STOCKINGER

Filipino-Swiss driver Marlon Stockinger is setting his sights on becoming the very first Filipino to become a Formula One driver following a flourishing career in the GP3 series. The 21-year old driving ace had a successful run in the European open-wheel series finishing in the Top 10.

Marlon is the son of Swiss businessman and racing enthusiast Tom Stockinger and Filipino mother, Egin. He started his racing career at nine years of age when his father brought him to the Carmona Racing Circuit in Cavite to try out the go-karts.  It turned out the he was a natural at driving go-karts and in less than two-week’s time, Marlon got his very own kart.

“I didn’t know anything about racing at that time.  He (Tom) made me ride a small go-kart and two weeks later, we got my first go-kart. It was just about having fun and it just went from there.  That’s how I started racing,” Marlon said.

Marlon got his first win in Carmona in less that a year after getting his kart. And through the tutelage of noted karters Philip Alvendia and Allan Uy, Marlon went on to rake up win after win in at the race track until he qualified for the Philippine Rotax championship at 12 years of age.

“That’s when I got serious,” Marlon said.  “After qualifying for the Rotax championship, I started to train hard to improve my driving.”

His driving prowess improved and at age 15, Marlon became the youngest double champion by winning the 2006 Asian Karting Championship and the Philippine Rotax Max Championship. In 2008, he became a winner in the Formula BMW Pacific Scholarship and made his shift from karting to open-wheel racing.

He participated in the 2008 Formula BMW European season and saw action at the Hungaroring, Valencia and the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

Marlon then switched to the UK championships in 2009 where he got his best result in 11th place at Oulton Park.

The following year, he posted his best ever finish at the Rockingham Motor Speedway after claiming the third podium position. He later went on to become the first ever Filipino to win a formula race in Europe by leading a lights to flag race at Croft Circuit.

In 2011, Marlon moved up to the GP3 series joining the Atech CRS Grand Prix Team. There, he impressed the team by consistently posting Top 5 times during tests in Barcelona, Jerez and Valencia.

In 2012, Marlon signed for Status Grand Prix and was able to bag his first win at the 2012 GP3 Series at Monaco where he was also able to post his first pole position and fastest lap of the race.

“It was a very proud moment,” Marlon said of his Monaco win. “I went to Monaco not thinking of winning but just to do a good job. It was amazing that I went there the first time and managed a race win.”

“I felt so proud when the ‘Lupang Hinirang’ played during the awarding of the trophy.  I was very proud to represent the Philippines.  I started my racing career in this country. I was born and raised here.  It was a very proud moment – I almost cried,” Marlon narrated.

With the 2012 GP3 Series over, Marlon has signed with Gravity Sports Management to handle his racing career for 2013 and onwards.

Gravity Sports Management is under the Lotus Formula One team and handles other Lotus drivers including Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean.

For next year’s season, Marlon is finalizing a deal for him to drive Lotus’ challenger which is powered by a 400 horsepower V6 engine.

“Whatever I do next year is step closer to F1.” Marlon revealed.  “It’s either the GP3 or the World Series by Renault—which is considered as the best series just below F1.”

According to Marlon, he has already met with the Renault Team owners and that he has already trained at the Lotus factory in Oxford.

“I dream of becoming an F1 driver some day. With the new partnership with Lotus, the proper way for me to climb up to F1 would be in two to three years,  It’s high time we put a Pinoy athlete on top of motor sport,” Marlon said.