speak! magazine
RACING TO THE TOP RIO HARYANTO’S STORY IS A LESSON IN REFUSING TO GO ALONG WITH THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT HOLD US BACK FROM MAKING OUR DREAM COME TRUE. It is hard not be in awe of Rio Haryanto. At 19, he is a word-class racer competing in the GP2 series and a national ambassador in an anti-drugs campaign. If that is not enough, the photogenic Rio is also blessed with good genes. But what makes him a true star is the fact that he dispels the stereo-type that a young, average-sized Asian from a developing country somehow couldn’t hack it in the elite Formula racing circles. Rio is currently competing in the GP2, which is considered a stepping stone for budding drivers looking to break into Formula One (F1). World champions such as Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Timo Glock all earned their stripes in the GP2 before graduating to the F1 circuits. There have been few notable Asian racers in Formula racing, namely