I read a reader’s opinion in The Star today with much interest. In it, Bobby Chan (the reader) opined that Petronas should be sponsoring a Malaysian racing prodigy by the name of Jazeman Jaafar. According to that reader, Petronas should be sponsoring Jazeman’s team instead of sponsoring some other mid-card team.

Good argument?

Allow me to put this in perspective and take Formula One as an example. If you were a driver with great ambitions and I gave you a choice between McLaren and BMW Sauber, which would you choose?

Would you pick McLaren (for their race-winning potential) or would you pick BMW Sauber (just because Petronas sponsors it?).

Fact: Jazeman has a lot of potential
Fact: He got his FIA C License earlier than Lewis Hamilton
Fact: He's already sponsored by the TM Group, YTL Corp and PLUS, to name a few. All his current sponsors are big companies, I assure you.

Why, then, does the reader feel that there is a need for Petronas to sponsor the 14-year old?

Or is he suggesting we shower Jazeman with money and spoil the guy even before he makes it to the big stage (like we have done to a majority of our our starlets)???

I sincerely hope the reader didn't bother to check on his facts before writing in...