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WAGs with drive

metalslug

Alfrescian
Loyal
http://motoring.asiaone.com/Motoring/Motorworld/Story/A1Story20090514-141511.html

Fri, May 15, 2009
The New Paper

20090514.184406_lynn_ann_teo.jpg


WAGs with drive

By Cheryl Tay, freelance writer

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."



This article was first published in The New Paper.
 

metalslug

Alfrescian
Loyal
http://motoring.asiaone.com/Motoring/Motorworld/Story/A1Story20090515-141654.html

Fri, May 15, 2009
The New Paper

20090515.122443_petrina_lee.jpg


Petrina's seven out of seven

(for Hafiz Koh's girlfriend Petrina Lee, his passion for the sport has rubbed off on her.)

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 forAlonso 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

ANDTHEWINNER IS...

PETRINA: 7/7
LYNN: 4.5/7
FLORENCE: 3/7
 

metalslug

Alfrescian
Loyal
http://www.asiaone.com/static/motoring/gallery/090515_sgwags/

Photos: WAGs with drive

May 2009
By Cheryl Tay

Unlike foreign WAGs, the wives and girlfriends (WAGs) 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 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.

Read more after the photos

pic1.jpg


Hafiz Koh, Singapore's professional race-car driver. -TNP

pic2.jpg


Local Formula One (F1) driver Ringo Chong and wife Florence Ho in an old photo dated year 1998. -Ringo Chong

pic3.jpg


Lynn Ang-Teo, wife of local Formula One (F1) race driver Greg Teo, is also the marketing director for Citispa. -Lynn Ang-Teo

pic4.jpg


Local Formula One (F1) driver Ringo Chong and wife Florence Ho with their two-year-old daughter Renee. 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 in 2008. -Ringo Chong

pic5.jpg


Hafiz Koh, one of the two Team Singapore drivers, tries out the new A1 Team Singapore race car as Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth & Sports looks on. The car was unveiled at Shangri-La Singapore on September 19, 2006. -Berita Harian, Zainal Yahya

pic6.jpg


The WAGs of motor car enthusiasts were out in force at the MPT Super Time Attack in April, 2007. While their male companions slugged it out on the Sepang International Circuit under the hot sun, their Wags soaked in the atmosphere and took on the role of cheerleaders. To most of the participants, the MPT Super Time Attack was a family affair. Some brought their wives and girlfriends while others had their female friends cheering for them. -TNP, Kua Chee Siong

pic7.jpg


WAGs providing a welcome distraction. The WAGs of motor car enthusiasts were out in force at the MPT Super Time Attack in April, 2007. -TNP, Kua Chee Siong

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Brother and sister team of Juliana and Hafiz Koh, owners of Singapore's motor racing team TaraDTM. -TaraDTM

pic9.jpg


Ms Lynn Ang-Teo, wife of local Formula One (F1) race driver Greg Teo, was the first runner-up of the Fashionistic Mum 2008 contest at Plaza Singapura, held to celebrate Mothers' Day. -TNP, Gavin Foo

pic10.jpg



Singapore’s first full-time local professional race driver Hafiz Koh and his girlfriend Petrina Lee. -Petrina Lee


pic11.jpg


The WAGs of motor car enthusiasts were out in force at the MPT Super Time Attack, April 2007. While their male companions slugged it out on the Sepang International Circuit under the hot sun, their Wags soaked in the atmosphere and took on the role of cheerleaders. To most of the participants, the MPT Super Time Attack was a family affair. Some brought their wives and girlfriends while others had their female friends cheering for them. -TNP, Kua Chee Siong

Photos: Kua Chee Siong, Ringo Chong, Gavin Foo, Petrina Lee, TaraDTM, Zainal Yahya
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