Alister Yoong has built a reputation as one of the most promising young talents in racing, having competed in prestigious circuits across Europe and India and collecting several victories along the way.
Now 21, Yoong has set his sights on becoming a world champion before he turns 30.
Yet, his path to racing was not a foregone conclusion, and despite being surrounded by family members who were into motorsports, Yoong only began karting when he was 13. Most racers have their first drive when they are eight.
Yoong is the son of Malaysia’s only Formula One driver, Alex, and grandson of the legendary Hanifah Yoong, a doyen of motorsports who managed the old Shah Alam Circuit from 1988 to 1997 while also competing in races.
Yoong’s grandmother, Johanna Bean, took up rallying in 1983, while his aunt, Philippa, Alex’s younger sister, was also involved in motorsports before venturing into waterskiing.
Yet, unlike many of his racing rivals, Yoong is a late starter, having only seriously given thought to being a racer eight years ago.
“I wasn’t into racing when I was younger. To be honest, the loud noises scared me,” said Yoong while holding back a laugh.
“While many know my dad (Alex) as Malaysia’s only F1 driver, he accomplished that feat before I was born! I do remember some of his races in the A1 Grand Prix.
“But it was him emerging as champion in the Audi R8 LMS Cup for three consecutive years (2014-2016) that piqued my interest and convinced me to give racing a go.”
Backed by his father, Yoong slowly drove his way up the ladder of racing and now has set his sights on conquering endurance racing.
“I have done lots of races in Europe and India and am looking to head back to Europe next year,” said Yoong.
“The German or European GT4 is pretty appealing, especially since you can find a bit more sponsorship driving for a car brand like Mercedes or BMW. We all know racing isn’t cheap, and it is difficult to get sponsors in Malaysia.
“I also hope to compete in the European Le Mans Series but have not ruled out racing in the United States or Japan.”
He said the next five years are going to be crucial.
“I’ve set the goal to compete in world championship races, whether it’s the World Endurance Championship, Super Formula, IndyCar, or Formula E,” he said.
“So, I think competing in one of those would be ideal because I’ll be 26 by then, and my goal is to become a world champion before I turn 30 (on Jan 10, 2033).
“Those five years will give me a buffer to build up towards winning that World Championship.”
Much of his development as a driver has been influenced by the virtual world of sim racing.
This type of racing uses virtual simulators to replicate real-world racing conditions, and Yoong has made a name for himself in esports competitions, leveraging the platform to hone his skills.
“Before karting, I would say get a sim,” is his advice to younger drivers.
“It’s fantastic for building a foundation. Although you don’t get the ‘feel of the car’, you learn so much from visual and audio cues. It’s a great way to practice when you’re not on the track.
“I would say sim racing has given me an edge as I managed to clock many ‘laps’ on some of the world’s most famous tracks,” said the fitness fanatic.
“Without sim, I wouldn’t have had many opportunities to test the track except for the race weekends. So, that’s like six to eight times a year, and maybe 20 track days – I can get the same experience on the sim in one day!”
In addition to his driving career, Yoong has also been involved in coaching through his father’s esports company, Axle Sports, where he served as a driver and an instructor, guiding the next generation of virtual racers.
“Sim racing is a more affordable way for young drivers to enter motorsports. It’s a growing part of the sport, and I’m passionate about mentoring others,” said Yoong, who worked as a tyre mechanic and engineer during the Covid-19 years of 2020-2021.
“You could say I’ve done the A-Z in racing but have not mastered all the parts yet. Those two years that I worked ‘behind the scenes’ have given me a better appreciation of my car and how to handle the drives.”
He added he loves coaching and that it is something he sees himself doing full-time after his racing days.
Is there anything else on his bucket list?
“It will be cool if one day my dad and I can compete together in an endurance race. We have been on the same track but in different teams and categories.
“The dream is for us to be on the same team,” said Yoong, who admitted his father has been a big influence.
“He has given me so much great advice over the years, but one of the best pieces of wisdom he’s shared is, ‘Don’t suffer fools.’ It’s all about working with the right people, people who know what they’re talking about and can help you grow.”
