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FORMULA
racing queen Gabby de la Merced and four equally
competitive men from across a broad spectrum emerged as
the best from a horde of aspirants in the Marlboro Red
Racing School 2007 camp recently, earning a
once-in-a-lifetime Formula One stint next month in
Italy.
After
three days of various activities that included karting
sessions, mental skills tests, adventure races and
pit-lane simulations, among others, de la Merced stamped
her class in the company of a businessman based in
Cagayan de Oro, a licensed pilot and two other
enthusiasts who earned the right to be flown by Philip
Morris Manufacturing Philippines Inc. to the Fiorano and
Varano circuits in Italy.
De la
Merced knew she had a built-in experience among the rest
of the competitors as far as driving was concerned, but
had to dig deep into her vast repertoire of skills to
earn a slot on the team.
“I knew
from the beginning that it really wasn’t about racing,
there was a lot of attributes they would consider,” said
de la Merced, 22, a veteran of the Asian Formula Three
series, a television host and flag football coach.
“It
wasn’t really about skill. Honestly, I don’t know the
formula but I guess I did something right,” she added.
For the
guys—businessman Chris Buaquina, pilot Allan Simbillo,
architect Ryan Galura and Macario Velo—the pressure came
from within, not from the knowledge that a racing
champion was in their midst.
“There
was no pressure at all from the other participants,”
said Velo, 31, who is connected with a nongovernment
organization based in Makati. “I really didn’t expect
this. I came here to enjoy, to experience karting, to
experience what Marlboro can give us. I’m still
ecstatic.”
Simbillo,
28, knows life in the fast lane, having been a licensed
pilot for at least seven years now. Still, the coming
Italian experience is starting to overwhelm him.
“I’ve
actually dreamed of getting into a Ferrari. Now, I’m
actually gonna ride one. That’s aside from driving an
Alfa Romeo. I’m ecstatic,” he blurted out.
The five
were introduced to a big crowd in a disco party hosted
by Marlboro at 1 Esplanade in
Pasay City
on Saturday. From over half a million entries from
across the country, participants were trimmed down to
500 and further reduced to 50 after weeks of
deliberation and screening by organizers. The last 50
were treated to a rare experience competing in karts and
undergoing various tests.
“I’ve no
racing experience. There are no racetracks in Mindanao,
so my racing experience is limited to video games,” said
Buaquina, 23. “Maybe they saw my dedication. Maybe they
saw the drive in me, through my eyes, the sincerity.”
To spice
up the party, a Formula One car was brought in for
everybody to see up close, and this overwhelmed Velo.
“I don’t
know a lot about Formula One. But after seeing this car,
what would you think?” he said. “This team is full of
energy. It shows that in the past couple of days, they
have really bonded. They feel that everybody’s a winner
for being in the finals, and winning a trip to Italy is
just a bonus,” said Marlboro brand manager Eric
Carandang during the party.
In Italy
the five will experience a ride aboard a Ferrari Formula
One car boasting a horsepower of over 700 and drive
Ferrari and Alfa Romeo road cars, among other
activities, right at the home of the most dominant
Formula One team in championship history.
The
Fiorano Circuit is a private track near the Italian town
of Maranello, owned by Ferrari and used for development
and testing of its cars, while Varano near Parma is
where the Autodromo Riccardo Paletti track is located. |
