SINGAPORE – Covering a Formula One Grand Prix race is a brand-new experience for me. The closest I ever got to writing about motor sports was profiling two karting wunderkinds Franco Reyes and Andres Calma but they were personality – not race – stories for The STAR.
So being here is historic, twice over. First, because this is my baptism to big-time motor-car racing. And second, because the island-nation with a population of only four million people is hosting the first-ever Formula One Grand Prix night race under unique conditions.
This is only my second trip to Singapore. The first was in 1982 so when I landed at Chiang Mai Airport last Friday morning, nothing was familiar. The progress has been phenomenal. Singapore has evolved into a leading Southeast Asian destination and in fact, will host the inaugural World Youth Olympics in 2010.
The three Filipino journalists invited to witness the 15th leg of the Grand Prix season came on different flights. Motoring editor Pinky Colmenares of the Manila Bulletin arrived late Thursday on a PAL flight. Lifestyle writer Bianca Consunji of the Inquirer landed Friday morning, also on PAL, while I flew in that same morning on Singapore Airlines. The three flights were full, as expected, with Formula One fans excitedly trooping here in droves to witness history unfold.
Within an hour of checking in at the Swissotel The Stamford, I joined Pinky and Bianca and a few other journalists from Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Malaysia and the local press to meet Brazilian driver Felipe Massa in a function room on the 69th floor – far from the madding crowd.
The hotel room assigned to me is on the 22nd floor overlooking the circuit track. Hotel management provided two sets of earplugs to lower the deafening noise of roaring engines during the practice sessions, qualifiers and the race itself.
Among the Shell officials facilitating our coverage are global premium fuels marketing manager Sydney Kimball, general manager of global sponsorships Juan Carlos Perez and global public relations manager Sarah Miles.
In town to watch the event are Bongbong Marcos, Inigo Zobel, Louie Ysmael, Anthony and Vincent Suntay and Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza of Venezuela. Playing host to the visiting Filipinos are investment bankers Dudo Vaca and Michael Guy Go and Jerry Barisano who is doing TV work for the Grand Prix.
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Massa came across as a confident and cool competitor with no frills during the 30-minute private meeting.
The Brazilian said his first car was a slow-moving, small Fiat when he was 18. Today, he has two Ferraris in his garage – a 599 and a new Scuderia. Massa said he is convinced that 99.9 percent of people dream of owning a Ferrari.
Massa singled out Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna as his racing idols. He described them as “the most incredible drivers in Formula One history.” Schumacher’s retirement two years ago, Massa noted, keyed a revolution in the Grand Prix, bringing young and talented racers out in the open.
“In the past, we knew the winner of the Drivers’ World Championship by the middle of the season because the lead was too big,” he said. “Now, the competition is at a high level and the race to the top is very tight.”
Massa jokingly said the reason why some Brazilians become top-caliber Formula One drivers is “our strong water.” Other Brazilian racing stars, now retired, are Emerson Fittipaldi, Nelson Piquet and Senna.
“In Brazil, we have a passion for car racing and football which is translated into bringing good results,” he said. “It inspires the kids to love the sport because they look up to their heroes.”
Massa said in developing new technology in car racing, the computer is relied on mainly to provide data for fuel economy.
“The objective is to improve the engine,” he said. “But it’s useless to improve the power if the car is undrivable. The power may be good at the bottom, not the top so the driver’s point of view is crucial. He must point out that a balance or combination is necessary for drivability which you can’t determine with a computer.”
Massa brushed aside rumors that he’s at odds with Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen, driving No. 1 for the team and the defending world champion.
“Kimi doesn’t talk too much,” he said. “As a professional, he knows what to do so he doesn’t need to talk. We work well together and get along. We’ve got to keep our team going up.”
Massa’s relationship with Schumacher, however, is more personal than with Raikkonen.
“Sometimes, Michael and I speak on the phone about topics other than racing,” he said. “We have a great and friendly relationship. We share opinions on many subjects.”
Massa is under contract to drive for Ferrari until 2010. He joined the Ferrari club as a test driver in 2002 and teamed with Schumacher two years ago.
Postscript. The day before leaving for Singapore, I was at the University of St. La Salle (USLS) in Bacolod to deliver a talk before over a hundred students from 19 schools all over the country. It was a commitment I had made two months previously so I couldn’t watch the Ateneo-La Salle Game 2 of the UAAP finals on live TV last Thursday. I was told La Salle legend Lim Eng Beng sat beside Rep. Monico Puentevella in the championship clincher. During my visit to Bacolod, I paid a courtesy call on USLS president Br. Ray Suplido, a friend from our college days on Taft Avenue.