What does Fox Sports Asia presenter Alex Yoong do on his weekends?

Alex Yoong spends time with his 12-year-old son, Alistair, on weekends. PHOTO: COURTESY OF ALEX YOONG

Fox Sports Asia presenter Alex Yoong, 39, lives and breathes sports. When the former Malaysian Formula 1 driver is not shuttling between television studios in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur delivering his two cents' worth on F1, the speed fiend is either racing for Audi in Asia or competing in waterskiing tournaments such as the recent SEA Games.

His homes are a townhouse in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, and a three-room apartment in the Orchard Road area. His 12-year-old son, Alistair, who lives in KL, stays with him when he is there. He is divorced.

The programme hosted by Yoong, Chequered Flag And Race Day, airs on Singtel mio TV Channel 114 and StarHub TV Channel 208.

When does your weekend begin?

I don't have a nine-to-five job, so my days are fluid and I'm off on Tuesdays. That's when I get to sleep in, spend time with my son, do errands, read or meet friends in the evenings. My weekends are spent racing, in the studio or training. They are no different from weekdays.

What is the one thing you enjoy doing in your free time?

I read voraciously, particularly fiction and news. Now I'm reading the classic, All Quiet On The Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque. For news, I don't go to just one website as most publications have a partial style of reporting so I sift and find where the middle ground lies. The sites I frequent are Salon, Slate Magazine and Fox Sports.

Do you check your work e-mail on your day off?

Yes I do, as I can't get away from work and I wouldn't want the e-mail to pile up.

Ever had the desire to go on a quick getaway?

I travel a lot for work, so it's not something that I plan to do any time soon. In fact, I hardly ever travel for fun. I have done only three leisure trips in the past 15 years. I'm a homeboy at heart and it's probably because I already travel so much that it doesn't excite me to take a holiday overseas.

What is a good day off for you?

Nothing fancy - just spending as much time as possible with my son, catching up on sleep and reading.

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 17, 2015, with the headline What does Fox Sports Asia presenter Alex Yoong do on his weekends?. Subscribe