Weng Sun Mok (Clearwater Racing): “I fell in love with Le Mans”

In 2016 and 2017, Clearwater Racing missed out on the LM GTE podium in the Le Mans 24 Hours by fewer than two laps. In 2016 the team clinched pole position in the Sarthe followed by second place in its category in the FIA WEC last year. The squad from Singapore has entered a Ferrari 488 GTE in association with the Italian team, AF Corse. Founder and Team Principal of Clearwater Racing, Weng Sun Mok, also known as “Weng” to his close friends tells us how he has become a Le Mans regular.

 

 

“The president of the United States and the supreme leader of North Korea are to meet each other in our country this week.” According to Weng Singapore was chosen because the Asian Switzerland, as it’s sometimes called, is a safe, neutral country.”Everybody in Singapore’s very excited because of the fact we’re hosting such an event. I won’t be present to live this historic rendezvous as I’m doing something that’s even more exciting - racing in the Le Mans 24 Hours. And I also think that at this moment it mustn’t be very easy to drive there, probably even worse than during the week of the Formula 1 Grand Prix!” 

 

In fact, despite Formula 1, motor sport is still in its infancy in Singapore. “Since the creation of the grand prix in 2008 motor sport has attracted a growing following in general, but it remains a tourist event. We have kart circuits on which youngsters can learn the ropes, but for car racing we have to go to Malaysia.”

 

 

 

Weng made his racing debut in 2006 at the age of 36. “Driving was just a hobby for me for a long time. I was a member of the Porsche and Ferrari clubs in Singapore and I drove on track days. One day, a friend convinced me to take part in a 12-hour race and my hobby became something much more serious. I’ve raced a great deal in Asia until my GT champion title in the Asian Le Mans Series, which got us our invitation for Le Mans. I’ve fallen completely in love with this event. Here we are in the FIA WEC and at the start of the Le Mans 24 Hours for the third time!”

 

We still have to find out why the team is called Clearwater Racing. “For me it means smooth sailing. We hope we’re not going to meet any waves, rapids or other obstacles that might hinder our progression.” That’s the least we can wish Weng Sun Mok, Matt Griffin and Keita Sawa in the no. 61 Ferrari in this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours.