You’re racing under the Singapore flag, wearing the red. What does representing Singapore mean to you personally?
Singapore is so small, and our motorsport scene is even smaller! So when I race with our colours, I do feel that extra sense of pride coz I'm carrying a little piece of home with me. And yeah i'd like to think that when i'm racing, i'm making our little red dot a little more visible in the world of motorsports.
Before you became the driver you are today, who were you? And what parts of that person do you still carry onto the track?
I was just a girl who really really liked driving hahaha, still am! I didn’t start karting from young or had some big plan to become a race car driver. But the moment I had my drivers licence I drove whatever I could whenever I could.
So I think I still carry that same hunger with me. Even now, I still get excited whenever I get the chance to drive something new or different. Driving is fun!
Motorsport is such a high-pressure environment. How have you learned to stay calm when everything around you is moving incredibly fast?
Yknow the faster everything gets, the quieter my head becomes. You're making decisions when things around you is happening so fast.
When i'm racing, while you try your best to stay calm, it doesn’t mean there’s no pressure. It helps to focus where to put your attention when the pressure comes.
People often only see the times you spend on the track. What do they not see about what it takes to perform at that level?
People don't realise racing is the luxury. The main work happens when you're not actually racing.
Motorsport is expensive. Before I can even think about performing, I have to figure out how to fund the next race, work with sponsors, create content, fulfil my partnerships, plan the travel... I gotta make the numbers work for me. And of course I am still very lucky to be able to do all of that and call this my job today.
And then once you get to the race track, there’s the training, preparation, data, practice and everything with the team. A lot of things will be happening all at once.
So that's why we say that driving is the reward after all the work.
Do you think the biggest battles in racing happen on the track or within yourself?
Oh yeah, yourself, for sure.
You’re thinking about if you can brake later, carry more speed, make a better decision. But sometimes the hardest thing is trusting yourself (and the car) enough to actually do take risks.
There will always be someone better. So it can make you feel like you’re not good enough, either that, or you can let that experience show you how much further you can still go.
For me, the person I’m always trying to beat is the driver I was yesterday.
If you could give your younger self one principle to live by, what would it be?
Probably would be: You don’t need to know how yet. You just need to be willing to figure it out.
A lot of the things I’m doing now, I actually had absolutely zero idea how to do when I started. Racing, pitching, finding sponsors, creating content, starting businesses. I think younger me spent a lot of time wondering whether I was ready or good enough. I had a lot of imposter syndrome moments.
But as I get older, I realise you only can be ready by getting your butt out and actually doing it.
I would also probably tell young me to stop waiting, stop wondering, stop comparing, and just go do it. Doing it is how you become!