24th August, Sepang - Win or lose, Malaysia's racing sensation Jazeman Jaafar says that the 2007 Petronas Primax 3 Merdeka Millennium Endurance has provided a valuable experience for him and that it would significantly enhance his motor racing career.

"Without doubt, the event has been a good learning curve for me. I am enjoying myself here and I will try to learn as much as possible. It has been one great, fun experience," said Jazeman, who started the race for his Proton R3 Motorsports by virtue of being fastest among his team mates in qualifying yesterday.

"I did not only surprise everybody. I even surprised myself," said the 14-year old Form Two student of Sekolah Sri Cempaka in Damansara, who clocked 2 minutes 15.052 seconds in qualifying yesterday to upstage three-time MME winner Tommy Lee and Bill Ng of Singapore.

"Everybody came to me to congratulate me I was very surprised with the time," said Jazeman, known for his prowess in go-karts and single-seater racing and is currently leading the Formula BMW Asia Series 2007 with his CIMB Team Qi-Meritus.

Met at the start of the 12-hour endurance race in Sepang, Jazeman, who started from fifth on the grid, declined to make any predictions except that it was going to be a very tough race and that in a 12-hour racing, anything can happen.

"I will my very best to achieve the best results possible for the team. I thanked them for this opportunity to race in the great event for the very first time. I sincerely hope to be racing again in the MME next year," said Jazeman.

Entering its eighth edition, the 2007 Petronas Primax 3 Merdeka Millennium Endurance Race was flagged off by Deputy Youth and Sports Datuk Liow Tiong Lai and attended by AAM President Tunku Datuk Mudzaffar Tunku Mustafa and Motorsports Commission of Malaysia Datuk Azman Yahya.

Competing against the big boys of track racing, Jazeman said that he did not feel of having any disadvantage as a 14-year old boy on the grid except that he would be competing against very experienced drivers.

"Never in my life that I would be sharing the same track with drivers like Hans Stuck and all the top Malaysian drivers including my manager Firhat Mokhzani as well. It's indeed a privilege and honour and I am very happy that I am part of this event," he added.

Firhat, the team manager of CIMB Team Qi-Meritus, said he was not at all surprised with the performance of Jazeman in qualifying yesterday.

"We know that he is a very talented and a very good driver. But, we must always remember that he is only 14 years old. I hope that he will not be pushing himself too hard at this race. But, I think he should be okay," said Firhat.

 

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