Alexander Charles Loong Yoong (aka. Alex Yoong) the first Malaysian Formula 1 driver, born July 20, 1976, is a Malaysian race car driver. He was born in Kuala Lumpur and is of European and Asian parentage. His mother, Joanna Bean, is from England. His father, a Malaysian with Chinese ethnic roots, is Hanifah Yoong Yin Fah (???), a former racer and manager of the Shah Alam circuit between 1988 and 1998. Yoong married Arriana Teoh in 2002 and has a son, Alister, born in 2003.

    His early racing career started in saloon cars in 1992 when he was 16. He then went on to win the first ever single seater race held in China - the Formula Asia International race - in the streets of Zhuhai in 1994. He won the 1995 Malaysian Formula Asia championship and was the runner up in the same year's Formula Asia International championship with multiple wins and podium positions. The European campaign started with the British Formula Renault in 1996 and 1997, then two partially completed British Formula 3 seasons in 1998 and 1999 due to the Asian financial crisis. He had a podium second in Brands Hatch's F3 race in 1998 and was often in the top 5.

    His career took a step up with Formula 3000 halfway through 1999 and he achieved a credible second in the rain soaked Donington Park circuit in the same year. A much publicised massive accident in the Formula 1 weekend's F3000 race at Spa's Eau Rouge saw him sidelined for 2 weeks before taking to the tracks again in Italy. He then drove a season and a half in the Formula Nippon championship in 2000 and 2001 before he was offered the Formula 1 drive with Minardi.

    Backed by the Malaysian lottery company Magnum he was given the chance to drive three Formula One races in 2001 for the Minardi team, debuting at the Italian GP. The deal was extended for the whole 2002 season, however after a good result of seventh in the Australian Grand Prix he struggled to be competitive. After failing to qualify for some races, he was replaced by Anthony Davidson for two mid-season races. Although his form did improve afterwards, his Formula One career ended at the close of season. He competed in 18 Grands Prix with a best result of 7th in the 2002 Australian Grand Prix.

    After his Formula 1 career, Yoong initially struggled to remain visible in international motorsports. A promising start in the American Champ Car series in 2003 (9th in Mexico), his season was cut short due to the team's lack of funds, and Yoong failed to impress in his few drives in the Australian V8 Supercar series in 2004. He has remained an enthusiastic promoter of motorsports in his home country however, and has been seen doing media and Formula 1 commentating work for Malaysian television and ESPN-Star. He also co-presented Formula One live coverage at 8TV.

    Since his arrival in A1 Grand Prix Yoong has won three races: two sprint races and one feature race.He now drives for A1 Team Malaysia in the new A1GP series. He finished his 2005-06 A1GP season with one race win at Shanghai International Circuit, China, and two second places at Sentul Circuit, Indonesia and Shanghai. With Yoong and Fairuz Fauzy, A1 Team Malaysia finished in fifth place overall.

    During the 2006-07 A1 Grand Prix season, Yoong has remained with A1 Team Malaysia, winning both races of the second round of the championship at Brno. He scored another win on the Mexico Sprint race.

    After the 2005-06 A1GP, Yoong raced in the 2006 Le Mans Series as well as the 2006 Le Mans 24 Hrs for Jan Lammers, the A1 Team Netherlands seat holder with team Racing For Holland. Yoong was very competitive, holding third position in Lammers' Dome-Judd when the throttle stuck, sending the car into the wall at the first chicane on the Mulsanne straight and breaking both steering arms.

    After the 2006-07 A1GP, Yoong will once again return to the Le Mans Series with Charouz Racing Systems. He will team up with Jan Charouz of the Czech Republic and Stefan Mucke of Germany. The team will enter the most famous of endurance races, the 24 Heures Du Mans and the complete Le Mans Series. In addition, two American races, the Petit Le Mans and Laguna Seca, have been added to this busy schedule.

(c) Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 2007