By Cheryl Tay
I was watching my little cousin play his latest Formula 1 2010 video game the other day and it amazed me how he could go on at it for hours.
He could concentrate on his racing simulation game for the entire afternoon (and sometimes for the evening too), yet he has no real interest in the actual sport itself. When I asked him why, he simply said, “Because I’m not the one racing.”
Another eight-year-old that I got to know recently sings quite a different tune to the same song. Currently based in France, Singaporean Alvis Ang was hooked onto racing at an age of barely four years old after being introduced to his first racing simulation game.
The influence of video games extends far beyond what anyone can imagine. It all started when Uncle Peter and Auntie Angie took him to Toys ‘R’ Us and bought him the HotWheels Stunt Track Challenge video game.
“After playing my racing games on the computer and on my Playstation 3 for three years, I was curious to know how it would feel like to drive for real. Finally when I was six and a half years old, my parents brought me to a karting track in Biganos where I tried a rental kart,” said Alvis who moved over to France with his parents four years ago.
Embracing his first karting experience, Alvis continued to visit the karting track on weekends. His interest grew so strongly that his parents decided to buy him a Subaru mini kart last April.
Six weeks after he received his first kart, Alvis participated in his first race at Magescq, South-West of France. The track was new to him but the unfamiliarity proved to be no barrier when Alvis finished on the podium in third place.
“I was very happy to get a trophy at my first race,” Alvis beamed. “I even clocked the fastest timing!”
His enthusiasm for karting is not unfounded, as Alvis has to “earn points” by completing certain tasks around the house before he is allowed to go karting.
The display of discipline and obedience for his passion at such a young age shows how karting is more than just a hobby.
“It’s a four-day school week here in France where the academic structure is less stressful compared to Singapore. Alvis’ passion for racing serves as a motivation for him to do well in school so he can spend more time karting or doing other activities like swimming, skateboarding, inline skating or reading,” said Esther Tan, Alvis’ mother.
Over the last 18 months, Alvis has proven to be competitive in his class. In his first year of racing, he completed every race on the podium and never finished lower than fourth place.
He came in overall runner-up for the Trophee Kart Ufolep Sud-Ouest and Subaru Cup Mini Kid championships in 2009, but returned this year to win both titles.
In addition to both titles, he also won five out of 10 races across the Southwest of France and was overall second for the Trophee Ufolep Vincent Lener championship.
“Both of us are not avid motorsports enthusiasts and Alvis’ progress in kart racing has exceeded our basic knowledge of the sport. As long as he wants it, we will support him as far as we can. That was what we told ourselves from the moment we acknowledged and endorsed his passion,” said Tan who follows Alvis to all of his races.
As his parents have limited knowledge of karting, Alvis has to depend on himself to learn driving techniques – of which he largely picks up from the racing simulation games that he practises on so often.
“At the moment we are fully funding his racing foray. We don’t know how far he can go, but we are willing to try. The next step forward would probably be to move on to the national level of karting in Europe,” said Kesmond Ang, Alvis’ father, who works for ST Aerospace Engineering in France.
Like every other sport, karting has its risks. As parents, it is only natural to be worried when their child is driving at high speeds at such a young age.
“No doubt racing is dangerous, but we ensure that we take all the necessary safety precautions and we trust in his ability to handle situations during the race. In addition, kart racing has built up Alvis’ self-confidence and physical toughness, greatly enhanced his thought process and decision making skills as well as developed quick mental and muscle reflexes,” Ang added.
A huge fan of Ferrari drivers Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso, Alvis never leaves home without his collection of F1 caps, including the one personally autographed by Massa.
“I met Massa during the 2010 pre-season testing in Barcelona, where I got him to sign autographs for me three times. I love racing and I wish I can go karting everyday!” beamed a happy Alvis, revealing his missing front teeth in his smile.