SHARING THE JOURNEY
In conjunction with Father’s Day, Prestige talks to two outstanding fathers whose sons are following in their footsteps
When Alex Yoong was a boy of three years of age, he knew that his heart belonged to the racetrack. “That’s all I ever wanted to do,” the three-time Audi R8 LMS Cup champion winner shares. Little did he expect he would one day have a son eager to follow in his footsteps. Yet, 18-year-old Alister Yoong is a thoughtful young man who looks up to his father as a professional mentor, best friend, and confidante.
Initially, Alister’s interest in pursuing a career in motorsport set Alex on edge. “I wanted him to find his own path,” Alex reveals, having no desire for his son’s career path to be an extension of his own. But the feelings of conflict subsided quickly. “When he started driving, I enjoyed it. It meant I had to stay in the sport. When you have been in a sport your whole life, it can get tedious and boring – but not when your son is doing it,” the former Formula One driver explains.
The father and son team also work together in the family business. Axle Sports is a progressive e-sports company nurturing young talents in a steadily growing virtual motorsports industry. “Online racing is the future,” Alex asserts, having founded the company in 2008. Especially during the pandemic when global motor racing has ground to a halt, the digital business has been busier than ever, continuing to provide training and hosting simulated racing competitions.
Although the racing side of the e-sports scene is very niche, Alex has high hopes for the sunrise industry. “Because simulated racing is cheaper, it is much more accessible to everyone,” the founder of Axle Sports explains. “What’s interesting with the sim world is there are all these people who have never seen a real racetrack or been in a real race car, but their passion is off the charts. In some cases, it is far bigger than with regular motorsports guys. It’s nice to be a part of that.”
Alister shares his father’s enthusiasm. “Ever since Axle went up, it’s been non-stop,” the youth enthuses. He also admits that although he shares other sporting interests with his father, like football and basketball, their passion always leads them back to the tracks. “When I think about the advice my father has given me, what always comes to mind first is tricks on the track or knowledge of that nature,” the teenager admits, often meditating on improving as a driver.
As a mentor, Alex is generous in offering advice, guidance, and instruction to help cultivate his son’s abilities. But as a parent, he adopts a different stance. “My style of parenting has been very much to try and show rather than instruct,” Alex explains. The professional driver does not believe in consciously imposing his own values and beliefs on his son, tentatively limiting life advice in place of driving tips.
“The reason why I’m happy to give my son tips in motor racing is that it’s just a sport, a game at the end of the day. So, if we ever fell out over it, it would trouble me, but it is not important,” Alex elaborates. “I tend to not talk to him about more profound life subjects because that is important. He needs to figure that out for himself,” the considerate father
“I tend to not talk to him about more profound life subjects because that is important. He needs to figure that out for himself”
ALEX YOONG
explains. “In life, you can wind up in difficult situations very quickly. I would like to have a certain parental currency with him so that one day if I tell him he needs to listen to me, I know that he will take the advice to heart.”
Alister appreciates the room his father has given him to grow, believing it has shaped him into a mature, independent, and critical thinker. “I think we have a very healthy relationship. It is a mutual dynamic, and we can communicate on the same level. Other parents may sometimes elevate themselves over their kids, but not him.”
“He has always supported me,” Alister says, acknowledging that driving is an expensive sport that requires commitment. “He shows me a level of respect where if I demonstrate an interest and show I’m going to stick with it, he jumps in 100%.”
As any parent and child, Alister describes their relationship as ever-changing, defined by ups and downs. Regardless, his admiration and love for his father runs deep. “He has given me the freedom to pursue my ambitions, make my own decisions, and to become my own person, rather than what he wants. He only wants me to be me,” the youth describes.
Alex’s hopes as a parent are simple, and a sentiment undoubtedly shared by many fathers. “I want my son to know that our relationship is important to me. All I want for him is to know that he will grow into a man that can handle himself because life is full of twists and turns.”