Jump to content

Fathers' spending money on son's motorsports career


Ithunk
 Share

Recommended Posts

The man Suriya will have to overtake

 

By Cheryl Tay

 

FOR Singapore's Suriya Bala Kerisnan, the man he'll want to beat is Rio Haryanto.

 

Who is Rio?

 

An almost full-page advertisement in the Straits Times last Friday called him Indonesia's F1 world champion, but added in smaller print,coming soon.

 

Meet Formula BMW Pacific's current championship leader from Indonesia, a 15-year-old business student based in Singapore who dreams of reaching Formula One one day.

 

Before this weekend's race, Rio was fully funded by Kiky Stationery, a business in Indonesia, owned by his 50-year-old father Sinyo.

 

Born in Solo, Central Java, Indonesia, Rio is currently residing near the Katong area and studying business at FTMS Global Singapore.

 

After consecutively winning the last five rounds of the Formula BMW Pacific series, Rio managed to clinch a sponsorship deal with Indonesian cellular telecommunication company Telkomsel (35 per cent owned by SingTel) last month.

 

Contract

 

The deal is worth 50,000 euros ($104,000) and is valid for a contract of three years.

 

"We approached Telkomsel since the start of this year and have been pursuing them since. They finally agreed to fund Rio with a deal worth 50,000 euros and that covers about a third of this season's expenses," said Sinyo, who makes it a point to follow his son to every race.

 

Sinyo has spent more than a million euros on Rio's racing career since Rio started karting at the age of six.

 

Rio - the youngest of four sons - participated in his first competitive kart race at the age of nine.

 

He went on to conquer the Asian Karting Open Championship,winning the Junior category three years in a row from 2005 to 2007. In 2006, he also won the Rotax Max Asian Championship.

 

Last year, Rio raced in the Asian Formula Renault championship, Formula Asia 2.0 and Formula BMW Pacific.

 

Switching from Asia Racing Team (which is the team now hoping to groom Singapore's Suriya for next year) to Questnet Team Qi-Meritus this year, Rio is competing in his first full season of Formula BMW Pacific.

 

The weekend started well for Rio as he took second place at the first race at the MarinaBay circuit.

 

But he failed to repeat his performance in the second race yesterday and finished fifth.

 

"After investing so much money, of course I would want my son to win. The next step forward for him would be to go for GP3," said Sinyo.

 

The GP3 Series is a single-seater motor racing series that will start next year as a feeder series for the GP2 Series, F1's strongest feeder series.

 

Rio told The New Paper: "Like most, my dream is to become an F1 driver.

 

"I know few Asians have succeeded in F1, but I will definitely do my best to achieve the highest possible level in motorsport."

 

Paid to drive

 

SURIYA Bala Kerisnan - without any major team or individual sponsorship like Rio Haryanto - has an uphill task to reach the standards shown by Brazilian Felipe Nasr.

 

With limited sponsors, Nasr, 17 - a guest driver during this weekend's Formula BMW Pacific race and winner in the two races on Saturday and yesterday - did not have enough funds when he joined Euro International.

 

But Nasr impressed his team boss Antonio Ferrari enough so the latter agreed to fund the remaining three-quarters of the budget.

 

He visited Singapore, fresh from winning the championship title at the recently-concluded Formula BMW Europe (a step higher than Formula BMW Pacific).

 

Prior to Nasr's first full season in Formula BMW Europe this year, he had only been a guest driver in the two Formula BMW Americas support races to the Brazilian Grand Prix last year.

 

Experience

 

Other than that, his racing experience was limited to karting only.

 

Ferrari, who has been at the helm of the team for two decades, told The New Paper: "Nasr surprised everybody at the testing. In the same car, he set a time four tenths quicker than the lap record we set in the Formula BMW world final. He's amazing, I'm so glad I found him."

 

 

↡ Advertisement
Link to post
Share on other sites

nothing wrong with that. father's money will eventually leave it to his children anyway. my friend bought her son and two daugthers a bmw each and gave them $100k on their wedding. she told me, sooner or later her money will become theirs, might as well spend it on them now then when she cannot.

Link to post
Share on other sites

spending loads of money on a sport is okay....but the driver must really have the talent.....i read that Fernando Alonso and Micheal Schumacher also started out as pay drivers.....and of course must have good connections also

Link to post
Share on other sites

he's spending money to further his son's career. and in a specialised sport like motor racing, big money is needed to get a head start. most importantly, the son gives all he can to be successful, not necessarily in F1 but at least in other series. i think most ppl think motor racing is only F1. But there's a lot of racing series where racers can experience success. it's at least better than spending money on expensive gifts that does nothing for them.

Link to post
Share on other sites

(edited)

like spend money on hafiz koh in A1 he crashes out at the first turn.....waste of cash

 

for suriya i think he did better....he did not crash out during his first practice....

 

but the crashed out during his 2nd race i think...BUT he has been offered a full seasons` drive in formula bmw...AND his family has to PAY 180,000 euros (S$374,000)

 

i could get a ferrari with that and a little more cash.....

 

it depends on how far u wanna take it.....but i think this guy has really good potential....

 

below is the report here

 

SURIYA Bala Kerisnan has been offered a full-season drive in the Formula BMW Pacific series for next year by Asia Racing Team.

 

The offer came after the 16-year-old student from St. Francis Methodist School impressed Asia Racing Team manager Phillippe Descombes - even though he didn't complete the entire race.

 

Suriya was hit in the rear by an opponent and the damage to a rear suspension arm made him lose control of the car on the first lap.

 

But he did enough for Descombes to offer him a drive.

 

"It was very exciting to see what Suriya did at the start of the race," said Descombes.

 

"I didn't even expect such a performance from him, given his debut here, his lack of experience compared to the others.

