FORMULA One interest following the Singapore Grand Prix must be capitalised on. Apart from tackling facilities and a national plan for developing a motorsports culture, parents cannot be forgotten.

Lester Wong, 35, is a father of one, a race driver himself, and director of HKS Garage R.

He said: "The level of interest in motorsports locally has indeed increased, but ultimately, the country, culture we have, does not make for the best venue for driver training."

Most parents would allow their children to pick up karting as a leisure sport, but to pursue it at a competitive level? Now that's a different issue altogether.

Koh Aik Leong, 40, local motorsports company owner and father of two, said: "The F1 Singapore GP was just an introduction that created a lot of awareness for motorsports. But for people here to dive into a full-time racing career? Not yet."

That's why potential parents of future motor racing talent must be found and lured, to realise the dream of producing a Singaporean F1 driver some day.

This article was first published in The New Paper on Dec 10, 2008.