Thursday, 2 September 2021

Red Bull Rookies

 


The 2009 Rookies

The Red Bull Rookies became a familiar sight in Malaysian endurance racing between 2008 and 2014. The first Female Driver Search was held in 2007 and the chosen drivers raced a Honda DC2 in the Merdeka Millennium Endurance race. The first official Rookies team was assembled in 2008 and consisted of Malaysian women selected at special events.

The driver search expanded to Singapore and Brunei in 2010. A few male drivers were assessed in 2011.

Each year, a couple of Rookies were retained as “Senior Rookies” to mentor the newcomers alongside non-driving manager Kenvin Low. 


Proton cars were used by later Rookies teams, who usually took part in the Sepang 1000km as well as the Merdeka race.


Like many driver search schemes, it had limited success in launching long-term careers for many of its entrants, although Leona Chin is still racing in 2021 and Siti Shahkirah Shaharul has competed quite extensively away from the team.


Some initial selection events were held in 2014, but no 2015 team was assembled and the project was quietly retired. 


Below is a list of Rookies recruits between 2007 and 2013. Each team competed the season following their selection. Male drivers’ names are in italics.


2007 (Red Bull Female Driver Search)

Philippa Yoong

Deanna Yusoff

Hiroko Nakamura


2008

Puteri Ayu Jasmin

Leona Chin

Baizura Ruslan

Norlina Johor


2009

Diana Chin

Nur Hayati Omar


2010

Malaysia

Carmen Lim

Lee Hui Jing

Brunei

Melline Jaini

Liana Radzak



2011

Malaysia

Siti Shahkirah Shaharul

Mark Darwin

Singapore

Amirah Mokhtar

Emmiline Ang

Brunei

Fauziah Haziz


2012

Singapore

Melissa Huang

Brunei

Siti Zirwatul


2013

Malaysia

Geraldine Read

Brunei

Illy Aquila Fateen Ismail


(Image from http://malaysianracedriver.blogspot.com/)



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