Stockinger bonds with Pinoy fans

MANILA, Philippines - Marlon Stockinger handled all the questions during his recent Grand Fan’s Day as smoothly as he does on the tracks whenever he hits the pedal to the metal in putting the Philippines on the map of international racecar driving.

Held at Greenbelt Park, Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati City last Jan. 11, Marlon getting up close and personal with some 100,000 people that visit and interact with him regularly on his personal Facebook account was an unforgettable experience for them. Hundreds came as early as three hours before his scheduled appearance and waited patiently for him. When he showed up, all was excited and eagerly asked questions that Marlon answered sincerely and candidly.

It’s obvious that the popularity of the first Southeast Asian race car driver chosen to join the ranks of the legendary Lotus F1 Team has grown after winning more international races in 2013, including the world’s most prestigious Grand Prix race in Monaco. People are hungry for his opinion and forecast on the sports, to know all about his taste from favorite Pinoy food to books he reads, his rituals before racing and how proud he is of his Filipino lineage, where he spends his free time, and if he plans to enter show business — just about everything that could be tackled in the 20-minute question-and-answer session that had to be extended due to clamor (and to think Marlon’s camp had slightly worried no one would ask anything).

Some were a bit more “forward” than the rest in asking naughty questions or making ticklish remarks which had Marlon blushing (like “Can you be my baby?,” “What’s the sexiest part of your body and can you show it?,” and “Can I kiss you?”). It was a bonding time for Marlon and fans that would inspire him to do even better in his coming race this April in Monza, Italy and the next ones.

Common in many of Marlon’s replies is how much of a true-blue Pinoy he is. He revealed that he makes the sign of the cross before entering his race car; his talent and skills in racing was honed in his homeland “Carmona, Cavite” when he was just 10 years old; he gets goose bumps and feels like crying with pride whenever he hears the Lupang Hinirang played just before every race he joins; he used to take public transport (tricycle and jeep) and has no problem riding one now even with his stature; and he likes speaking in Tagalog, and is as comfortable with it as the other languages he knows.      

In the end, Marlon told his fans how happy he is with the support he has been getting. He said that he wants nothing better than to win for the Filipino and bring pride to his country. He underscored the Pinoy’s never-say-die spirit, especially in giving his all at the direst and most crucial of times, like in the last minutes of a race. Marlon intends to keep coming back and to pay it forward someday by teaching some of his kababayan how to work it around the tracks the way champions like him does. He thanked his sponsors like Petronas and Globe Tattoo for making him the Speed Warrior for Tattoo Black, as well as being behind him 100 percent from the beginning of his journey towards that F1 dream.