Alex Yoong Hails A1GP in Pitpass.com Interview

Alex Yoong reflects...(click image to enlarge)

and comments on Fairuz Fauzy, the Malaysian team and Formula 1

In addition to being a director of the Malaysian A1 seat holding company, Alex Yoong shares driver duties with GP2 racer Fairuz Fauzy. Following his remarkable fifth place finish effort from 13th on the grid in the inaugural Feature race at Brands Hatch at the weekend, Team Malaysia’s Alex Yoong spent Monday in London before heading back to Kuala Lumpur. The 29-year-old took time out of his busy schedule to talk to Pitpass editor, Chris Balfe.

In the very lucid interview Alex and Chris spoke about A1GP and the Malaysian team and where changes may be looked into. As for selling A1 to the sceptics, Alex says "Don't bother." and on Fairuz he felt he has "Done a very good job."

Alex began by reflecting on his team’s weekend. “I think it went pretty well,2 said the former Minardi F1 driver. “Our strategy was always to come in for an early pit stop, and I think that went in our favour. We’re really pleased, we’d targeted a top five finish for the weekend, and we achieved it."

It had been reported elsewhere, that Alex – who is also seat-holder director for A1 Team Malaysia – regretted the decision to split the driving responsibilities on Sunday, putting teammate Fairuz Fauzy in the car for the Sprint race and then taking over for the Feature race, this is not true says Alex: “No, that was reported wrongly,” he replies. “What I’d told the reporter is that (obviously) there is a conflict, because, as a driver, you want to drive both races, but to put Fairuz in the car was the right decision. “We’d started the weekend with Fairuz and myself sharing the driving, and it was only fair that he drive the race on Sunday. He’d tested for us really well, and done a good job in practice, and he did a really good job for us in the first race.”

...for the complete 7-page very lucid interview, go to Pitpass Alex Yoong Interview.