Mohammed Mallaeibasir
Interview by Peter Burns – Asia Motorsport Development
Can you explain about your background, where do you come from and why did you choose TOC?
I’m from Iran and I came to Malaysia with my family and have been here for five years. I used to study business IT but that wasn’t my passion so I changed to motorsport. When I finished my first year in TOC I then went for internship and now my second year is about to finish.
I chose TOC because at that time I was looking for a university of motorsport. I searched a lot and then I visited many colleges, but what I saw in TOC, the equipment, the environment, for me it was the best. They had everything, all the tools, all the cars. It was 80% practical which I like because you are do something practical whilst at the same time you are learning the theory.
What course are you on and why did you choose it?
Motorsport, because it is what I like!
Can you remember the first moment that got you interested in motorsport?
Since I was very young in Iran I liked cars, but at that time I didn’t know anything about motorsport. But then I came to Malaysia I got to know a bit about motorsport and what was professional car racing and then I got to learn more slowly, slowly.
Why did you volunteer for the Caterham motorsport experience?
Caterham is a good start, because we get the experience and we get to know about racing cars. When you are with other teams they don’t let you touch the car or do anything, but the good thing about Caterham is that they trust us, so we can get the experience and we can learn more and more.
How did you find it, what are the enjoyable parts?
I can say every part! Even like when you are moving all the equipment around, maybe it’s hard but it’s enjoyable.
What would you say were some of the enjoyable parts that you have learnt from working with Caterham and going to a race meeting?
The most important part is you have to check everything before the car goes out. Even if another person checks and says it’s okay, you still need to double check, tightening the bolts, checking that the car has fuel, check the fluids. This is the most important thing because it is somebody’s life. If the car has any problem, a bolt is not tightened, maybe someone may lose their life!
That is very important indeed. Tell me, what are one or two things that you really enjoy about it?
Getting to talk to the drivers and get to know where they started, how they started, plus working with the drivers and getting to know the other teams.
How do you think that the experience you have gained will benefit you in the future? What strong lessons have you learnt?
When the drivers tell you how they started, you get the right direction so you know where you need to start. This helps because you can save time and you don’t need to keep searching or getting confused. You can get a head start and go through with it.
To turn it the other way around, how does the education you’ve got from TOC help with what you have learnt at the race circuit with Caterham?
In TOC we learn in theory and practical, but it’s different when you go to the race weekend. Maybe something happens which you didn’t expect, so you learn how to react and how to fix the problem. This helps you to learn how to save time, and when these two are combined together its perfect!
What are your longer term career aspirations? Where do you see yourself in ten to twenty years’ time and where would you like to be and what would you like to be doing?
I guess I’m going to be having my own racing team!
You are coming to the end of your education with TOC, what is your next step, what are you going to be doing now?
After I get my diploma I’m going to go for further studies and of course work part time. To study I’m’ researching a few countries, maybe New Zealand or Canada, although I think that it maybe Canada. I have searched a few universities.