MALAYSIA'S most successful race driver, Alex Yoong is excited at the prospect of teaming up with Asia's most successful racing team for this year's GP2 Asia Championship.

Alex, Malaysia's first, and so far only Formula One driver, has agreed terms with My Qi-Meritus.Mahara who will compete in the GP2 Asia for the second consecutive season.

"Meritus are without doubt the most successful racing team in Malaysia, if not in the whole of Asia.

"I'm both excited and delighted to be part of the team," said Alex, who completed two days of testing in the My Qi-Meritus.Mahara GP2 car in Shanghai yesterday.

"I had not been in a race car since April for the A1 race but I'm pleased to have taken part in the tests as it allowed me to get the feel of the new car and shake off some rust," Alex added.
"The big advantage for me is that I know the Shanghai circuit very well and even had a win here in A1.

"I hope to use my knowledge of the circuit for the first GP2 Asia races next weekend."

Alex, who has been driving since he was 15, was contracted with the Minardi F1 team for the end of the 2001 World Championship season, and subsequently went on to race for the team in the 2002 season.

He drove in 15 Formula One races in 2001 and 2002 with his best results being a seventh in the 2002 Australian Grand Prix and a 10th in the 2002 French Grand Prix.

Alex presently runs his own team -- Proton Axle Racing -- and his drivers Syafiq Ali and Faidzil Alang finished first and second in the inaugural Asian Touring Car Super 1500Max Challenge Championship.

The first leg of the six-round Asian GP2 series is scheduled for Shanghai on Oct 17-19.