 

"We held back in the first race on Saturday (when he finished 15th out of 19 cars)and we told him to be more aggressive today and express himself, but he surprised us all with his moves."

 

Till that accident in the 10-lap race yesterday, Suriya had overtaken three rivals from the start.

 

The first was a spectacular overtaking move down the start-finish straight - Kimi Raikkonen or Lewis Hamilton-style - going onto the green strip close to the wall of the Pit Grandstand side to move past Fahad Algosaibi in his E-Rain Racing car.

 

Suriya took another rival under braking with a clean overtaking move going into Turn 5, and made up one more place soon after to be as high as 14th (out of 19 cars), before he wash it and spun off.

 

Descombes said: "Someone like him needs testing time, and physical development, because he's lagging far behind the rest.

 

"But he has that racing instinct, and that's why I offered him this one-off drive for this weekend in Singapore.

 

"What I've seen over the past three days has convinced me."

 

Crash

 

Suriya's crash took place where Nelson Piquet Jr made his deliberate crash for Renault in last year's Singapore Grand Prix.

 

Suriya escaped unhurt though, after his car spun exiting the corner and hit the wall opposite, like Piquet Jr did last year.

 

Suriya said: "A Team Holzer car behind me was very aggressive and it hit me from behind at the previous corner (Turn 16).

 

"Something broke at the back, and the car just got away from me as I crashed at Turn 17.

 

"I was so disappointed because I was fired up to have a good race after a great start."

 

Descombes said: "A rear suspension arm broke at the back after he was hit, and that caused him to lose control."

 

But Suriya now has a chance to take part in more races - a full season of 15 in five locations in Asia from April to November next year.

 

He'll need cash to realise his F1 dream

 

IF SURIYA Bala Kerisnan accepts the offer of a full-season drive, it will cost Suriya's family more money.

 

For a full season of racing in this series (which includes the car, team support, insurance for crashes and development regime), his family has to cough up at least 180,000 euros (S$374,000).

 

Descombes said: "A cheaper programme is available, but it depends on whether he wants the best and full package."

 

The 35-year-old Frenchman - who has 16 years of experience in motorsport - should know. He helped developed last year's Formula BMW Pacific champion Ross Jamison over two winter-period testing programmes in late 2006 and 2007.

 

He also helped refine 2007 Formula BMW Asia champion Jazeman Jaafar during the 2006 Formula Renault series.

 

Formula BMW Pacific has a higher standard of racing than its Asia series, and Suriya now needs the funds to realise the first step towards a Formula One dream.

A go-kart racer till recently, Suriya was invited to race in Formula Renault - another single-seater series - in China last month, where he finished 10th in his first race, and 10th again in the second race (after starting from 14th). That's how Descombes spotted him.

 

His father - construction businessman TM Bala Kerisnan Thevar - has already forked out 40,000 euros for this weekend's race alone. This is because of the higher fees incurred at an F1 support event.

 

That's life in the lower leagues of motorsport, where you pay to drive until you're good enough to be paid to drive (like Brazilian Felipe Nasr, a guest driver during this weekend's Formula BMW Pacific race and winner in the two races on Saturday and yesterday).

 

That's why more support and sponsorship are needed. On his car over the weekend, Suriya had only one local sponsor - www.abiraamejewellers.com - on the side of his car.

 

Suriya said: "My eyes have been opened to another world this weekend, after being the first Singaporean in a single-seater category here. I'm glad I created history and I hope there will be more support after this weekend."

Edited by Ithunk
Link to post
Share on other sites

you interested in motorsports career issit? One moment this, then next ask how to know if your good

 

lol.....over the age limit liao.....ppl start from 4, 5 or 6 years old.....

 

but we can go for a friendly kart session....

Link to post
Share on other sites

(edited)

he's spending money to further his son's career. and in a specialised sport like motor racing, big money is needed to get a head start. most importantly, the son gives all he can to be successful, not necessarily in F1 but at least in other series. i think most ppl think motor racing is only F1. But there's a lot of racing series where racers can experience success. it's at least better than spending money on expensive gifts that does nothing for them.

 

of course.....look at alex yoong.....he has driven in F1....but look at his results...im not dissing him....but its really the results and placings that matters....

 

karun chandook is quite a good driver also....its unlucky he has not got a seat in F1....

Edited by Ithunk
Link to post
Share on other sites

actually in singapore.....alot of ppl think they are good drivers....wait until they get into a racing car....lol

Link to post
Share on other sites

(edited)

im not sure whether the dad will spend money on his son for a full season in formula bmw....although he did give a good account of himself....

 

unless someone sponsors him......like santander bank sponsoring fernando alonso

 

actually all these F1 drivers get sponsorship from various companies also....F1 is not only about racing results alone....but also a marketing and advertising game.....

 

but the single most important factor is racing results....and nothing else

 

i think what suriya should do now is keep a low profile and focus on his racing results.....and not become another hafiz koh

Edited by Ithunk
Link to post
Share on other sites

ya....this suriya keleng kia is good.....he is only 16 and has lots of potential......but i am not sure how NS will affect his plans though......if he loses his race sharpness in NS then gg liao....

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

ya....this suriya keleng kia is good.....he is only 16 and has lots of potential......but i am not sure how NS will affect his plans though......if he loses his race sharpness in NS then gg liao....

 

NS really ruins every hope in a kid's life man.. all of a sudden you just cant do the things that you want. like for him it will be racing. poor guy.. feel for him once he goes in.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Neutral Newbie

NS really ruins every hope in a kid's life man.. all of a sudden you just cant do the things that you want. like for him it will be racing. poor guy.. feel for him once he goes in.

 

 

so to scout unit. [thumbsup]

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...