Meet the 7-year-old making his racing debut in Thailand. Better yet, join him

[SINGAPORE] If you have ever watched a Formula 1 race from the comfort of your armchair and thought, “I can do better than that,” now there’s a chance to prove it. And while you’re at it, you will also be able to prove whether you are as good as a seven-year-old.

Kart racer Shane New won’t be old enough for a Singapore driving licence until 2037 at least, but in November he will drive his first race in a full-size car in Thailand, as a participant on The Racer Tour.

It’s a racing weekend for amateurs of any experience level, with the car, track and coaching supplied. The first edition runs from Nov 6 to 8 at the Thailand Circuit Motorsport Complex in Bangkok.

Shane, who already has a year of competition at the former KF1 circuit in Kranji under his belt, is obviously made of the right stuff for racing.

He once had his kart flipped by another driver, and says it didn’t scare him. The car he will race in Thailand is being modified so he can reach the pedals, but he has yet to sit in it, let alone try it.

“I’m not going to be nervous,” he told The Business Times.

On the other hand, his father, Flex, admits to feeling a bit of anxiety but says he is “immensely proud” of the young racer. The only pushback about putting Shane in a racing car came from Flex’s mother.

Shane was talent-spotted by a namesake, Shane Ang, a racing driver who started The Racer Tour with fellow hotshoes Gladys Lam and Aiden Chong. All three compete internationally and are forever being asked how to get started.

“Lots of people ask us, ‘I want to race, too!’ or ‘How do I race like you?’” Chong said. “We wanted to create an opportunity to allow people to experience this sport we love so much.

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“We understand that racing is expensive, so we wanted to create a cost-effective yet quality experience for people to feel what it’s like to be a racing driver for a weekend.”

And so the S$3,000 arrive-and-drive racing package in Thailand was born. “Think of it as a tour group, but instead of going sightseeing, you’re going racing,” said Chong, who is also a writer for car portal Motorist.

The action happens at the motorsport complex that’s about an hour west of Bangkok, which the organisers book out entirely for 12 drivers sharing six cars. These are Toyota Vios saloons, which sounds like a letdown until you learn they’ve been stripped, caged and given racing suspension.

With about 130 horsepower they won’t trouble a Ferrari too much, but such cars form an important rung on a racer’s career ladder because it takes smoothness and skill to coax fast laps from them. There are automatic versions too, so not knowing how to use a clutch is no excuse.

The package pays for five hours or so of track time over two days, enough to sate the appetite of anyone who wants a go at real racing.

The weekend even culminates in a Sprint Challenge – a short race complete with podium ceremony – to give a taste of wheel-to-wheel competition that ordinary track days don’t.

The fee also covers fuel, tyres, mechanics, coaching and on-board video, though not flights or hotels. Racing suits are included, but you will need your own helmet – a motorcycle one will do.

Chong argues taking part is cheaper than thrashing your own car on a track day, once you factor in the cost of replacing tyres and brakes. The Racer Tour can get expensive if you have a prang, however. If you crash through your own fault, you’re liable for up to S$8,000.

That may sting, but it does set a ceiling on the financial pain. Insurers generally don’t cover your own car if you take it on hot laps of Sepang, after all. Emotionally, it’s also better to wreck a car that isn’t yours.

Still, avoiding the walls and that potential hefty bill is where the coaches come in. Expect to get tips from the three founders and two Thai professionals, all with race wins or championships to their names.

Chong, who won the gruelling 10-hour Super Endurance Southeast Asia Trophy in 2023 together with Ang, and is currently a title contender in the Siam Group N category of the PT Maxnitron Racing Series in Thailand, says the hardest thing for first-timers is learning to drive calmly, because overdriving makes you slower.

Calmness doesn’t seem to be a problem for young Shane. Asked how he might feel if he doesn’t end up on the top step of the podium, he answers with a racer’s maturity. “I won’t really be disappointed,” he says. “I will keep trying until I win.”

Ultimately, Chong’s hopes for the event are simple. “We certainly hope everyone will (get hooked on) racing and get the itch for more. But deeper than that, our overarching aim is that participants get to live their dreams and feel like they were indeed racing drivers for a weekend.”

In other words, there is no need to leave all the fun to the professionals. Or to seven-year-olds.