Alex Yoong
Alex Yoong is Malaysia's only Formula 1 driver (Minardi, 2001–02) and now coach of Malaysia's national e-Racing squad. He founded the Axle Sports sim racing academy in Petaling Jaya.
Who is Alex Yoong?
Alex Yoong (full name Alexander Charles Yoong Loong, born 20 July 1976 in Kuala Lumpur) is Malaysia's only Formula 1 driver. He raced for Minardi across the 2001 and 2002 seasons — 18 Grands Prix, with Mark Webber as his 2002 teammate — and went on to a broad motorsport career: A1 Grand Prix, two 24 Hours of Le Mans starts, and three Audi R8 LMS Cup titles (2014–2016).
Sim racing and the national squad
Yoong is now the central figure in Malaysian sim racing. He founded Axle Sports, a Petaling Jaya sim racing academy, and runs the eRacing Grand Prix series, building a pipeline that took drivers like the Azlan brothers from the simulator to real racing.
In 2026 he was appointed coach of Malaysia's national e-Racing squad by the Malaysia Esports Federation (MESF), taking up the role full-time from April 2026 with the 2026 Asian Games and 2027 SEA Games as targets.
Frequently asked questions
Is Alex Yoong Malaysia's only F1 driver?
Yes — he remains the only Malaysian to have competed in Formula 1, with Minardi in 2001–02.
What is Alex Yoong's role in Malaysian esports?
He is the coach of Malaysia's national e-Racing squad (appointed by MESF) and founder of the Axle Sports sim racing academy.
