure that I become a good driver and I won’t crash his cars!” said the Michael Schumacher fan.
Teo, 34, spa director of Citispa, who has spent close to a million dollars on his motorsport interest, has also participated in PCCA and AMAC and will be participating in the GT3 Asia Challenge and Macau GT Cup this year.
No interest
As for Petrina Lee, dating Hafiz Koh, 24, Singapore’s first full-time local professional race driver, has helped her gain a deeper insight into the sport which she had no interest in before meeting Koh.
“Racing is Hafiz’s greatest passion and his influence has rubbed off on me. I’ve come to understand, respect and appreciate motor racing a lot more than when I was a mere spectator,” said the marketing and public relations manager.
The local WAGs make it a point to follow their husbands and boyfriends to races, both local and overseas, but that usually changed once they had children.
“I used to accompany Greg to the tracks in Malaysia every other weekend and to overseas race tracks a few times a year,” said Ang-Teo, who met her husband during their university days.
They have been married for seven years and have two daughters, aged three and one.
“But in recent years, I have had to stay home to take care of the kids when he went racing.”
Ho feels that her sacrifices are well worth it.
“Ringo’s work takes him out of Singapore for most of the year. If you add his races, we hardly have any time together,” she lamented.
“It is especially hard now that we have a kid.
“Sometimes, I feel lonely and wish he is around more often, but I understand it is just as difficult for him to be working away from home. I’m fully supportive of his racing. It’s not every day that one gets to live his dream.”
Lee, however, adopts a different view. “I wouldn’t say that sacrifices are made because when you’re with someone, you accept him for who he is,” she said.
“Despite Hafiz’s busy schedule, we always make a conscious effort to spend quality time together. And when he’s away, he constantly keeps me updated, so I won’t miss out on anything.”
The biggest concern of the local WAGs is the safety of their partners.
“I would be lying if I say I’m not worried when he races, but he’s a safe driver with plenty of control behind the wheel, so I’ve a lot of faith in him,” said Lee.
“When he’s out on the circuit, he doesn’t hold back and will go all out to win. I’m just proud of him for having the courage to live his dream.”
Petrina’s seven out of seven
WE PUT the WAGs to the test with this simple F1 trivia (they were not allowed to seek help from their partners or search the Internet for answers).
Here’s how they fare:
Who was the 2008 Formula One world champion?
LYNN: Lewis Hamilton
PETRINA: Lewis Hamilton
FLORENCE: Lewis Hamilton
Answer: Lewis Hamilton
How many races are there in the 2009 F1 season?
LYNN: 16
PETRINA: 17. It was in the news that the France Grand Prix is out for 2009.
FLORENCE: Er… 20?
Answer: 17
Which leg is the SingTel Singapore Grand Prix?
LYNN: 3rd or 4th from last?
PETRINA: 14th. Fortunately, I visited the F1 site not too long ago to find out details on the Singapore race.
FLORENCE: This is tough… 16th?
Answer: 14th
How many laps are there in the Singapore Grand Prix?
LYNN: If I can remember correctly from last year, it should be 60.
PETRINA: I figure this year should be the same as last year – 61. It was a memorable race as I was rooting for Alonso to win.
FLORENCE: 36?
Answer: 61
What’s a lollipop in motor racing?
LYNN: A sign post used by the pit crew to let the driver know when to stop and when to drive away after a pit stop.
PETRINA: The “traffic” sign when the driver does a pit stop. It tells him when to stop and go.
FLORENCE: It is a board on a pole that is placed in front of the driver when they come in for a pit-stop to cue them on the right time to stop and go.
Answer: The sign on a stick held in front of the car during a pit stop to inform the driver to apply the brakes and then to engage first gear prior to the car being lowered from its jacks.
Which driver finished first in the Brazilian Grand Prix last season but failed to win the world championship by one point?
LYNN: Felipe Massa (I was rooting for him and the Ferrari team and was very disappointed that he didn’t win the championship).
PETRINA: Felipe Massa. It was unfortunate that he didn’t win after a great season.
FLORENCE: Felipe Massa.
Answer: Felipe Massa
Which is the last leg this season and when will it take place?
LYNN: Abu Dhabi, in October.
PETRINA: Abu Dhabi. If I’m not mistaken, it ends sometime in early November.
FLORENCE: Japan, November. I really don’t know! (laughs)
Answer: Abu Dhabi, 1 Nov
AND THE WINNER IS…
PETRINA: 7/7
LYNN: 4.5/7
FLORENCE: 3/7
WAGs talk
Given a chance, will you try your hand racing too?
Lynn: Why not? To me, motor racing is a fantastic sport that demands coordination, concentration, stamina and a lot of guts. It will be a great experience, and I see it as a personal challenge. But it will just be a fun pastime for me, nothing more.
Petrina: I wouldn’t get into racing as I’m a girl at heart. Hafiz is aware of it and often teases me on how I don’t like to mess up my make-up and hair.
Florence: No way! One racer in the family is already one too many.
Have you tried other motor sports such as karting or tracking?
Lynn: I’ve tried both go-karting and tracking before, but I prefer the latter. I’m still quite an amateur so the tracking was done in a very controlled manner during an advanced driving course, but it did get my adrenalin pumping.
Petrina: Unfortunately no, but I’m keen to try it out sometime.
Florence: No.
Will you allow your kids to get involved in motor racing when they grow up?
Lynn: Our daughters are too young to race, but the older one has already gone on some drives with her daddy, and she seems to be thrilled by the speed (frowns).
Florence: Renee is 21 months now and we’re still unsure of her inclination. But I suspect she has her father’s genes. Whenever she hears our BMWX5 approaching the house, she’ll be the first to rush to the gate!
