By Lavania Subramaniam
Life begins when we start to believe it.
For Suriya, one of those moments arrived when he found himself sharing a car with one of the greatest racing drivers in history-not as a spectator, but as a passenger.
By the early 2000s, Suriya's journey had moved far beyond the rally stages of Perlis and the championship battles that had defined much of his motorsport career. His success as a privateer rally driver, coupled with his growing responsibilities within Shell Malaysia's motorsport programmes, had brought him closer to the highest level of racing.
The same Proton Wira that had carried him through rally stages, championship campaigns and countless kilometres across Malaysia had become more than a competition machine.
It had become part of his identity.
By then, Suriya was working closely with Shell's Formula One activities, supporting hospitality programmes and assisting with motorsport operations during the Malaysian Grand Prix. The role placed him in direct contact with some of the biggest names in world motorsport.
None bigger than Michael Schumacher.
Then came March 2003.
Following a Marlboro press conference at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Sepang, Suriya was given what seemed like a routine assignment: transport Schumacher, Ferrari personnel and Shell representatives to their next destination at Cyberjaya.
Everything had already been arranged. An MPV was waiting with a driver. The journey was supposed to be straightforward.
But as the group made their way through the hotel entrance, Schumacher noticed something else parked nearby. It was Suriya's Proton Wira 1.8 Limited Edition. The rally-prepared sedan immediately caught his attention.
"Schumacher stopped.
Looked at the car.
And then made an unexpected request.
He wanted to drive it."
Suriya was stunned. "The most important thing running through my mind was his safety," he recalled.
As the person responsible for coordinating the journey, handing over the keys to one of the world's most recognisable drivers was not a decision he took lightly.
“I even thought about the Princess Diana incident in Paris. I didn't want anything like that to repeat.” Events unfolded quickly. Moments later, Schumacher was behind the wheel while Suriya stood stunned.
This was no ordinary road car. The Proton Wira still retained much of its rally heritage, including competition harnesses and a full roll cage from Suriya's Rally of Perlis campaign in 1999.
Suriya took the passenger seat. In the back, Juan Carlos Perez, Vice President of Shell Global Motorsport Sponsorship, squeezed himself into the rear seat despite the racing equipment and harnesses.
As they left the hotel, Schumacher immediately began asking questions about the car. He wanted to know about the engine. The gearbox. The gear ratios. The overall setup. Suriya explained that this was no ordinary Proton Wira. It was the same FIA-homologated Limited Edition model he had campaigned in rally events and developed through years of competition experience.
What impressed Suriya most was how quickly Schumacher began understanding the car. Within minutes, he was assessing its steering response, suspension setup and overall balance. "He was studying the car all the time," Suriya recalled.
Despite never having driven the vehicle before, Schumacher seemed to understand its strengths and limitations almost instinctively.
As they continued towards Cyberjaya, the conversations flowed easily and the pace increased. Schumacher spoke casually about racing, speed and vehicle dynamics while continuing to explore the car's capabilities.
To Suriya, it was fascinating to watch. "He became one with the car." he said. Years of competing at the highest level had given Schumacher an extraordinary ability to read both the road and the machine beneath him.
As they sped down the highway, Schumacher calmly said, "Patrol car." Thinking he was talking about fuel, Suriya replied, "Micheal, it's V-Power, full tank." Schumacher repeated "Patrol car." firmly, this time. Suriya looked behind and immediately understood.
As it turned out, Schumacher's observation had nothing to do with Shell V-Power. Moments earlier, they had overtaken a Volvo 850 T5 police patrol car at high speed. Suriya looked into his left side mirror and saw the officers flash their headlights. Curiously, they neither gave chase nor activated their beacon lights.
For Suriya, however, the fuel level suddenly became the least of his concerns. Given the speed at which they had been travelling, the prospect of receiving a summons felt all too real.
Juan Carlos Perez teased that a fine might eventually arrive in the mail. Suriya's response was immediate. "If Michael signs it, I'll gladly pay the fine." Even Schumacher joined in the laughter.
When they finally arrived at Cyberview Lodge, the journey came to an end. Before stepping out, Schumacher offered his assessment of the Proton Wira. The verdict was simple. The car handled well. He praised its steering feel, balance and suspension characteristics, particularly considering its age and mileage.
For Suriya, those words carried special meaning.
This was the same Proton Wira that had accompanied him through years of rally competition, countless hours of preparation and numerous personal sacrifices. Now it had earned praise from one of the greatest drivers in motorsport history.
Before leaving, Schumacher signed photographs and memorabilia for him. He also signed the roof lining of the car itself. Today, those signed keepsakes remain among Suriya's most treasured possessions, proudly displayed as reminders of a day that still feels almost unbelievable.
What began as a routine transport assignment became one of the defining memories of Suriya's motorsport journey. The boy who once watched sports from the sidelines because of illness had gone on to become a rally champion, a Shell motorsport insider, and the owner of a Proton Wira personally driven by Michael Schumacher.
Some moments change the course of a life. Others simply remind us how far we have come. For Suriya Sankaran, that drive to Cyberjaya was both.
As time passes, together with his wife, Mathuravani, Suriya relocated to Kuala Lumpur, building a life beyond rally stages. By 2005, their family had grown to include their daughter Monessha, son Dharveen, and their youngest, baby Shasvetha - grounding his high-speed world in family and responsibility.
A new year, a new chapter awaits, of course with challenges.
Lavania Subramaniam (lavania0701@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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